STORIES

Addressing the address: welcome to the lifestyle workplace.

The workplace is changing. Our jobs are evolving. What we do for work is becoming increasingly complex.

But not only that, why people come to work is becoming more complex. We’re moving beyond the fundamental need to earn a living: there’s an increasing desire for purpose, entrepreneurialism and fulfilment among the world’s ever younger workforce.

As new ideas about productivity, wellness and economics emerge, traditional office environments are coming under question

Perhaps most visibly, the space that we work in is being contested and experimented with. It’s now regarded markedly differently by not only those who determine it, but by those who occupy it, too.

As new ideas about productivity, wellness and economics emerge and conflict in the workplace; traditional office environments deemed more suitable to successful businesses are coming under question. Gone is the notion that the workplace is just that; where people come to clock in and out in an environment that is equally perfunctory in terms of location, design and atmosphere. It is now the place where our identities are forged and fundamental human needs are fulfilled. The ever-entwining fabric of our work and personal lives, and the increasingly urban environments that we inhabit means that the workplace must now become a place of culture and community, not just work.

The playing field in the war for talent

‘The war on talent’ has intensified since the phrase was coined by McKinsey & Company’s Steven Hankin in 1997, and its importance cannot be underestimated.

Organisations that don’t recognise the shift in what employees want from their workplace will miss out on the best talent - and with it the innovation, creativity and productivity that they bring to the table.

According to McKinsey’s study of more than 600,000 researchers, politicians, entertainers and athletes, high performers are 400 percent more productive than average ones. To put not having the best talent in perspective, and how fortunes rise and fall among the world’s leading organisations, almost 90% of the Fortune 500 have disappeared since the original list was created in 1955.

With many experts predicting a global shortage of talent of up to 80 million people by 2030; the role of talent in the survival of the world’s biggest businesses is crucial. The companies that embrace the changing faces of business and the environments in which they take place are the ones that will prosper in the war on talent.

Organisations that don’t recognise the shift in what employees want from their workplace will miss out on the best talent

Addressing the company address

So, essentially, the fit-for-purpose, modern workplace must encompass several ideals to meet the demands of the world’s best talent:

A locale with a sense of place, culture and activity that energises and inspires.
Offices and headquarters in mixed-use developments provide the breadth and richness of amenities that people are increasingly seeking to have as close to their place of work as they do their home.

A physical structure that is conducive to wellbeing and productivity.
According to research by Gensler “The cost of unwell workers represents 10-15% of annual global economic output.”

Availability of, and infrastructure for, best-in-class technology.
The next generation of offices and office buildings will enable people to do their best work with the support of artificial intelligence, data, and intelligent building systems.

Space that provides freedom of expression, collaboration and a connection with natural elements.
Healthy workplaces that provide plenty of natural light, greenery and communal areas are proven to alleviate stress, increase engagement between employees and improve productivity.

Amenities and opportunities to balance work and personal life harmoniously.
The workplace of the future needs to resemble and embody the qualities of urban environments that knowledge workers desire: wellness and fitness amenities, F&B, cultural spaces, walkability, access to public transport and a breadth of retail options.

In an age where flexible working and co-working are increasingly the norm, the sense of commitment and belonging that an office provides will help companies maintain their culture and identity, as well as retain and attract top talent.

Welcome to ICD Brookfield Place, the new lifestyle workplace.