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Evolving workstyles and building utilisation
In April 2021 the Squaredot team published "The Sticky Workplace," a highly influential document that reflected on the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workstyles and its implications for the workplace. Praised for its relevance, this study went on to inform the British Council for Offices paper on Future UK Office Densities.
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Three years on, workstyles and cultures continue to evolve, directly affecting building utilisation and ultimately business efficiency. With ongoing debate about the importance of providing an effective workplace, we present our follow-up paper, "The Dynamic Workplace," offering further insights into these critical issues.
Inside "The Dynamic Workplace"
Leaving the pandemic in the past, this new document draws on extensive research from Squaredot’s own nationwide workplace studies. This includes analysis from across 80 offices in various sectors, reinforced by feedback from over 30,000 people, including business leaders and key stakeholders in the world of property.
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With invaluable data and opinion, "The Dynamic Workplace" aims to unravel the often-complex issues around work styles, building utilisation, and the power of place. We discuss how these elements will influence the dynamic workplace of today, as well as tomorrow.
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Key themes explored in the report include:
Hybrid Working Trends
An examination of differing opinions on hybrid working and the ongoing shift between remote and office-based work.
Employee Profiles
Highlighting shifting employee profiles based on workplace utilisation to determine appropriate settings and facilities.
Desk Utilisation
A comparison of current office utilisation data with that from five years ago, emphasising the need to recalibrate underutilised spaces.
Workplace Design
Insights into proactively designing flexible workplaces that support what employees truly need to do in the office.
Employee Engagement:
The crucial role of involving employees in the design process to guide new ways of working and foster a supportive culture.
Sustainability and Inclusivity
The importance of sustainable and innovative design, alongside supporting diverse individuals to foster a sense of belonging.
CBRE IM
1 New Change – Project Analysis
A deep dive into how desk-density data turned a dark, desk-saturated office into a flexible, future-ready workplace.
Space efficiency strategy
Performance & choice
Cultural integration
Analysis of the existing floorplate revealed a desk-saturated environment that no longer matched how CBRE IM's people actually worked. By reducing desk density by 50% and introducing a mix of 2- and 4-person meeting pods, up to 250 people can now comfortably share 120 workstations and 80 collaborative areas.
New booking systems have enabled a genuine "work from anywhere" culture, giving staff the freedom to choose the setting that suits the task at hand. Colour and natural materials were used throughout to transform the look and feel of the space, supporting a more agile, flexible way of working.
A critical focus on quiet, controllable acoustics shaped the strategically placed lounges and relaxation zones. Upcycled and reused furniture, rescued from the previous office, now sits within these social spaces as part of a wider wellbeing approach that's helped bring employees back into the office with real enthusiasm.
