Cushman & Wakefield designed a report encapsulating the success, challenges, and possible future of the workplace and how COVID-19 has impacted the workplace experience with information derived from data-driven insights collected by the company. According to Chief Executive of Global Occupier Services Bill Knightly, the purpose of the report is to develop an ecosystem of workplaces.

Knightly said the pandemic has brought about changes to the workplace that could have long-lasting impacts. He said this does not have to be a negative thing. Knightly said the report was not about the return to work, but rather the return to the office.

He cited three key findings from the collected data employees can be productive anywhere, flexibility and choice to work from anywhere is accelerating, and the new normal will be a total workplace ecosystem.

According to the report, remote workers have always done well. Prior to COVID-19, employees who worked remotely were more engaged and had a better workplace experience than those who worked in an office. The report concluded working from anywhere is effective.

Employees are reporting they have the ability to focus when required. This is not to say that the current situation has been without challenges, but for the most part, people have been able to adapt and overcome, said Knightly.

The report also stated 73 percent of the workforce believe their company should embrace some level of working from home. Data indicated 90 percent of employees said they felt they were trusted to work remotely.

With a variety of workplaces, the report indicated there will be an ecosystem of different locations and experiences to support convenience, functionality, and well-being.

We believe a few things. The office isnt going anywhere, offices will continue to thrive but maybe in new ways and the office may have a new, or more well-defined purpose, said Knightly.

Knightly went on to discuss some of the workplace experience outcomes both success and challenges.

The report shows 75 percent 10 percent higher than pre-COVID rates of those who responded to surveys said they are collaborating effectively with colleagues in the current environment.

While it is important to acknowledge the success, it is also equally important to learn from the challenges. Although a rather cliched expression, this current state of work is truly the worlds largest work from home experiment, said Knightly.

As indicated in the report, only a little more than half of survey respondents feel connected to their colleagues, leading to a negative impact connection to company culture and personal and professional development. While employees feel high levels of trust, confidence, and pride in the company, they struggle with their personal connection to the culture, according to Knightly.

Working from home is tougher for younger generations, according to the findings in the report. Due to most likely living in shared spaces or parents, 70 percent of Gen Z employees said they had inadequate workspace. Almost 70 percent of Millennials and Gen X employees reported struggling with caregiver duties. The report shows Baby Boomers to be coping and adapting the best to working from home, reporting fewer challenges.

The report also sought to answer who should return to work as restrictions ease. The answer, according to Cushman & Wakefield, is for companies and businesses to understand their employees challenges and consider how best to support them. Some positions, as stated in the report, feed off face-to-face interactions, while others experience little downside to working remotely.

As we look to the future, the key learning from the current work from home experience is that organizations will embrace more remote working, said Knightly. In doing so, there is an imperative to recognize that the workplace is no longer a single location, but an ecosystem of a variety of locations and experiences.

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The future of the workplace an ecosystem of workplaces - thedesertreview.com