Whitelaw Twining, Vancouver. Photo by Heywood Chan
As we navigate the new normal of a hybrid workplace, global architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler is leading conversations with our clients on how the desire for reconnection is shaping how we plan for the future of our workplaces. It’s also emphasizing the true impact of real estate, places, and space. Now is the time for companies to rethink what their workplaces can offer employees in a way that provides collaborative experiences and in-person interactions in spaces that feel inclusive, equitable, healthy, and are designed for human connection.
For over 18 months, we?ve had to learn new ways of working, which often, at the best of times, proved challenging. As a result, we?ve discovered better ways to manage the balance between our work and personal lives that many aren?t prepared to abandon when current conditions warrant a safer and healthier return to the workplace. As companies plan their return, and for those already venturing forward, the most successful will be those that recognize work can be done in non-traditional ways ? hybrid schedule between working in the office, at third places, or at home. But with a focused lens on this new work model, what will that mean for the workplace" Guidewire, Ontario. Photo by Ben Rahn/A-Frame)
The driving force of human-centered design
Despite how we work in the future, the workplace is not going away. The purpose and value of the workplace is still critic...