Upon the shift to remote work, many employees set up ad hoc, temporary office corners in their homes. However, as attitudes about remote work continue to change, many have begun to think about what the future of office space means for them.
Remote work is likely to continue playing a big role in the future of the office, even in a post-pandemic world. What that world looks like for each employee will be different, depending on their personal circumstances. But it is clear the future of office space will be a collaborative one, with remote employees needing the support of employers.
The future of office space
Recent experience shows the future of the office will likely be a hybrid mix of remote work, hot desking, and people who leave home to go to work in an office every day.
Although companies will maintain a primary campus, they will likely continue to support remote workers wherever they may be. The future of office space requires a model that enables employees to be seamlessly and securely connected and as productive as possible wherever they are.
For the office itself, it means accommodating remote workers who occasionally want or need to be in the office with the ability to easily connect their laptop to the corporate network, as well as provide meeting space that will easily accommodate both on-site and virtual attendees without placing a high demand on IT staff. The future of office space means connectivity is essential, and productivity is heavily dictated by the quality of remote networks.
Business communications solutions to support the future of office space should include:
- Video conferencing accessible from any device, including desktops, laptops, and mobile devices.
- Calling solutions, such as a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calling capability, that allow for seamless integration, flexibility and reliability.
- Virtual private networks (VPNs) that can securely connect devices to the organization's network to optimize user experience and productivity.
The future of the office at home requires connectivity and comfort
Remote workers must think about the future of the office in their homes beyond a laptop on their dining room table. They should have a dedicated space to work that includes adequate connectivity with a fast, secure router that supports the bandwidth needed to conduct video conferencing and access any corporate resources. The workstation should be dedicated to their job, rather than using a personal device. For optimum security and productivity, the employer should consider providing and configuring this equipment for the employee.
Employee smartphones can be 5G-enabled to support bandwidth and security requirements and should be equipped with business grade features to enable workers to be reached on the same number and within the same call flows, wherever they're working.
Remote employees should have the right desk and chair—ergonomics remain important no matter where they're working. Creating a comfortable work environment is important, too. Employees should be supported to build the office of the future. Organizations should consider funding and providing guidance to make sure remote workers have all the technology and equipment they need to meet security and performance requirements, as well as ongoing support.
Collaboration is crucial to optimizing productivity and achieving success, but this also applies to navigating the future of office space.
Learn more strategic steps business leaders can take to achieve a future of work that works for everyone.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.