Drawing on experts in the future of work, workspace design and psychology, the Poly report, "Hybrid Working: Creating the “next normal” in work practices, spaces and culture," sets out the path to the “next normal,” where employees enjoy flexibility and choice, and businesses thrive through motivated, collaborative and productive teams. The report reveals that astutely navigating work practices, spaces and culture will help respond to crisis, redefine the purpose and reinvent the future of work.
Darrius Jones, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Poly, explains: "The unfortunate circumstances experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for businesses to challenge current thinking and shape a new future of work. The next normal is all about hybrid working moving to the mainstream as we respond, redesign and reinvent — flexible working across multiple locations, with immersive, productive workspaces that accommodate the workstyle of every employee."
Post-lockdown working practices
Triggered by COVID-19, businesses have the opportunity to challenge convention and redefine what “work” really means. Hybrid working will introduce new working patterns, new working policies that bring employees flexibility on when and where they work, and will promote outcome-based working, taking the focus off the hours and location, to being productive and delivering results. Finally, hybrid working practices will optimize investments, looking beyond the company office to create collaborative, technology-enabled personal workspaces anywhere.
"Even before the pandemic, the nature of work was changing because the nature of business is changing. Today, few can claim that the technology is a barrier to changing practices, but the lockdown has highlighted the need for investment into the cultural and behavioral components of flexible work. The future is a flexible working environment that caters to the needs of all employees, giving them the most fulfilling work experience and in return allowing them to maximize the value they return to the organization," explains Tom Cheesewright, applied futurist and contributor to the Poly report.
In the report, Sarah Susanka, architect and best-selling author of the Not So Big series of books, also explores why creating the best environments for employees to be productive and collaborative will be vital to the new hybrid working era. Poly’s report sets out key global trends for hybrid working spaces that will emerge in 2020 and beyond.
Home offices will be given as much attention as the kitchen – ergonomically organized and crafted into places that inspire; A prevalence of co-working – organizations will invest in co-working spaces in the outskirts of expensive cities to attract talent. Group collaboration and social connections with colleagues and others will lead to cross-fertilization of ideas, with resulting innovation; Cityscapes will change. Office towers as we know them will most likely become a thing of the past. However, the city as a vibrant social structure will remain, with the city’s amenities serving as extensions of the “not so big” individual apartment, e.g. restaurants become an extension of their kitchen and dining room.
Poly’s report also says that work cultures also need to be inclusive – diverse teams do better, but you must be able to harness and appreciate difference inquiring – “one-size” management doesn’t fit all. Employees will respond differently to hybrid working and managers must learn the skills to inquire, be curious and ask questions; and purpose driven – we are seeing a well-overdue widening of purpose and this focus on impact will serve as a compass in times of change and make for a more meaningful workplace.
“Technology has a big role to play in creating the next normal, powering new workflows between people and places and enabling seamless communication and collaboration so virtual teams are motivated and engaged,” says Jones. “If we respond, redesign and reinvent, we can meet challenges head-on and constantly evolve with any changes we may face.”
The Poly report, "Hybrid Working: Creating the “next normal” in work practices, spaces and culture," is available for download here.
www.poly.com
