01732 759725 19 magazine WORKPLACE Two thirds of leaders plan changes to their workspace setup in the next 12 months Office in flux (31.9%), followed by down-sizing to a smaller office (24.6%), getting a larger office (21.7%) and going totally remote (21.7%). Hubble CEO Tushar Agarwal comments: “The fact that leaders are struggling to arrive at a workspace setup that feels like it’s working shows there’s no longer a one-size-fits-all solution; it really is a question of trying different options and learning what’s best for your unique needs – whether that’s having your own office or using more flexible on-demand ways of working.” Demand for in-person working The survey reveals a strong desire amongst business leaders for their teams to come into the office more. This was most marked among CEOs, with 87.5% supporting greater office attendance, but was also strongly supported by between 60% and 70% of HR, Operations and Workspace leaders. Of those considering mandating staff back to the office, the most popular number of days is two days per week (30.3%), closely followed by three days per week (28.1%). Only 9% are considering mandating employees back full-time. Tushar Agarwal comments: “The conversation about return-to-theoffice mandates is a highly-charged one – workers have built their lives around increased flexibility and have now come to expect it. “But at the same time, the power of in-person working is undeniable – and being around colleagues can have enormous benefits for personal development, productivity and happiness.” No agreement on hybrid working The survey suggests leaders are split on the impact of remote and hybrid work. Just 49.3% of remote-first and 45.2% of hybrid leaders are satisfied in their ability to communicate as a team, and while 31.3% believe they are more productive now than before the Businesses still haven’t settled on a workspace strategy, years after the post-lockdown shake-up, warns flexible workspace platform Hubble. According to its survey of 200 leaders in firms with between 20 and 1,000 employees, businesses are still struggling to find the optimum workstyle and provision of workspaces. n Only half (50.2%) of leaders describe themselves as being ‘satisfied’ with their company’s current workspace setup. n Over two thirds (68.7%) of leaders plan to make changes to their workspace strategy in the next 12 months. n Nearly two thirds (65.2%) of leaders want their employees to spend more time in the office. Despite calls for workers to return to the office, Hubble’s research shows that a fully officebased strategy is the least popular option for those planning to mandate office-based working, with a compulsory two days in the office being the most popular option. Surveyed companies with a remote workspace strategy were the most likely to report being satisfied with their setup (57.4%), while those who are fully office-based were the least satisfied (43.8%). When it comes to hybrid setups, satisfaction levels depend on the type of hybrid working adopted, with ‘set office days per week’ being the most popular option (51.4%), ‘employee choice’ second (47.7%) and a ‘set number of days’ the least popular option (44.2%). Learning by experience Hubble’s research indicates that businesses are still in ‘test and learn’ mode. Over two thirds of businesses surveyed (68.7%) are planning changes to their workspace strategy in the next 12 months. Of those planning a change, the most popular option is going fully remote, with workspace provision for staff who require it pandemic, 37.8% say the opposite. They are also split on job satisfaction, with 37.8% agreeing employees have more job satisfaction now, compared to before the pandemic, and 34.8% disagreeing. “I think the main message of this survey is that we’re still on a journey to ‘solving’ workspace post-pandemic,” says Agarwal. “The most important thing at a time like this is for businesses to have the flexibility to try out different approaches to workspace, without tying themselves into longterm leases or wasting their money paying for empty desks.” https://hubblehq.com/blog/ 200-uk-workspace-leadersfuture-of-work Hubble is an online marketplace for workspaces, whether you're looking for a new HQ or a place to work for a day. Hubble is the UK’s largest platform for finding office space, with over 5,000 full-time or part-time offices to choose from and a tenant advisory team to send recommendations and guide you through the process of finding a new office. Hubble also caters to the needs of those looking for on-demand workspaces, through the Hubble Pass flexible membership scheme, which gives businesses access to hundreds of the very best on-demand coworking spaces, private offices, meeting rooms and event space, as well as one-off bookings. www.hubblehq.com Photo: Runway East – Shoreditch
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