According to market research company IDC, more than half of the US workforce worked from home during the pandemic. Unprecedented changes were made to the office as a massive transition to remote work occurred across industries.
Remote working from home implied finding a space at home for work. The spare room where the kids built Lego sets, and kitchen counter served as home office and workstation. Unlike our initial presumption that remote working the home office arrangement would be temporary, a full-time return to office-based work is looking highly unlikely.
Of the many who were suddenly pushed to work from home without much warning, a large majority report staking out and making alterations to their home arrangements to better accommodate for at home workspace. Compared to a simple set up of a laptop and chair, backdrops for virtual meetings, lighting setups, floor plan conversions and remodels became necessary to quarter an at home workspace with minimal distraction - distinctifying the personal from the professional.
The logistics of finding a comfortable yet work-appropriate space in your home, carving out time to concentrate, and making it clear to your roommates/spouse/children that you are working is painstakingly difficult. With looming distractions of checking in on the kiddos, scrolling through social media and running errands, sure the living room is comfy to work from but is not the most suitable.
Companies are increasingly recognizing such issues to remote working from home. Many companies, despite the altered structure of work brought on by the growing popularity of remote work, recognize the necessity of the office and are opting to downsize office footprints rather than getting rid of it as a whole. The end of the traditional physical office has been predicted since the early 1990s. And, even amidst a pandemic, it has yet to become a reality.
The office: a distinctive, separated physical workspace where collaboration keeps workers collectively on task still plays an important role and will remain. Face-to-face interactions are an essential part of business. Remote discussions don’t build the strong social connections required for effective collaboration.
The physical office isn't dying - it's changing! Although remote working did not change the essentiality of the office, it changed the way we work. It created a major shift in what employees want the most: flexibility.
The changed office fosters the flexibility of remote work which benefits the well-being and productivity of employees while still carrying out the essential function of a separated physical workspace to foster collaboration.
Coworking offices are a model of the changed office gaining popularity in recent times. Established in the vision of work rooted in collaboration - it referred to a way of working rather than a place for working.
The traditional office has changed from mere physical places of work into coworking spaces; a workspace that not only lends itself to productive and efficient work but more importantly provides an environment curated for networking.
In the changed office of coworking relationships form organically. The space fosters organic interactions with like-minded as well as different individuals. Cafes and common areas in shared office spaces often become a breeding ground for networking, knowledge sharing and collaboration. It is an opportunity to interact with professionals from varying industries who could be a useful connection and potentially lead to generating leads and partnership opportunities.
ZED is devoted to providing an optimized workspace to cater to meet any business needs - A workspace which you fill with your own inspiration and passion. We are a community-centric office space dedicated to establishing a community of constructive, collaborative networks of professionals.