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Establishing rules for the new workplace - Economics
USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Nov, 2002 by John A. Challenger
Employees who are telecommuting or constantly on the road can become isolated from the company and their fellow workers. In the free agent economy, people are changing jobs so often that it is hard really to get to know your coworkers over the long term. This creates more potential for isolation.
Corporate spending on training and development is up 25% in the last five years. Skills constantly need to be updated. The half-life of knowledge is decreasing. Companies are entering into more partnerships with community colleges and other educational institutions.
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The workforce is aging. Each age group has its preferred method of working; young and old have different workstyles. At the same time, mentoring between young and old is very important to business continuity, corporate memory, and skills development. For women, the glass ceiling is breaking apart because young females are achieving many more advanced degrees than their male counterparts. These degrees are the keys to economic and social advancement. The new meritocracy of the educated elite is replacing the establishment that ruled in the U.S. through much of the 20th century.
The ultimate workplace tragedy--the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11--prompted concern about safety as well as a desire for more meaning from work and a stronger emphasis on community outside of the workplace, reinforcing many of the work/life issues already gaining prominence there.
Redesigning the workplace
Companies must take into account a separate, but related, set of issues in order to design a workplace that accommodates the new rules:
* Constantly changing size of the workforce
* Frequent strategic adjustments to maximize profit areas
* Unrelenting pressure to-control fixed costs
* Customers, suppliers, and employees located around the world.
Given the issues racing workers and companies in this new era, the value of any workplace design will be measured by how well it addresses the needs of a business in four broad areas:
Flexibility. Companies are leasing less space and making greater use of it. Space and furniture must be multifunctional so that it can be used alternately for training, hoteling, conferencing, individualized offices, team projects, and big and small meetings. It must set up and dismantle quickly. Smart buildings will feature movable walls and adjustable lighting. Employees who are in the office only part time will share space, which can be converted easily into two or more private offices if circumstances change.
The global economy forces companies to be agile, building up and cutting back the workforce quickly in response to circumstances, altering products and services to meet changing demands. Office design and equipment must enable, not hinder, those moves if a company is to survive in the ultracompetitive economy.
Technology. Buildings must have the electronic infrastructure, including fiber-optic lines and routers, to support cutting-edge technology. Furniture must mold itself to the technology and increasingly smart buildings. Power is being "batteryized" or wireless. How do you design space and furniture for people who carry their offices with them?
