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magazine
05
The study, based on a survey of 10,000 workers
and 500 HR professionals, found that only 14%
of UK workers want to work in a traditional
office environment, compared to one in five who
want to work in a ‘virtual’ place that they can log
into from any location.
PwC says people’s lack of interest in working
in an office reflects the growing desire among
many workers to have more flexibility and varied
challenges by working freelance or as a contractor
for a number of organisations.
The research found that a quarter of UK workers
believe that traditional employment won’t exist in
the future. Instead, people will have their own brands
and sell their skills to those who need them.
This trend could cause organisations to fragment
into looser networks of autonomous operations, with
technology used to bring people together, often on a
task-by-task basis.
HR professionals surveyed for the report predict
that at least 20% of their workforce will be made
up of contractors or temporary workers by 2022.
Already, nearly a third of HR professionals are
building their talent strategies around the rise of the
portfolio career, hiring a diverse mix of people on an
ad hoc basis.
Jon Andrews, UK HR Consulting leader at PwC,
said: “We could easily see the rise of organisations
that have a core team that embodies the philosophy
and values of the company, but in which the rest of
the workforce is not fixed and comes in and out on a
project-by-project basis. These companies will make
extensive use of technology to run their businesses,
coordinate a largely external workforce and support
their relationships with third parties.”
He added: “The growth of this vibrant, innovative
and entrepreneurial middle market could soon start
to challenge big businesses as they can compete
on specialism and price due to their slimmed down
business model.”
The dream office defined
The dream location for an office is
half way up The Shard with natural
light and spectacular views across the
City of London, according to a study
by LondonOffices.com.
The ideal desk has a surface area
of at least 1.125 square metres and is
paired with a reclining leather chair with
good lumbar support. It is freestanding
and not linked to other desks, yet is still
within chatting distance of colleagues.
Technology is ubiquitous, from high
speed broadband connectivity in offices
to satellite television in break-out areas,
and workers have their pick of the latest
gadgets including:
1
A barista-standard luxury coffee
maker
(87%)
2
Massage chairs
(82%)
3
Top of the range Apple computers
(76%)
4
An individual, named parking space
(68%)
5
A snack vending machine
(56%)
6
State-of-the-art air conditioning
(54%)
7
A breakout zone with bean bags
(48%)
8
Plants and greenery
(43%)
9
A fridge for beer and wine
(41%)
10
Foot spas
(32%)
agenda
Traditional office has had its
day warns PwC
Royal Bank of Scotland is catering to the new
breed of worker by opening a co-working space
in conjunction with Desk Union. The community
workspace on the first floor of the bank’s flagship
branch at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh has
24 workstations and a large meeting room that
Desk Union members can hire by the hour.
The traditional nine to five office environment could soon be a thing of the past,
according to a report by PwC,
The future of work: A journey to 2022
.
Home working? No thanks
Seven out of 10 office workers would turn
down the chance to work from home if it was
offered to them, even though 41% say they
could work just as well from a home office and
38% say they could do a full day’s work in just
four hours. The survey for health and safety law
consultancy Protecting.co.uk found that most
workers prefer an office environment where
they can enjoy the company of co-workers,
indulge in office gossip, make their presence felt
and stay abreast of company developments.
SKA Gold for Enterprise HQ
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has received an SKA Gold rating for its new carbon neutral EMEA HQ in Egham,
Surrey. The SKA accreditation scheme is run by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and aims
to improve the environmental standard of office redevelopments. Designed by office interiors expert
Area Sq, Enterprise’s new office houses almost 300 people and has room for an additional 200. It diverts
98% of waste away from landfill, maximises natural light and uses a high proportion (80%) of recycled
and recyclable materials. All carbon emissions relating to the project have been offset.
A high quality coffee maker is the
number one dream office gadget.
See page 23 for more details on the
Saeco GranBaristo Avanti from Philips.
