HP Innovation Journal Issue 13: Winter 2019 | Page 36

This exclusive excerpt from IDC’s Executive Brief
explains that for growth-minded companies,
evolving the definition of “workplace” is not only
good for employees, it’s an essential mandate.
Nine-to-five office locations are a relic of the past and the
fast-growing way to commute is not to commute at all. For
the new generation of employees (particularly Millennials
but increasingly Gen Z and broadly any digital native
worker), the workplace is not a static environment or
limited to specific hours, but one that operates anywhere,
anytime, on any device, and essentially fits their modus
operandi. Whether they’re traveling, off-site with a customer,
or working from home, this new breed of employees trans-
forms any environment into their workplace.
This means that work is less place-dependent and time-
bound, as employees are using a mix of physical, digital,
and immersive technologies to transform any environment
into a “WorkSpace.” It is fundamentally people-driven and
powered by technology to create experiential work.
The office space is going through major redesign for max-
imum productivity and collaboration while employees are
on-site. Many organizations are cutting down the number
of locations across geographies and opening strategic
“office hubs” (equipped with modern hot desking facilities,
conferencing rooms, open informal spaces for networking
and break areas, etc.) that have comparatively lower opera-
tional and capital costs.
At a basic level, the WorkSpace of the future is an open,
flexible, and highly connected working environment in
which employees enjoy mobility, offsite collaboration, and
secure access to the right tools and data to fulfill their roles
with speed and ease. This is critical for employee happiness
and their overall quality and productivity. Failing to equip
employees with modern tools and resources in general leads
to their frustration and eventual departure.
Many organizations have already begun implementing the
WorkSpace of the future. Intel’s SRR3 building in Bengalur
is a smart building with employee satisfaction as its ulti-
mate goal. It uses machine-learning algorithms that control
air conditioning and ventilation systems, renewable energy
sources, and intelligent hot desking. The latter integrates
data from occupancy sensors installed in each workstation
and triangulates it with the cubicle reservation system. In
Amsterdam, Deloitte’s the Edge building combines a smart
collaboration working environment with sustainability. The
building system ensures optimum use of resources (such
as water and energy) and is equipped with personalized
workspaces. Via a mobile app, employees can find parking
spaces, free desks, and other colleagues, as well as custom-
ize temperature and light levels.
This article is an excerpt from The Future of Work: A New Business Imperative,
an IDC Executive Brief, sponsored by HP and originally published in September 2018.
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HP Innovation Journal Issue 13