2023 Workplace Trends: Five Things to Expect

The new year is often a time for deep reflection and an opportunity to make changes. And as we come further out of the pandemic, the return to the office is stronger than ever.

More employers are urging staff back into the office and employees are increasingly looking for reasons behind why they should leave the remote working life in 2022. The office is no longer a place to conduct business, and the role it offers businesses is shifting. Here, we’ll go through workplace trends our experts have predicted for 2023.

1. Destination Locations

There are specific areas where people want to work, which makes sense when we consider how much of our day we spend in and around the office. People want access to neighbourhood amenities, which extend to great coffee shops, places to grab a bite to eat, and more.

Easy access to these places helps to make the work day much more enjoyable, which should help bring employees back to the office. As workers reassess what they want from work, the traditional chill-out zone just won't cut it. There needs to be a reason for staff to come in.

Offices close to green spaces such as parks and waterways, shopping malls and high streets for lunchtime shopping, and bars and restaurants that can be visited for an after-work drink and bite to eat, are popular amongst workers. If staff have to travel to the office, they expect more than just good internet and desk space.

Travelling into London isn't cheap, so if staff are to make the trip, it's good for them to have some fun, whether at lunch or after work, and make the most of the day spent in the city. We expect this to become a bigger focus in 2023 as companies continue to bring workers back into the office after a long period of working from home.

2. Increase In Hybrid and Flexible Working

We’ve seen how traditional workspaces have changed in favour of agile office layouts and hybrid working. The flexibility of a hybrid model means more responsibility is placed on individuals to get the work done, allowing them to work to a schedule that suits them.

Because of this, you may find that your once-ideal office layout is no longer suitable and there’s scope for a spring clean and redesign of the space. Creating more common areas for teams to collaborate on projects, or providing breakout areas for informal meetings, chats or a quick break to switch off from work for a few minutes can do wonders for your team.

Also known as activity-based working, this type of office layout uses space more efficiently, working with employees to provide the best setting for them to succeed.

According to the latest Knight Frank Corporate Real Estate Sentiment, experimenting with office layouts is something that a few employers will be taking on. The report found that “more than 10% of respondents strongly agree that they would be making significant changes to the design and configuration of their space”.

“Our read is that this is about increasing the utilisation of space (i.e. the number of individuals using the office) rather than necessarily reducing the amount of space on offer to each individual office user.”

Employers need to reimagine the office space and provide more for the people who use it, turning the office into a destination where great work is realised.

3. Deep Focus On Company Culture

Company culture is essential and is something we saw come under the microscope in 2022 — and we can expect to see even more of it in 2023 as offices become busier.

We all know that a positive company culture is crucial, for a myriad of reasons including productivity, happiness and creating a healthy work-life balance. Over the next 12 months, we can expect to see a deeper focus on curating that perfect company culture, especially when it comes to a collaborative environment. As discussed, the office is becoming more of a destination, so it makes sense that you need a quality environment to encourage quality work.

The right workplace can have a huge impact on the culture. By creating a collaborative environment, workplace relationships naturally occur, helping to create genuine friendships between colleagues. This naturally creates a support network and an environment that people want to join and be part of.

4. Talent Attraction and Retention

We've seen over the past few months, more so in light of The Great Resignation, that employees expect more from employers, whether that's in terms of compensation or treatment. Attracting good staff members means being able to show that your office is a great place to work.

Once they're in the door, retaining employees is a whole other challenge. Workers seem to be more willing to up roots and move to other businesses, perhaps due to the offers of better pay and the pressure imposed by the looming financial crisis. Whatever the reason, retention will be key in 2023.

If you want to be able to keep your best staff members in 2023, make sure that you're somewhere where people want to work, both in terms of office location, set-up, and company values and/or dynamics. Think about what your employees want from you, and strive to provide it, whether that’s employee wellness, career development or flexible working. Keep communication between senior management teams and employees open, so you always have a clear idea of where to take the business.

5. Flexible Office Contracts

We've found that more companies are looking for greater flexibility when it comes to renting office space. Many companies are on shakier ground than before and so need to be able to react to financial pressures by looking to avoid lengthy leases with costly cancellation penalties.

Flexible office solutions offer a variety of benefits to businesses looking for their next headquarters during these uncertain times. Looking towards flexible offices provides:

• Shorter-term contracts that are often much easier to alter or exit entirely
• Single fixed costs for the duration of the contract that reduce the need to worry about costly utility bills arriving in the post
• No upfront expenditure on furnishing an entire office that may only be in use for a short period

Flexible offices provide a space that grows with your business by letting you pay only for the space you use on a monthly basis. If you find yourself needing more space, you can simply arrange to expand your workspace with the office provider, meaning you’re never paying for more than you need to.

New Workplaces With Knight Frank

We keep a watchful eye over what’s trending in the flexible office space, and our team are experts in knowing what space is best for each business. We work with our clients to find the office that’s suited to their needs, ensuring they get the best price.

If you’re looking to move to a new office space, get in touch with our team to find the solution best suited to your team and needs.