In 2021, workplaces will be central to mending the social fabric... as long as we can innovate!
27 January 2021 
After almost a year of working remotely, a majority of employees are missing social contact. That should not become a permanent loss, and offices must jump on this opportunity to reinvent themselves! Covid-19 reminded employees of the importance of workplaces for developing friendships, communication and cohesion among colleagues. According to a study by the CFDT[1] (24/06/2020) in France, the second most important reason employees want to get back to the office is to show managers how motivated and good at their jobs they are (the first is to see colleagues again). Remote working and videoconferencing sometimes make it hard for employees to really shine, and thus to get recognition. Remote working makes it more difficult to develop a company culture and to become part of it.
Working on-site at a company not only enables young people and new recruits to be better supported, it also encourages greater creativity among all employees as well as a strong feeling of belonging, which is essential for wellbeing at work.
However, simply going back to “the way things were before” isn’t an option. To encourage social contacts and bring employees back to their place of work, this environment must be adapted to the needs of the employees, by offering added value compared with remote working and better reflect wider social trends.
According to Alternativ, a specialist in tailored office renovations and a partner of Growners, offices should be adapted to the new needs of employees. ‘Old school’ offices will gradually give place to modular work spaces which better accommodate human needs, and spaces for meeting and sharing knowledge. Offices must become attractive. That way, employees can rediscover the joy of leaving their homes for a work place which is ‘better than home’: which offers better services as well as spaces which put employee wellbeing first.
In short, we say: ‘not fewer offices but better offices!’