New nose, new grindstone

摘要

After the biggest explosion in flexible and home working since the Industrial Revolution, it could be said that our workspace is wherever we happen to be, and one of the lasting effects of the Covid pandemic is likely to be a major rethink in the purpose and design of conventional workspaces. "Speaking to our customers, the consistent comment we hear is that things won't go back to how they were," says Marc Risby, CTO of integrator, Boxer Systems. The most common outcome that people are actively planning for is more hybrid working - perhaps three days at home and two days in the office each week, to allow for a better work/life balance but ensure that face-to-face meetings and team interaction can happen." Although Covid has been the main driver of changes in workplaces and working practices, it has often been pushing at an open door. Flexible working was already on the agenda of many employers for all manner of reasons, from saving on real estate costs and improving their green credentials by cutting travel, to recruiting hard-to-find staff and keeping them happy once on board.