Many organisation’ workplaces are broken and don’t function effectively anymore. After the COVID pandemic lockdowns over the last few years many workplaces have been re-occupied but in many cases the space no longer supports the way people want to work. So how do they transition to a new workplace? What will best support their people and make them want to be there? (rather than being told to be there) We strategize what the next workplace should be to support your people so your business can thrive.

The media has been full of stories about how occupancy patterns have changed and now Hybrid work is the answer for everyone. There are a lot of new “workplace strategists” jumping on the Hybrid bandwagon. Many are giving advice based on what they see in the media – not their own experience and knowledge. But an effective workplace is not a “one size fits” all solution and things will never go back to the way they were pre COVID. Evolution (and Revolution) doesn’t work like that – new impacts like AI are changing many workplaces again and the rate of change continues to accelerate. So what’s next?

In the past we have seen other trends become the new way of working from the Earliest Cubicles and Cellular Offices to Open Plan, Hot Desking and Activity Based Work (ABW) – and now the buzz phrase is Hybrid Working. Many organizations are rolling out a solution which is effectively an ABW solution adjusted to suit the forecast levels of occupancy, often with a reduction in leased area to justify the business case.

Well you can’t! But it can be a way of avoiding risk by staying in the middle of the herd. But will your people want to come to an average workplace – or do they want and deserve something more. If you want to gain an advantage you have to break away from the herd and follow your own unique path with all the risks and rewards that entails to deliver a unique solution that has been co-created with your best people.

We think Chat GPT is fantastic if used in the right way – but it’s like having a very, very fast “not bad” intern summarize what the herd are saying for you. But is that going to be the best solution? How much of the data is not relevant or out of date? Will Chat GPT give you a unique response to what the real issues are for your business and your people? How can it know what they think?

In a couple of words – experience and insights. Led by one of Australia’s most experienced workplace strategists, Stephen Minnett, Next Workplace critically review what is happening in the media and the world of workplace. But we don’t do it as newcomers – we look it at through the lens of strategists and designers who have delivered over a millon square metres of Australia’s most innovative workplaces over the past 20 years. Through a critical review of your current space and engagement with your people we develop a unique vision of what is going to be your organization’s Next Workplace. It won’t be an average of what everyone else is saying and doing – it will be a unique solution developed with your people – not just for them….