DAILY DIGEST NEWS – JANUARY 15, 2021
Originally posted at AllWork.space
Here’s what you need to know today:
Unilever Will Operate With A Hybrid Workforce
The CEO of consumer goods company Unilever has revealed that his employees will never return to their desks five days a week again.
This comes as the company has been heavily experimenting with new working patterns throughout the pandemic.
During a Reuters conference, Alan Jope stated that he doesn’t expect office employees in America and western Europe to come back to the workplace until at least April.
The organization will move forward with a hybrid work model for much of its 150,000 global staff, which would allow them to work from both the office and their homes.
“We anticipate never going back to five days a week in the office,” said Jope. “That seems very old-fashioned now.”
However, Jope said that Unilever still wants to keep offices as part of its operations in order to help boost innovation and collaboration levels, which often take a hit with a fully remote workforce.
The company experimented with a four day work week with its New Zealand staff to boost workers’ productivity and well-being. Now, 81 employees will continue with this schedule until December, and then weigh whether to expand the policy globally.
Jope added that the group is also encouraging its employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination, but those who opted out would face mandatory testing.
The Value Of High Rise Offices Is Falling
A new report from Graceada Partners has found that value for downtown high rises will drop by 10% to 15% in value as demand for offices grows in secondary markets.
High rise buildings were once seen as a symbol of prestige, but many companies are looking to decrease their real estate footprint to better accommodate their newly distributed workforce.
This news comes as the future of the commercial real estate industry remains in a state of limbo and people flee from large, dense cities to the suburbs.
In the fourth quarter of 2020, the national office vacancy rate grew to 17.7% with large cities like New York City seeing the biggest decline.
However, as flexible working grows in popularity, the “outpost economy” will transform the market in areas like Austin and Charlotte as they see a spike in population.
Because of this, office demand will continue to grow in secondary markets, which could lead to companies relocating their headquarters or opting for satellite offices in these areas.
While this is good news for these markets, cities that have seen a decline in population and economy will need to strategize their real estate operations in order to attract professionals in the future.
How The Office Will Adapt To Evolving Demands
The pandemic has forced companies to completely rethink their operational strategies, particularly in terms of the physical office.
Now, in order to prepare for potential future crises and accommodate the new needs of employees, the traditional office will take a backseat to a more hybrid model.
This allows employees to work from the office or at home, but of course, the office environment itself will require major changes.
For starters, with the workforce of the future being more distributed, business leaders should look to include smaller spoke offices outside of major cities.
This will be necessary as many workers either already live in suburban areas or have recently decided to relocate. Offering staff an office closer to home allows them to cut down on their commute time, as well as maintain connections with their colleagues.
Offices help boost collaborative experiences and innovation among employees, which can be hard to achieve when operating remotely.
However, incorporating offices will need more than just desks and a printer. Employees want a workspace that supports their health and wellness.
After months of being hyper aware of our basic health, employers will need to implement health and safety measures that can bring ease of mind to workers. This should include temperature checks, contract tracing, visual distancing guides, UV lights for disinfection, upgraded air filtration systems and more.
