How will we work post-covid?

Work post-covid is currently a hot topic of conversation at the moment. How will offices change?

An article by Woods Baggot on dezeen discusses four different office layout proposals that combine home life and office life, while still remaining focused on the new health and safety measures. They focus on 'collaborative' and 'creative' work that takes place in the office, while some people remain working from home. One of the main problems with working from home is the inability to socialise with colleges, making people feel lonely and isolated. Combating this with fun, team work activities in the office will aim to improve these feelings. 

Woods Baggot's first design proposal is 'In Culture'. A system where the company relies on the majority of the team working remotely and attending the office when in person collaboration is needed, such as as team meeting.

The second proposal is 'In and Out', relying on teams using the office on a rotation method with just a percentage of the company in the office. 

Baggot's third proposal is 'Community Nodes', where people aren't working at home or in the office but instead are working in hubs nearer the employee's homes. Due to the 'reduced desire' to wanting to use public transport Baggot's suggests smaller. community based offices that are more widely distributed reducing the need to travel far. 

Lastly, 'Collectives' is the concept of having a large open plan office with spaces for works and breaks which is most like how the work place was pre-covid. 

It is highlighted that rather than focusing on getting back to work how it was before, the focus should be shifted toward happiness and engagement at work. There are many advantages to getting back into work which can be difficult to see now we have been working from the comfort of our own homes for over a year now. But the socialisation, routine and structure that going into work brings into our everyday lives is so important to remember and get back to as soon as possible.