Commercial Office Space Transformation Caused by COVID-19

Commercial Office Space Transformation Caused by COVID-19
Commercial office space is experiencing massive transformation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as new technologies. The pandemic has only accelerated a transformation that was bound to happen anyway. Over the past two centuries, the world of work has experienced constant change: from agrarian economies to industrial economies, and now, service economies. And in the past two decades, the workplace has completely transformed. Before Covid-19, only 4% of knowledge workers worked longer from home, according to Global Workplace Analytics. Now, it has accelerated by up to 30%.

Is the Commercial Office Going Away?

Many people believe that the majority of the workforce will work from home, and it will completely make commercial office space less useful. That may be an exaggeration of the current transformation that is taking place in the industry. While the commercial office will still be relevant for conducting major business operations, it will experience transformations in its design: size, scale, and openness.

Many employees like to have some alone time to maintain the quality of their social relationships in work settings, according to research by the sociologist Richard Sennett; some research studies have also shown that there is a limit to the number of sustainable relationships that a person can have. Both findings show that the scale and structure of commercial offices will change to accommodate social distancing, connectivity, and employee productivity.

Designing a Better Office

Another debate surrounding the commercial office space is whether the future of office will require a distributed headquarters. It is argued that distributed offices will allow employees to work in smaller and more collaborative units that can create a lot of personal and business benefits including enhanced productivity.

The model is particularly relevant in a time like this. Certain areas in the country are not as badly affected by COVID-19 compared to other areas. Having a distributed office system allows companies to be able to continue with operations in the event of a major disruption like a pandemic, natural disaster, or compromised infrastructure.

The New-look of Offices

The transformed commercial office space will be the one where sectors complement one another instead of competing against each other. This is a practice that is common in the hospitality industry. Hotels combine co-working space with dining venues, coffee shops, and retail. Commercial office space may now be mixed with amenities such as restaurants, event spaces, and gyms. For example, bars may be placed at the rooftop level to utilize a building’s views.

Technologies in the Workplace

The major driver of transformation in the workplace is technology. It is interesting to know what technologies will be incorporated in the workplace. Digital devices and networks are essential to how employees work today. Over the past two decades, the use of technology in the workplace has risen dramatically. The transformed office will be a hybrid office with immersive technologies. Virtual or augmented reality technologies will help companies connect employees who are indifferent decentralized offices together and have a seamless meeting. Technology in the workplace will help employees become more efficient in a contactless office.