The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on all aspects of our daily lives, particularly how and where we work. Amongst other things, the pandemic has precipitated a mass acceleration towards remote working practices for many businesses; practices they may not have even considered before, yet now have had to be implemented as a necessity. Companies are investing heavily in the technologies required to make remote work not just possible, but effective. Obviously the level of investment required varies greatly depending on the context, however for the majority this expense has been significant enough to suggest that these new remote working protocols are not as much of a temporary solution than they are a permanent shift towards a new way of working. For many FM professionals and organisations out there this shift has caused some concern around the future of the workplace and in turn the Facilities Management sector. At Maxwell Stephens we are firmly of the belief that central, shared workplaces will always be required – they have just evolved a bit more rapidly than usual!
Remote working removes many opportunities to observe other ways of working and reduces employee exposure to different points of view. This could be something as minor as simply overhearing conversations that could enhace your understanding, or missing out on important ideas generated through general chit-chat.
It is well documented that different environments have a significant impact on our mental state, and when it comes to working, our mental state has a significant impact on our productivity. The office environment is (usually) designed with productivity in mind, and this can be something that is very difficult to recreate home. Those who have tried to work with young children, TV blaring in the background, whilst hunched over the kitchen table will know exactly what we mean!
In a previous post we discussed how enhanced connectivity can blur the lines between home and work life, and this is certainly true for many remote workers in the current climate. For some people this is manageable, yet for many others there needs to be a clear distinction between their personal and professional lives. Studies have shown that this increased connectivity to employers is actually a source of anxiety for the majority of employees. Findings also suggest that even when employees do not actually spend time working at home, the mere idea that they need to stay connected can be detrimental.
The prevailing message around business Headquarters’ moving forwards seems to be that they need to become more adaptable, particularly in regards to their function, location, and scale. In many sectors, particularly professional service sectors, the HQ premises and address can be seen as a badge of honour – a form of status symbol and a physical embodiment of the business and its brand. We do believe that this mentality will continue, yet it make just take a slight back seat to other functional considerations.
Some leaders have suggested that a new, more flexible approach to corporate HQ’s and offices needs to be taken. The future may indeed lie in smaller centralised premises which support more localised, regional hubs. We think this may be a fine balancing act, combining a focus on brand and corporate reputation with enhanced remote working opportunities and capabilities.
• Companies have, and will continue to, make substantial investments in remote working technologies and employee wellbeing
• Businesses may start to pull in talent from a wider geographical pool. They will not be limited to immediate location which will be beneficial to employers and employees alike.
• Childcare benefits may become a bigger selling point to potential employees and we may start to see more and more companies provide such benefits.
• Workplace redesign and fit out projects will be a key consideration for many businesses in the near future (if not so already).
• In many sectors we may start to see an increase in temporary, project based positions. This is particularly true of the Facilities Management sector when we consider things like office moves and workspace redesigns.
• When working in the office, the environment is typically the same, if not very similar, for all employees. Replicating this equity of environment when moving to an increased remote working model could prove difficult. Not everyone has the same access to high bandwidth internet, privacy and physical space etc.
• One size will not fit all when it comes to remote working arrangements. Thye will need to reflect individual context and circumstance, e.g. carer responsibilities, personal health, childcare etc.
• Depending on the business and the professional, remote working could have significant implications when it comes to cyber security. As work continues to move further outside of private compnay networks, establishing and maintaining proper security protocols will become increasingly difficult.
