MEM054 Spacewell Whitepaper - EN - Final
MEM054 Spacewell Whitepaper - EN - Final
1. Introduction
Hybrid Work - An Inconvenient Truce 3
The Office Space Dilemma 3
Charting Your Own Course 3
The Rise of Hybrid 4
5. Case Study 15
1. Hybrid working: growing gap between leaders and employees | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
2. Gartner Forecasts 39% of Global Knowledge Workers Will Work Hybrid by the End of 2023
3. https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/united-states/insights/obsolescence-equals-opportunity
4. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/countering-the-surge-of-zombie-buildings 3
The Rise of Hybrid Work
The unprecedented rise of hybrid work is a transformative trend reshaping the global
work environment.
A transition towards hybrid work was already in play Despite this polarization in opinions, the hybrid
prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but accelerated approach has continued its upward trend,
rapidly as a direct result. The COVID-19 pandemic increasingly being viewed not only as a feasible
forced businesses of all sizes to rethink the way they option, but as the preferred choice for numerous
work, as well as inducing a remote work experiment organizations. Gartner’s forecast further illustrates
on an unprecedented scale. During lockdowns, this shift: they predict that by the end of 2023, 39% of
organizations were compelled to adopt remote global knowledge workers will operate under hybrid
work models almost overnight, leading to long-term work models, up from the 37% figure reported in 20226.
changes in attitudes, preferences, and strategies.
Hybrid work is clearly on the rise for good reasons,
The debate over whether organizations should adopt it empowers employees with flexibility, fostering a
hybrid work strategies or maintain a more traditional healthy work-life balance that enhances productivity
office-centric approach continues to divide and job satisfaction. This work model can also provide
opinions, both amongst employers and amongst businesses a competitive edge, attracting premium
the workforce. A recent global survey by Ipsos talent and reducing office space costs. But the
highlights a widening gap between leaders who want transition isn’t without challenges, as we’ll explore in
employees to return to the office and employees the next section.
who have adapted to new patterns of work and
want greater flexibility, with junior employees proving
almost three times more likely to want to work
remotely than senior managers5.
5. Hybrid working: growing gap between leaders and employees | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)
6. Gartner Forecasts 39% of Global Knowledge Workers Will Work Hybrid by the End of 2023
4
Key Factors that Continue to Drive Hybrid Work Adoption
Cost Reduction:
Hybrid work reduces the need for square footage
Changing Preferences: and offers the potential to reduce real estate
As businesses were pushed to adopt remote related costs (rent, energy, cleaning, etc.) as well
work models rapidly, due to COVID-19, many as reducing carbon emissions. The savings can be
employees savored the newfound flexibility re-invested in commute-worthy work environments,
and convenience. This has led to enduring shifts supported by digital tech.
in workplace preferences and company strategies.
The option of hybrid working, once seen simply as
a perk has developed into a firm expectation for
many employees, and even sectors traditionally
resistant to such change, like the legal and
banking professions, are now seeing widespread
acceptance of hybrid as a long-term solution.
Generational Shift:
Millennials and Gen Z heavily prioritize work-life
balance. According to McKinsey many are willing
to seek new employment opportunities should
their employers eliminate hybrid work in favor
of full office attendance.
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2. T
HE CHALLENGES OF A TRANSITION
TO HYBRID WORK
The crafting and execution of an effective hybrid
work strategy necessitates a comprehensive
These different models can be
appraisal of both internal and external factors,
further broken down into a number
and each organization’s journey will be unique
of classifications, including:
and multifaceted.
Flexible Hybrid Model: Employees choose
“insights
Adopting a hybrid work model requires relevant
and a vision of the model that will be best
their work location based on work type
or personal preference, utilizing office
suited to the needs of your business. It’s important space for collaborative tasks and working
to gather as much data and feedback as possible remotely otherwise.
prior to adoption, and then apply and monitor
strategies. In the absence of benchmarking data, Scheduled Hybrid Model: Work location
a flexible, adaptable approach is necessary, and is predetermined for certain days, either
outcomes will likely need to be adjusted over time. ” company-wide or per team.
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Conflicting
workspace
approaches
Source: Spacewell
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Identifying Objectives
and Measuring Success
Implementing a hybrid work model is a significant
organizational endeavor. It requires clear
communications, unified goals, precise metrics
and targets, along with the flexibility to adapt to
evolving circumstances. Regular audits of internal
metrics and data are key to guiding the continuous
refinement of the hybrid work strategy.
Culture, Engagement,
and Communication
Successfully implementing a hybrid work model
involves special attention to maintaining a sense
of connection and engagement among employees,
regardless of their location. Successful strategies
will involve establishing policies and processes that
establish goals, objectives, constraints of the hybrid
work programme in as much detail as possible.
These policies help set clear expectations, and can
nurture a shared organizational culture as well as
fostering a sense of inclusion.
