In the Office of the Future Remote Work Will Be Complementary

Office is going through a transition as a result of the pandemic, but a new report from JLL says that a permanent remote work model isn’t in the future. Instead, offices will likely adopt a hybrid model, with both in-office and remote work. In fact, the two models can be complementary when businesses adopt the best characteristics of each. The JLL report challenges companies to curate the right mix of working patterns to create this hybrid model, which will become the new normal in office.

The report outlines four key strategies that companies should employ: no one-size-fits-all; hybrid model and choice; elastic workplace but single community; responsible enterprise.

In no one-size-fits-all, companies should start by understanding that there won’t be a new standard work environment. Instead, the mix of remote work versus in-office work will depend on the company, the type of work and the employees. Some companies are better equipped for remote work than others. Determining the mix will require that companies outline the tasks that can be done remotely and the technology needed to accomplish remote work successfully.

The hybrid model and choice pillar looks at a company’s physical real estate footprint. While this new model might not mean a smaller footprint or less office space, it will likely mean a redistribution of space with a mix of home-offices, co-working places, satellite offices and a headquarters office. This mix will need to include both core and flex office spaces in both urban and suburban markets, and it will include short and long-term lease structures.

Under the elastic workplace but single community tip, JLL recommends that companies redesign the workplace experience to ensure fluid collaboration between employees. This means that managers will need to take on a new role to coach employees through the transition and facilitate connections between employees. This includes creating a community through the elastic workplace and a destination in the physical workspace to meet both social and cultural needs.

Finally, responsible enterprise focuses on employee performance and the employers’ responsibility in the workspace. Pre-pandemic, employers were responsible to create a safe and secure environment. Today, employers will need to also curate human experience and engagement. This will not only help to bridge the transition following COVID-19, but it will also be a differentiating factor to attract and retain talent.

Ultimately, physical offices play a critical role in corporate culture. According to the report, 44% of employees have missed socializing with co-workers and human interactions, 31% missed the professional environment and 29% of respondents missed the collective face-to-face work. For this reason, the physical office environment won’t go away. “Workplaces will become social hubs that create value through community and collective experiences, rather than through aggregating individual contributions—that’s where the value-add of offices will lie looking ahead,” the report says. Following the pandemic, the office will take on a new function and re-defined purpose.