The Future of the Workplace
It is becoming obvious that the future of many businesses is going to be increasingly digital. As this happens, the potential for employees to work remotely also increases. The further implications this has for so many things, such as reduced congestion and better health are massive. With less people having to commute to work there would be less cars on the roads. This not only means less pollution and an easier journey for those who do have to go to the office, but it can also help to keep stress levels down. Those who work from home are also usually able to set their own schedules, within reason. This means they can take longer breaks to make healthy food for lunch and they are able to take regular exercise breaks.
A survey conducted recently at the Global Leadership Summit in London revealed that 34% of businesses plan to have half of their employees working from home by 2020. An additional 25% of businesses said that there would be some revolutionary changes in their office set up by 2020 and they would no longer be office spaces in the traditional sense.
The flexibility that working from home provides has the potential to dramatically boost the quality of life of many office workers. Without a commute to contend with, workers could improve their sleeping patterns, eat a healthy option for each meal without worrying about running late and worry less about finding the time to schedule personal things, such as deliveries, childcare and appointments.
So what is the driving force behind these future changes in office structure? It seems that those who have grown up in this digital age are now working their way up the career ladder. As they enter management positions they are keen to redefine how the workplace works in tone with the technology that they are familiar with. With the advent of technology over the last decade it has become much less necessary for co-workers to be in the same room in order to get the job done. Several studies have actually confirmed that those who work from home are more productive than their colleagues who collaborate in the office together.
Offering the chance to work from home part time could be a great way for employers to give their employees more freedom. Even just a few days a week away from the office can help a person have more control over their own schedule and therefore organise their lives better. This would also give them the chance to save a certain amount of time and money every week. How individual companies choose to embrace this concept is up to them but one thing for sure is that it is the future of the workplace!
By Alix Jones
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