New Study Highlights Shifting Workplace Trends

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• New Study Highlights Shifting Workplace Trends

22 June 2018

IFMA's 'The Once Alternative Workplace Strategies' study has been released by Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA), Global Workplace Analytics and Haworth Inc.

The study says alternative workplace programmes or practices can be defined as 'the combination of non-traditional work practices, settings and locations that supplement or replace traditional offices'. While some may argue that these styles are no longer alternative and are becoming increasingly common, the ​10-year study honoured a previous study's phrasing for continuity.

The 2018 report from the study proposees key trends, including:

• Only 7 per cent of respondents believe that implementing alternative workplace programmes can have a negative impact on productivity.

• Managers often worry that alternative workplace programmes will lower employee productivity. In most cases, the opposite is true.

• the impact on people is now the primary measure of success.

• The potential for cost savings might kick-start a programme but along the way leaders begin to see how making work better for people can deliver far more than they thought.

Internal mobility has more than doubled

With the rising use of technology and smart working, an increasing number of employees are roaming offices freely, making the most of flexible environments and resources. Internal mobility has more than doubled in the past 10 years, while external mobility has remained the same.

Assigned seats die hard

The percentage of full-time office based employees who are permanently assigned to one particular space (48 per cent) has remained virtually unchanged since 2008.

Employee involvement is decreasing

As alternative workplace programme increase in size and maturity, the report shows employee involvement in the planning, implementation and evaluation has significantly decreased. This runs contrary to what the researchers have found works best - the more people are involved in the process, the more likely they are to accept and own the outcomes.

Picture: 10 years later and IFMA is still talking alternative workplace programmes.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis | Published 22 June 2018

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