There is a high possibility you spend 6 hours and above at work daily. Approximately 30 hours in your week are spent at work and about 120 hours or more in a month. In other words, one-third of your life is spent in the workplace. If you spend that amount of hours at work, the only way to make the best of it is to ensure that your office space is as comfortable and conducive as possible. You wouldn’t want to be in a workplace that makes you uncomfortable and drains you both physically and mentally.
Unarguably, events of the past 2 years have greatly influenced the nature of work, especially how and where people work. A close look at the current office system shows that the work module has gradually tilted towards serviced office spaces and serviced private office spaces in the aftermath of the pandemic. The pandemic revealed that purchasing or renting fancy apartments that do not completely meet the work need of companies may not necessarily be the best option. Hence, the trends have taken over the workspace.
Here are 4 workspace trends witnessed in the year 2022 that you should know:
- More companies have embraced remote work:
Before the pandemic era, the thought of remote work was only left to the imagination, as it was believed not to be feasible. However, the crisis has revealed that it can be achieved. Most companies have now accepted that securing a workspace is also a means to save costs. The new normal for such companies is getting a serviced office in Lagos, either in Ikoyi or Victoria island, which happens to be one of the highbrow areas of the city that give comfort for their meetings while their staff work remotely. On the other hand, some companies try to find a balance by getting their staff to work hybrid, with their office in a serviced office space in Lagos.
- Mental awareness in the workspace:
Many employers are taking the wellness and well-being of their employees more seriously since they spend most of their time in the workplace. With the increase in mental health awareness, some companies made medical care more available to their employees by signing up for HMOs while giving more room for recuperating for those battling mental challenges. This is a break from the norm, where it was previously believed that mental health was unimportant on this side of the globe.
Employers have also realised that the state of the workspace can affect employees, which will, in the long run, affect productivity. This has prompted a comprehensive plan to take care of employees’ mental, emotional and psychological state by creating a conducive co-working space that accommodates every employee. Employers who still require their employees to resume in the office ensure that a safe and stress-free environment is of more priority for the workspace than just focusing on beauty to enhance productivity and creativity.
- Inclusion and diversity:
Many organisations have diversified their recruitment process to accommodate both genders and various ethnic groups. Gone are the days of stereotypes, as males and females can now thrive in various industries. Presently, the number of females in the tech world is increasing, to mention a few. In addition, Gen Zs are giving everyone a run for their money as they flood the workplace with a variety of skills and talent as never seen before. We can say that the workspace is gradually becoming a place of equal opportunities.
- The relocation trend:
We cannot ignore the fact that 2022 has seen many employees leaving the country mainly to acquire their Master’s degree or upgrade their skills. The relocation trend is not limited to a particular demographic, as both young and old have grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
With the remote work module adopted by some organisations, their relocating employees still retain their jobs while away without resignation. Some of these employees even secure jobs in their new locations while studying and retaining their jobs in their previous areas of residence.
These workspace trends, without a doubt, have come to stay, and as time evolves, we can be sure that there will be more changes to the workspace.
