The Future of Workplace: A Human-Centric Experience

The purpose and value of the workplace continues to play a crucial role in providing collaboration, connection and a visceral human experience. Companies must rethink how workplaces can offer employees collaborative experiences and in-person interactions.

As the industry enters a new normal of a hybrid workplace, Gensler Seattle is continuing to lead client conversations about how the desire for reconnection is shaping the post-COVID world and emphasizing the impact of space. Gensler’s future workplace insights:

• The future workplace must bring people, spaces and technology together to ensure equity for all work modes – hybrid, virtual or in-person.
• As companies are preparing the return to the office, real estate footprints and square footage needs are being reimagined through the lens of ROI, specifically regarding benefits such as workplace amenities which will look different than pre-pandemic offerings.
• The most valued workplaces are those prioritizing human experience. This is an opportunity to realign real estate with real needs. Design solutions that prioritize human experience offer the best opportunities to emerge stronger from the pandemic – including those creating in-person human interactions.
• Design considerations should include an emphasis on well-being such as access to the outdoors. Revitalized rooftops are one of the biggest rediscovered opportunities in real estate development. Rather than being an exclusive offering, these spaces are becoming an essential part of any well-positioned office building. Another alternative is to reconsider underutilized plazas or space between walkways and building entrances, says Gensler.