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3. KEY CONSIDERATIONS & PRIORITIES
When developing a hybrid work strategy, organizations need to prioritize factors that align with their values
and business objectives. Striking the right balance between employee well-being, productivity, and business
goals is crucial.
Source: Spacewell
*DESTEP Stands for Demographic, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological,, Ecological and Political/Legal *DESTEP Stands for Demographic, Economic, Sociocultural,
Technological,, Ecological and Political/Legal
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Evaluating External Factors “crucial,
Prioritizing the well-being of employees is
and it can’t be ‘enforced’, only facilitated.
As part of the initial evaluation of the hybrid Organizations should provide tools and
work opportunity, organizations should consider mechanisms that provide regular feedback to
a wide range of external factors. These include allow for ongoing adaptation. Strategies should
the regulatory environment, demographic not only cater to the individual employee but
trends, economic factors, sociocultural also consider their interactions within teams,
dynamics, technological advancements, interdepartmental relationships, and
and ecological considerations. overarching organizational interactions ”
Evaluation of regulatory constraints is particularly
crucial for multinational organizations aiming Asaël Akkerman
to implement a universal hybrid work strategy. SVP of Partnerships & Alliances, Spacewell
The varying regulatory landscape across
different territories can greatly influence strategy
development. Legislation can vary significantly in
terms of region-specific workplace regulations such
Formulating Tailored Hybrid
as working time directives and legal provisions for Work Policies
flexible working requests as well as rules related to, Hybrid work policies should be tailored to align with
taxation, or data protection. organizational values and strike a balance between
employee wellbeing, productivity, and business
Understanding Work Patterns objectives. Establishing a strategic mapping that
clearly defines the over-arching priorities
and Employee Needs of a hybrid work programme can act as a useful
Understanding the ‘how’ and ‘when’ of work reference for future decision making as well as
for different roles within your business is key. an arbiter in the case of dispute or disagreement.
Evaluating which hybrid work model best suits
an organization requires an in-depth evaluation Meanwhile, at the team level, developing
of the tasks undertaken by individuals and teams ‘team charters’ which establish consensus and
throughout the organization striking a balance agreement on how everybody’s going to work
between individual and collaborative work patterns. together in hybrid environments can also provide
further coordination and guidance.
The devised strategies should consider not
only individual requirements but also how each Policies should ultimately seek to align with the
individual interacts within teams, between organization’s values and prioritized balancing
departments, and at an organizational level, between employee well-being, productivity,
as well as industry or geographic/cultural and business objectives.
preferences and norms.
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Developing Internal Expertise Communications, Adaptation
Whereas external, third-party specialists have & Evolution
traditionally been relied upon to carry out periodic
Effectively transitioning to a hybrid working strategy
assessments and re-evaluation workplace
is a major corporate endeavor, which requires the
strategies, senior leaders are increasingly entrusting
development of clearly established goals, targets
the development and delivery of new post-
and metrics for the measurement of progress.
pandemic hybrid work strategies to internal HR
Communicating these components effectively
departments. This shift can serve to highlight some
and clearly is crucial to achieve buy‑in and highlight
notable challenges.
the objectives and benefits of transitioning to a
hybrid model. The transition is also not a one-off
Firstly, should the organization continue to rely on
process; it’s a continuous journey that requires
third party workplace expertise, this can lead to
adaptability, as well as ongoing monitoring,
the delivery of generic, “cookie-cutter” solutions
learning, and adaptation.
which are unlikely align with the specific needs
of the organization. Secondly, longstanding
To effectively navigate the transition, organizations
dependence on third-party expertise leads to
should arm themselves with tools and mechanisms
limited development of internal workplace strategy
that provide regular feedback on employee
skills amongst HR teams. Thirdly, reliance on third
perceptions and key performance indicators.
parties means that internal teams may also have
This may involve deploying apps or using survey
limited access to, and availability of data required
tools to allow employees to provide feedback
to inform decision making and facilitate a smooth
about the positives and negatives of their work
transition to these new working models. Many
experiences. Feedback can then be incorporated
HR departments are therefore underprepared
regularly into the model, allowing for ongoing
when faced with the responsibility of crafting and
adaptation and refinement.
executing these new hybrid work strategies.
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Physical Workplace Design
The physical workspace can hold an essential role To stand out, the physical office needs to offer
in attracting and retaining talent but people need a unique and captivating experiences that employees
reason to return to the office. Design of the physical can’t find at home. This could encompass aspects
workplace should reflect company values, providing like state-of-the-art technology, ergonomically
flexible, adaptive, and human-centric spaces. designed spaces, high-quality communal areas,
and in-house amenities such as gyms, cafes, or
The future of the workplace should be dynamic wellness centers. Companies could also consider
and adaptable to the changing needs of the creating ‘destination’ areas within the office - these
business. Instead of simply providing desk spaces could be spaces that inspire creativity, facilitate
it should shift to providing a mix of tailored serendipitous interactions, or provide a relaxing
spaces that seek to maximize engagement and oasis within the workplace.
collaboration and align with the activities of both
individuals and teams. An ability to swiftly adapt to changes in workplace
location and workspace configuration can also
enhance resilience against future unforeseen
events changing workplace trends. An informed
approach, backed by extensive data and
feedback, can help optimize the design and
make it adaptable for future changes. Starting
simply, allowing room for adaptation and
enhancement based on data-driven evidence,
can steer organizations towards successful
hybrid work strategies.
