WORKTECH STOCKHOLM 2023

Insights

WORKTECH 2023 Stockholm

The one day event arranged by EY and WORKTECH ACADEMY was filled with presentations from thought leaders, seminars and panel discussions at Hotel At Six in Stockholm.

Future of Work Insights

ROL attended the event where experience, research, and thoughts on the future of work were shared and discussed by large international companies and subject matter experts.

In conclusion, technology and sustainability for people and the planet will dominate the workplace change over the coming years. Forming successful workplace strategies needs involvement and cooperation between HR/People & Culture, the Facility Management and IT departments.

The opening presentations from WORKTECH Academy put emphasis on data and trends of the future workplace. Surveys show that 7 out of 10 decision makers experience challenges in getting people back into the office, 25% of employees consider not coming to the office to save money and 77% of companies plan to renovate or re-organize their office space during 2023 and 2024, according to a survey performed by Coor Service Management.

"77% of decision makers plan to renovate or reorganize their office space during 2023 and 2024"

Many companies plan for space reductions to save costs and reduce the sense of an empty office as more people work remotely on regular basis. What is essential when making changes to the workplace is not just analyzing data, but rather involving employees in the decision-making process, looking at employee sentiment accurately to guide the organization in the right direction. The expression “The Espresso Office” – small and powerful – symbolize an office of half the space but twice the experience.

"The Espresso Office” – small and powerful - symbolize an office of half the space but twice the experience

Sustainable and circular solutions continue to be of great importance as the need for decreasing CO² emissions is on the global agenda, as well as on a corporate level. The Corporate Social Responsibility Directive will require businesses to take greater measures towards lowering their environmental footprint. Sustainable and circular office furniture, energy-efficient building designs, and smart office environments that optimize resource utilization are becoming central to the future workplace. In other words, sustainability and technology will form the future of the workplace.

Mental health at work is a widely discussed issue, and there is a growing interest in examining the workplace from a holistic perspective. We need to stay well, whether working from home or from the office. A holistically designed workspace takes all aspects of the work experience into consideration, with a primary focus on employee well–being. Achieving this involves paying more attention to the needs of individuals within the organization, as well as understand how the human brain works.

The expert panel discussing “brain-friendly” workplaces, reminded us that humans are designed to walk 15-17 000 steps per day and then sit down to rest. When we sit down, we are sending signals to the brain that it is time to rest.

We need reminders and nudges in the workday to minimize stress and create a healthy work environment. This requires a comprehensive and integrated approach to design, ergonomics, technology, acoustics, and customization, to give a few examples.

“When we sit down, we are sending signals to the brain that it is time to rest”

It is very clear that Work From Home (WFH) and hybrid working is here to stay. Organizations are starting to include the home office in their workplace strategy which comes with responsibilities for employee health and productivity also when working remotely. It is likely that more organizations will set off budgets to offer equipment, such as ergonomic desks and chairs, for the home office. This is not only driven by the desires from employees but also driven by the holistic view of sustainability, e.g. less office space and reduced travelling to/from the office reduces the company’s environmental footprint, as well as flexibility decreases retention and increases employee wellbeing.

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