Of all the lingering effects of the pandemic beyond the medical impact has been the shift in working patterns for those used to commuting into the office.
After lockdown forced people to resort to home working, millions discovered that it actually worked well for them and they liked it. The result of this is that the clarion call to head back to the office has been met with a muted response. Home working and hybrid working is now, it seems, here to stay.
However, not everyone is happy with that. It’s not good news for retailers relying on passing trade in town and city centres, while many argue that the everyday contact from sharing a space with colleagues has a value that cannot be underestimated.
The latter point has been stated many times by government ministers, the latest being chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt. Speaking at the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce, Mr Hunt acknowledged the appeal of home working, but argued that office work should be the “default”.
He remarked: “I worry about the loss of creativity when people are permanently working from home and not having those water cooler moments where they bounce ideas off each other.”
Many managers will agree with this, as well as the further point made by Mr Hunt that sometimes the best ideas in business occur in sudden moments of interaction, not structured meetings.
However, if getting staff back into the office is your priority, there may need to be some changes to help achieve this. That means it must be an attractive place with good facilities, comfortable furniture, a pleasant atmosphere and a configuration that enables you to maximise space.
Sliding room dividers can be particularly useful in the latter case, as they will enable you to use more or less space for particular meetings or tasks as required, ensuring larger numbers can be accommodated in bigger meetings and fewer in situations where confidentiality or not disturbing other people matters most.
Despite the recent trend for staff to prefer home working, Aberdeen has seen some significant growth in its office sector, suggesting demand for office furniture and equipment will remain high.
Last year, The Herald reported that demand for office space in Aberdeen had soared, due to high oil prices meaning the sector was enjoying something of a boom.
This kind of situation has arisen before, of course, giving Aberdeen an economic boost at a time when other parts of the UK are feeling the pinch. But even as oil and gas decline as an energy source over the coming years, replacements such as offshore wind and wave power should fill the gap, maintaining Aberdeen’s status as an energy city and keeping administrative office space full.
Whether your firm is in an industry currently doing well or simply ticking along but looking for the next big idea to take you to the next level, you may be very keen to get your staff in the office. With the right furnishings and set-up, you can create an environment that may go some way to making this an appetising prospect.
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