2022 Workplace Trends: 6 Predictions for the Year Ahead

The workplace has undergone one of the most disruptive shifts in recent history, and its evolution is likely to continue. What key trends will shape 2022? 

Over the past two years, we’ve endured spells of working from home, socially distanced desk layouts, and attempted to manage the in-office noise of Zoom culture. The role of the office has evolved, and as a result, we predict these six trends will be prevalent in the year ahead.

The flight to quality will prevail

Businesses across London have been racing towards high-quality space, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

Employees want to work in environments that enrich their days, and as employers compete with WFH settings, the office experience needs to be worth investing in a commute for. Think ergonomic furniture, high-end designs and amenity-rich spaces. These will range from wellness facilities such as gyms and meditation tents, social facilities such as roof terraces, and even training and development facilities, such as auditoriums.

Tom Walsh in our Flexible Office Solutions team explains: “Location is a big part of that office experience, too. Workers want to be in exciting parts of the city, so places like Soho and Mayfair, which are not only well-connected, but also offer a wealth of destinations such as cafes, restaurants and bars, will continue to be in demand.”

Oliver Levesley in our Flexible Office Solutions team adds: “In line with the office experience, branding is something I find myself discussing regularly with clients. Businesses want to have a space that not only embodies their company culture, but actually helps them rebuild their brand identity that was lost during remote months.”

Employees want to work in environments that enrich their days, and as employers compete with WFH settings, the office experience needs to be worth investing in a commute for.

Tech will take centre stage

We’ve already seen the rise of desk booking apps to help manage footfall and facilitate track and trace efforts, but this is just the beginning.

In a hybrid world where workers are split between the home and the office, having the right video conferencing tools – and enough bookable meeting rooms to manage noise – will be paramount. As a whole, tech can enhance the office experience by making our working lives seamless, whether that’s helping us to locate coworkers, providing community apps or checking amenity availability.

Likewise, sensors will play a critical part. On a basic level, this begins with automatic lights that switch off to save energy when no movement is detected, or personal temperature controls that allow employees to alter their desk environments.

But on a larger scale, data is at the heart of all good decision making, and when it comes to office space strategies, tech presents a unique opportunity for a more informed, analytical approach.

Data is at the heart of all good decision making, and when it comes to office space strategies, tech presents a unique opportunity for a more informed, analytical approach.

Health and wellbeing will be imperative

We’ve watched health climb up the agenda against the backdrop of the pandemic, but a holistic effort to maintain and support employee wellbeing will prevail in 2022. No longer an employee’s individual responsibility, wellbeing is now a business concern. The cost of burnout is well-documented, and as workers reframe their idea of ambition, they’re beginning to chase work lives that support them in new ways.

Businesses need to offer genuine wellbeing programmes, and offices are prepared to support these. Indeed, 2022 might see the office become a corporate spa, whether that’s through swimming pools, sleep pods, yoga classes, fresh fruit or spaces that encourage social interactions.

In fact, a big part of wellbeing is our connection to community, and with some businesses only sourcing office space for 50% capacity, company-wide meet ups are crucial.

Wumi Eyiangho in our Flexible Office Solutions team says: “A lot of small-to-medium-sized businesses want the ability to host monthly meet-ups for all employees. In doing so, they’ll ensure everyone feels connected, seen, and supported. That’s why access to event space is a growing priority.”

The cost of burnout is well-documented, and as workers reframe their idea of ambition, they’re beginning to chase work lives that support them in new ways.

Agile environments will overtake rows of desks

There’s been a shift in the general working layout of offices, and this is only set to continue.

As Steven Lydon in our Flexible Office Solutions team explains: “We’ve seen businesses move away from standard rows of desks and individual workstations to a design more focused on communal space, collaboration areas, zoom rooms, and other non-traditional working layouts.”

In 2022, the role of the office will continue to evolve and celebrate the human parts of business – notably, collaboration, which is much harder to sustainably maintain in a remote world.

In fact, 55% of businesses plan to have more collaboration space in the next few years, and as a result, it’s likely we’ll see agile workspaces become more prevalent. Often misunderstood as a term, agile working involves having a variety of work settings from which employees have the freedom and flexibility to choose from, depending on which is most appropriate for what they need to achieve.

Again, as employers compete with WFH environments, providing employees with a range of spaces – some of which even replicate the quiet comfort of working from home – will be key.

We’ve explored how green offices might be London’s next workspace trend, and we’ve recently watched a handful of businesses search for eco-friendly spaces.

Sustainability will grow in importance

ESG has climbed up the corporate agenda – with a significant focus on the environmental aspect. We’ve explored how green offices might be London’s next workspace trend, and we’ve recently watched a handful of businesses search for eco-friendly spaces.

Francesca Cooper-Isow in our Flexible Office Solutions team explains: “Though initiatives to tackle the climate crisis are ramping up, the link between office space and a company’s carbon footprint is often overlooked, but we predict that in 2022, businesses will become more aware of the ways in which office space can help them achieve their net zero targets.”

Flexibility will continue to be in demand

The need for shorter office leases and the demand for flexibility were both accelerated by the pandemic, and we predict this will continue into 2022, across all types of office space.

Flexible office space, for example, proved to be a useful stop-gap solution for bigger businesses as they decided on their long-term real estate strategies, while startups and scale-ups will continue to value the ability to house their growing teams or downsize if needed.