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4. DATA & TECHNOLOGIES FOR EFFECTIVE
HYBRID WORK STRATEGIES
Emphasizing Outcomes Role of Utilization Data
over Technology As employers embrace hybrid work, corporate real
estate leaders will focus more on utilization data
Crucially, a hybrid work strategy should not be
to gauge their portfolio performance and guide
solely driven by technology. While technology plays
future space decisions. Utilization data will give
a significant role in enabling remote work, the core
decision‑makers insight into how their space is and
focus should be on achieving desired outcomes
isn’t being used so that they can adjust their space
for the organization and its employees. This
planning, design, and allocation to achieve efficiency
includes ensuring the right tools and technology
and enhance the workplace experience for their
are available in the right places, incorporating
employees. Reducing underutilized space and costs
adaptability into workplace design, and prioritizing
per seat will rise in 2023 as companies navigate an
employee wellbeing. The technology is facilitative,
economic downturn.
and should not be the primary driver. Organizations
need to analyze and document what they want
to achieve, so they can specify and tailor the
technology solutions to meet their specific needs. “byEffective hybrid work environments are facilitated
the strategic use of data and technology.
Leveraging existing systems can provide valuable
Practical Applications insights and the addition of technologies such
Connectivity and collaboration tools form the as IoT sensors can significantly enhance our
backbone of any hybrid work setup. Some popular understanding of workspace utilization. The key
examples include: is to think, evaluate, understand, and act on the
data and evidence we have, thereby making
Collaboration Tools: These platforms, such informed decisions. ”
as Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom, and Google
Workspace, allow employees to work together on Carlo Van Der Steen
projects even if they are not in the same location. SVP Direct Sales, Spacewell
They enable seamless communication and
collaboration among team members,
regardless of location.
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Making the Most of Embracing the Power of IoT:
Modern IoT technology such as workplace sensors
Available Datasets can offer a clearer view of your workspace,
harvesting granular, real-time data that sheds
Leveraging existing datasets plays a critical
light on space usage, occupancy, and
role in a successful hybrid work strategy.
environmental conditions.
These may include:
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5. CASE STUDY
The Merck Group, a global leader in healthcare, reduce energy and facility management costs.
life science, and electronics, partnered with By implementing this system, nine buildings were
Spacewell to create a hybrid working model and switched partially or entirely to winter operation,
adapt its workplace to the future. As part of this saving 50 to 60 percent energy by minimizing
process, Spacewell’s digital Workplace System heating and shutting down non-essential electrical
was introduced in 15 buildings over four months, circuits. Meanwhile, the required number of
providing a secure back-to-office solution workstations was identified and made available
following the COVID-19 pandemic. This system to all employees in the most energy-efficient
offers employees the flexibility to contribute to buildings, ensuring uninterrupted daily operations.
the company’s evolving workspace needs.
Moving forward, Merck Group can utilize the
The primary objective was to develop a strategy Workplace System to implement hybrid working
that accounted for the changing work environment methods and sustainably operate buildings,
and more efficient energy use. Analysis of buildings achieving future-oriented energy management
equipped with the Workplace System revealed and cost reduction. In addition to winter energy
an average occupancy rate of 50 to 70 percent, savings, the system offers opportunities for
indicating significant unused space. This led to resource-saving property operations in the future,
discussions about partially operating or “shutting including adjusted cleaning cycles, leading to
down” entire office complexes. cost reductions in facility management. This
demonstrates how Spacewell’s Workplace System
Thanks to the Workplace System’s ability to collect supports the Merck Group in achieving an efficient
real occupancy rates and analyze utilization, Merck and sustainable hybrid work model.
Group was able to accurately estimate the space
needed by employees on any given workday.
By focusing on fewer buildings, particularly the
energy-efficient ones, during the test phase, they
were able to put underused buildings and areas
into “winter mode” and save energy. Workspaces
in the energy-efficient buildings could be easily
reserved by employees using the Workplace’s
booking tool.
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6. CONCLUSION & NEXT STEPS
Hybrid work is more than just a trend; it’s a As a pioneering force in IoT-connected workplace
fundamental shift in how we approach work. It’s solutions, Spacewell, a Nemetschek Company,
about reimagining where we work, how we work, is uniquely positioned to facilitate this transition.
and even how we connect with each other. Spacewell’s comprehensive suite of tools includes:
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To learn more about how Spacewell can assist your organization
in building a successful hybrid work strategy, visit
www.spacewell.com