Offices of the future - 5 years after the pandemic and perspectives for the coming years

 New types of workspaces

Next-generation offices feature innovative spatial solutions that show new faces under familiar names. Among them, we find:

1. "Small collaboration & focus spaces" - e.g., single-person work rooms available for reservation by employees at all levels.

2. "Co-working zones" - meeting and ad hoc work spaces, for instance between meetings, without the need for reservation but fully ergonomic.

3. "Knowledge sharing and learning spaces" - e.g., enclosed collaboration and learning areas, arranged to support new group work methodologies.

Jakub Zieliński emphasizes that co-working spaces and those adapted for ad-hoc office work will occupy 10% of the space in 2032, increasing from 3% in 2019-2020 and 6% in 2024.

 Wellbeing in focus

 While care for employee health and wellbeing is gaining importance, traditional solutions such as gyms or fitness rooms in offices are losing popularity. Instead, "wellbeing rooms" - places conducive to relaxation and regeneration, equipped with massage stations or exercise balls, are playing an increasingly important role.

 Hybrid work as the new norm

Research conducted by JLL Research among Fortune 100 companies shows that hybrid work has become the dominant model. Mateusz Polkowski, Senior Director, Head of Research & Consultancy - Poland & CEE at JLL, notes that currently about 74% of companies prefer the hybrid model, while fully remote work accounts for only 1%.

Jakub Zieliński adds that depending on the organization's specifics, the number of on-site workdays can range from 0.5 to 3.5 days per week. It is predicted that most companies will never return to a full on-site work model, but also few will opt for a completely remote work mode.

 Technology as a catalyst for change

Since 2020, there has been an accelerated technological transformation in office spaces. 2024 brought full integration of remote, hybrid, and on-site work, with emphasis on sustainable development and the use of advanced AI technology. Automation of routine office management tasks, advanced biometric systems, AI for personalizing work spaces, and "digital twins" of offices for space simulation and optimization have been implemented.

 The future of offices

In the coming years, finding a balance between technology use and maintaining the human aspect of work will be crucial. Organizations that dynamically adapt to these changes, creating work environments that support productivity, creativity, and employee wellbeing, will have a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent.

 The offices of the future are places that combine functionality with flexibility, technology with humanity, and collaboration with individual focus. These are spaces that evolve with the needs of employees and organizations, creating an environment conducive to innovation and efficiency in the new era of work.