OccupierEdge_Ed.4_US 5_17

Saying goodbye to the traditional workplace The gig is up. Since we are working differently now, corporate workplaces must be prepared to support these changes. To this end, firms are increasingly redesigning their offices to provide fewer private offices and cubicles, and more open and collaborative space to address the fact that 30-50% of their workforce are not actual employees. The goals are twofold: first, to provide workplaces that facilitate discussion and collaboration. Second, to decrease the firm’s overall rent bill by providing less physical space per worker. Contracting and collaborative workplaces are key factors in why office vacancies remain elevated even with our economy at full employment, and why so little new office space is being built. Continued economic and job growth won’t change that. We just don’t need as much office space. More and more gig workers are utilizing co-working or collaborative spaces such as Regus, the industry leader in shared work space, which has 3,000 locations in 900 cities across the globe or WeWork, which claims 50,000 members who work in its spaces.

How CRE executives can plan for the future Now more than ever, CRE needs to secure a seat at the table with other business unit leaders when discussing the company’s strategy and forward- looking plans. There needs to be a good understanding of not only who will be using the space, but how and when they will be using it. Different groups should be considered and consulted with when planning. For instance, according to Deloitte, 70% of millennials might reject traditional employment/business and choose to work independently in the future. Given this reality, this group’s work styles should definitely be addressed. In addition, artificial intelligence and robotics will be more prevalent in the near future and their presence should be factored into the planning as well. Armed with this type of information, companies can design and continually redesign a workplace that works for their organization going forward. At the end of the day, businesses that will be successful in the future will be those who break down the barriers between people, workplaces and technologies and empower their employees to be productive and creative no matter where they are.

Together, they and other providers of co-working space, have leased several million square feet of space in the past few years and that trend is sure to continue with the growth of this economy. The gig economy also impacts traditional corporate culture and employee engagement. With so many contractors in the mix, it’s more important than ever to demonstrate a commitment to all workers – whether full time or temporary. When all workers are engaged, they are more likely to be committed to company goals. Plus, you never know where a contractor may end up. They could return as a full time employee or even work for one of your clients one day.

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65% of today's school students will be doing jobs that don't exist yet