Shaping Today’s Offices Requires Focus on Different Needs

By Jen Worley

The pandemic changed what people expect from work. Reflecting that change means shaping an office that addresses those needs on a human level.

When the pandemic struck, it forced people and organizations into a new way of operating. With physical interactions no longer available, the virtual meetings brought into stark detail the differences between relational and transactional interactions and their impact on creativity and production. The steep learning curve meant people adapted, but what began as temporary became something more revolutionary, changing the physical nature of work, not just the operational.

More than three years on, companies are still adapting. Yet, in a debate that earlier focused on either-or, the discussion now is on both-and. More than policy discussions about mandating where employees work, today, companies wonder how to operate in a world where employees work in multiple environments.

The pandemic changed what people expect from work. Reflecting that change means shaping an office that addresses those needs on a human level.