A direct result of COVID-19 containment measures is that organisations are taking a real-time look at the effects of prolonged off-site work and its relation to productivity.
Thinking of the future impact of this pandemic on office buildings, it may have already dawned on many of us that a majority of potential long-term trends and health measures will become permanent work-life features in the times to come.
- Flex will become more entrenched or share a larger pie of the portfolio – Many are citing the mass work-from-home initiative as a huge experiment. Still, it is more appropriate to look at it as an inflexion point, from whereon work from home will gain more acceptance from employers. More so, because it has the potential to become much more mainstream, especially for industries and roles where the staff need only a laptop and internet connection to do all or most of their duties. Will this influence the share of flex in office portfolios in future?
Definitely! From here on, companies will become more willing to adopt flexible working and work-from-home policies, positively influencing the demand for flex space. Besides, organisations will look for smaller and network of multiple locations operating independent of each other.
- Buildings with wellness features will be coveted – Research on the direct linkage between buildings and occupants’ health have made both landlords and occupants increasingly aware of having wellness features in offices. Designing workplaces that promote better health among employees will gain stronger impetus.
Green buildings are better for the planet, but the future will see healthy workplaces that are good for people too. Features related to indoor air quality, ventilation systems and other environmental…
