Our working world is becoming increasingly digital and fast-paced. It is therefore no surprise that our personal working environment is also set to change significantly. Some major companies, such as Google and Microsoft, have already developed their own vision of the workplace of the future. And not just in Silicon Valley – which is a long way away – but also right here in Germany. The key aspect is that, in future, employees will decide for themselves when and where they want to work. The workplace of the future is intended to be more of a meeting place than a place where tasks are simply ticked off. And individual productivity is to be the main factor in remuneration – not the number of hours worked. Major corporations are already demonstrating what this might look like today. Let’s take a peek through the keyhole.
Flexibility at Microsoft
Microsoft has an interesting vision of the workplace of the future: in the mornings, employees always have to look for a free desk first. Hardly anyone there has a fixed desk to work at anymore. What’s the point of that? Flexibility is the most important thing in the digital sector. And employees should be able to put that into practice when choosing where they work each day. Microsoft doesn’t dictate to its staff how long or where they work. Working from home is also an option. The most important tool is an internet-enabled device that allows each employee to connect to the Microsoft ecosystem. Deciding for yourself every day where you sit and work? Isn’t that a bit of a faff? You might well think so, given this concept. But haven’t you also experienced sitting in an open-plan office whilst the person next to you is constantly talking loudly on the phone? Or having to hold a meeting in your private office, even though you don’t really have the space for it?
Microsoft’s concept offers a good solution to this. The head office is divided into four areas: the Think Space is designed for those who need to concentrate on a project on their own. The Converse Space, on the other hand, offers space for larger project groups. In the Share & Discuss Space, the results of the projects can then be presented and discussed. And phone calls are taken in specially designed telephone booths. This means that every employee can choose the workspace they currently need for their tasks.
Indulging the playful spirit at Google
The atmosphere at Google is noticeably more playful and informal. Whilst at Microsoft there is generally no room for personal belongings, as employees change desks daily, they are expressly permitted at Google. Every employee there has a fixed desk, which they can decorate as they wish. Google takes care to ensure a pleasant atmosphere. As a result, even the open-plan offices feel more like living rooms with workspaces.
The aim here is to let each employee’s individuality shine through. Google also has quiet rooms designed for focused work. The meeting rooms are a particular highlight: in Munich, for example, they are named after and designed to resemble underground stations. Whilst Microsoft operates in a rather sterile environment where staff cannot really identify with their workplace, Google apparently doesn’t want to let its employees go home at all: A gym, a shopping arcade, a canteen offering three free meals a day, and a games room with table football and a Lego wall ensure that staff no longer necessarily need to go home – except perhaps to sleep. This, too, is a concept for the workplace of the future.
Advantages and disadvantages of workplace concepts
Both concepts are designed to provide employees with a pleasant working environment. Modern, state-of-the-art facilities are intended to facilitate productive work. To a certain extent, this is successful; however, the atmosphere at Microsoft may be a little too detached for staff to truly identify with their workplace. At Google, on the other hand, employees’ attachment to their offices tends to be too strong.
A work-life balance with a clear separation between work and leisure is no longer possible here. Furthermore, both companies come across as very youthful, which can lead to issues of authority when dealing with clients and line managers. For those who work flexibly but wish to maintain a certain level of professionalism, the office rental solutions offered by COLLECTION Business Centre are a suitable option. Attractive, modern and elegantly furnished offices that you can simply rent as and when needed, whilst running your main business from home – that’s how we envisage the workplace of the future.
Cover image: © Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images
