A new report from Poly claims that there is a ‘granular shift’ in focus from place to purpose of work as businesses respond to the COVID-19 crisis, redesign their operations and reinvent the way they work. Out of city coworking spaces, ergonomic at-home work setups and virtual water cooler moments will define the new age of hybrid working, the report claims. 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 what it refers to (tediously) as the “next normal,” where employees enjoy flexibility and choice, and businesses thrive through motivated, collaborative and productive teams.
Triggered by COVID-19, businesses have the opportunity to challenge convention and redefine what “work” really means, the authors suggest. Hybrid working will introduce:
New working patterns – new working policies that bring employees flexibility on when and where they work;
Outcome-based working – taking the focus off the hours and location, to being productive and delivering results;
Optimised investment – looking beyond the company office to create collaborative, technology-enabled personal workspaces anywhere.
Tom Cheesewright, applied futurist and contributor to the Poly report, said: “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 maximise the value they return to the organisation.”