Google informed its workers this week that when they return to the office in September, the company will be testing a “flexible” workweek. According to an email obtained by The New York Times and confirmed by Marketplace, staff will be expected to come into the office at least three days a week and work from home the rest of the time.
Microsoft, Dropbox and Nationwide are among other employers shifting to a hybrid setup, which is expected to change the way offices look and feel, according to workplace experts.
Before the pandemic, Janet Pogue McLaurin worked full time in the Washington, D.C., office of Gensler, an architectural and design firm. Now that she works at home, she doesn’t miss the hourlong commute, but she does miss the self-serve coffee bar.
“It’s the place to run into employees from all three of our floors and just casually catch up,” she said.
It’s McLaurin’s job to understand how important those interactions are. She’s head of global workplace research at Gensler. And for a lot of workers, she said, a hybrid model is the future.
“They’re going to be doing some of their focus work at home,” she said. “And they’re going to be coming into the office to do more of that group work to meet with their teams and connect with each other.”
That’s going to change office design, said Cali Williams Yost, founder of the Flex Strategy Group. Goodbye personal workstation with your Post-its and bobbleheads and family photos; hello “hotel desks” you have to book in advance — and leave clean for the next user.
“There’s some very creative ways for people to be able to have their own space — rollable lockers and things that they can keep their personal items on site,” Yost said.
On the other hand, “will you need that as much if you’re only spending two or three days in the workplace?” asked Dan Schawbel, managing partner with Workplace Intelligence. “Once you start removing time spent in office, the need to make your office more a part of your life is being slowly diminished,” he said.
Something else that’s being diminished? The line between home and work.
