FOCUS DIGITAL WORKPLACE
manufacturers are o ering facial recognition
and voice operation interfaces, but these are
not widely available.)
MAKING DATA PROTECTION A PRIORITY
While faster buildings and greater integration
of new technology can unlock plenty of
benefits for the way we build and
manage o ices in a postpandemic
world, they also
increase the need for
e ective and secure
data protection.
The
implementation
of GDPR in the
UK helped turn
data from a
concern that
was dismissed as
‘wonkish’ and nerdy
to a boardroom-level
issue. The pandemic
has only increased the
importance of data protection,
particularly with so much work
undertaken remotely on o en insecure
internet connections.
The future, faster o ice will collect far more
data than we may realise. This data will help
o ices be designed more obviously for their
occupants, enabling buildings to adjust and
adapt to how they are being used. However,
this data must be treated with care. It’s
30 SEPTEMBER 2020
essential that we use it smartly, but also
protect it for the good of occupants.
THE OFFICE’S NEW ROLE
Inarguably, the pandemic has posed new
questions about the purpose of the o ice.
Before the crisis, only a few freelancers,
working parents and senior-level sta
tended to work regularly from home.
The vast majority took working from
an o ice as a given, and perhaps
viewed being home-based as a
remote prospect.
While some, almost
certainly to their surprise,
may have enjoyed the
experience at the start of
lockdown, it will probably
feel less agreeable now.
Many are facing daily
challenges in protecting
their work/life balance as the
distinction between home and
work fades away. Others are battling
with the constant interruptions of their
children, while younger sta are o en
fighting for space on the kitchen table.
As an emergency measure, working
from home has been an e ective remedy.
Remote access technology (AKA Zoom and
the rest) have allowed vast numbers of
businesses to continue to function. But,
as a permanent, or even semi-permanent
answer, the model is no substitute for the
o ice. An o ice is an investment. A great
o ice makes sta happier, more productive,
more creative – it makes it easier to attract
talent. Put most simply, being in the o ice is
more fun.
When one considers just how much
of a business’ expenditure is spent on
salaries, it quickly becomes evident that a
comparatively small investment in an o ice
makes sense. However, these benefits only
come from a good quality o ice. To attract
occupants, o ices will have to deliver
clear benefits that make the investment
worthwhile, and make working from home
seem inadequate.
Clearly, a fast o ice, with all the benefits
outlined above, can do this. In the
immediate term, a fast o ice can help sta
feel safer and help them adapt to the new
realities of our world. In the longer term, fast
o ices will improve how we all work – and
ensure the o ice remains important for
years to come.
REFERENCE NOTES
(1) www.bco.org.uk/News/News45664.aspx
(2) https://workplaceinsight.net/londonersdemand
for-a-healthier-commute-is-redefiningthe
o ice-market/
(3) THOUGHTS ON LIFT AND ESCALATOR
DESIGN AND OPERATION AFTER COVID-19:
British Council for O ices Briefing Note August
2020
Inarguably, the pandemic has
posed new questions about the
purpose of the offi ce. Before the
crisis, only a few freelancers,
working parents and senior-level
staff tended to work regularly
from home.”
/News45664.aspx
/
