Companies are coming to terms with a new reality of how work gets done. But one big question remains: What should the future office look like post pandemic?
The Post asked five companies to reimagine what the traditional office would look like as the pandemic over the past two and half years altered dramatically the way employees work — from meetings in conference rooms to video calls and flexible schedules. Companies such as Google and IBM have been rethinking the workplace, creating offices flooded with green space and fresh air and company-owned coffee shops. But it’s unclear what the exact function of the future office will be and how that will affect its design.
To be sure, these concepts may not translate directly to reality as the function of the future office is still being mapped out.
“Because companies are trying to do such different things, it won’t be surprising that their offices look different as well,” says Peter Cappelli, professor of management at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.