In a very unpredictable world, it is quite hard to come up with possible trends for the coming year, particularly when it comes to the workplace. There is going to be a real divide between those wanting to continue working from home, and those who are desperate to get back into the office environment. One thing is for sure – employee wellbeing is going to be a big feature. Let’s have a look at some of the possible workplace trends for the next year.
Office Refresh
Not only will offices have to be adapted so they allow for social distancing, but they will also need a general ‘revival’. Although there has been lots of talk about offices becoming redundant, we are sure lots of businesses will be adopting a more hybrid, flexible working approach. Allowing for collaboration between employees and giving them the chance to interact face-to-face whilst keeping safe.
Many business owners will be looking to redesign their office space, with a focus on adding creative spaces and breakout areas, to help inspire their team. If staff are only going to be in the office a couple of days a week, it is essential that their productivity is as high as possible when they are there.
Focus On Wellbeing
Mental health has been a key talking point throughout the pandemic, and it has been recorded that three-quarters of employees have struggled at work due to anxiety caused by COVID-19. During the next year, we believe that employers will be thinking about innovative ways to improve the well-being and mental health of their staff. Whether that means adding in more team socials to help with internal communications and relationships or setting aside specific days to run through the mental health tools available to employees.
Flexible working should also help with this too, giving employees more control over how they utilise their time. Even just being able to pop out for a lunchtime walk to get some fresh air can make such a positive difference when it comes to mental health. Research has actually shown that working from home, or even from co-working spaces, can reduce burnout and stress.
Rise In Digital Technology
So we have already seen a rapid acceleration in technology during the past year as the world of digital has started to consume our everyday lives even more. There doesn’t seem to be any stopping it though, the digital transformation is set to continue well into this next year. Collaborative tools and AI software have been used a lot during the pandemic to help increase productivity, so innovation is bound to continue within these fields.
Touchless technology is also going to be a big feature over the next year and is something that we have tried to include here at McCue House. You will be able to enter the building by simply scanning a fob, and we are also limiting the number of times common surfaces have to be touched too. This includes coffee machines, soap dispensers and doorknobs. It will be interesting to see how temperature scanning changes during the next year too – Nokia has already introduced an automated elevator temperature detection solution.
So there you have it, some of our workplace trend ideas for the next year. We would love to know your predictions – feel free to get in touch and let us know!