The 21st Century office, just in time

The way people work is rapidly evolving: Time reports that 80% of today’s workers want much greater workplace flexibility. By 2019, 2 out of 5 of U.S. workers will be independent contractors.  Reflecting these changes, Gartner Group says that, for most companies, the existing workplace infrastructure is completely out of synch with the needs of a distributed workforce.  

The fact is, we’re all working today in ways that, for the most part, didn’t even exist five or so years ago: iPhones, Videoconferencing, you name it.  Many of us have recently become entrepreneurs. Still others are “intrapreneurs,” employed by a larger company but working more or less independently.

We’re all mobile. We perform our work anywhere, all the time. Collaboration and speed are what it takes to thrive and win, starting yesterday. Ensuring full interconnectivity both virtually in-person is critical to success.

With that said, most companies are still tied down by their old office infrastructure: bricks and mortar, long term leases, management styles and technology platforms that just don’t enhance or even support the way work gets done today. 

We’re going to be addressing the 21^st Century worker a great deal in our blog over the coming months – everything from technology to the importance of the environment to creating an optimal floor plan that truly drives efficiencies and reduces operating costs. 

For now, if you’d like to take a sneak peak at a 21^st Century office in action check out our location on 84^th floor of Chicago’s landmark Willis Tower. Here’s s a next-generation workspace that’s up and running today. This new design absolutely nails all the key priorities of today’s wired-in workers: flexibility, mobility, optimal utilization of resources and sustainability.

If you’d like to read more about our take on the 21^st Century office – ask your center manager for a copy of our article.