New hybrid work models or remote work pose new challenges for the office industry and office work. The special show #inspired hybrid office at the last ORGATEC demonstrated the role technology should play in this. Under the leadership of Zgoll: GmbH, companies such as Cisco, Samsung, Sony and Telekom presented what future-oriented working worlds could look like.
Exchange and creativity
According to experts, offices will not become less important in the future, but will actually gain in importance. However, their primary function is changing significantly. Working environments must evolve into places of exchange and creativity, but without neglecting the possibility of concentrated work. They must therefore become more multifunctional and flexible. But which variants of the organization and coordination of hybrid office worlds are possible?
Best practice examples
Visitors to ORGATEC 2022 were able to experience what is already possible today in terms of technology and workplace planning. The special show #inspired hybrid office offered an answer to current questions by means of proven best practice examples. "We are not presenting abstract visions of the future," said Michael Zgoll, Managing Director of Zgoll: GmbH at the trade fair. "Rather, we show how, by means of well thought-out space and technology concepts, direct exchange and creative togetherness can function even in changed working environments by adapting existing spaces and intelligently linking current technology."
Dynamic development
The question behind #inspired hybrid office was clearly formulated: How can we professionalize all the things that have worked well and added value to the teams over the past two years now and incorporate them into the new everyday working environment? The technical equipment has to evolve for this: Offices need significantly fewer desks, but much more dynamic workspaces and meeting places - creative areas that are suitable for interactive, collaborative work.
High expectations for the new working world
In many companies, however, meeting rooms predate Corona, when video conferencing was often reserved for the executive level. Today, however, employees at all levels have extensive experience with daily video conferencing and a professionally equipped home office. This leads to high expectations when returning to the old workspaces and a corresponding pressure to change.
Holistic concepts
What is needed today, therefore, are work environments with an integrated, holistic concept consisting of changed work processes, sensible and seamless transitions between home office and office, with dynamic floor plans and the combination of existing building technology with intelligent sensor technology. Through the homogeneous use of collaboration and booking tools, all employees can find the right workstation for exactly their tasks and requirements every day and remain in a shared exchange regardless of location.
Ideas for the future
展出#的想法启发混合办公类风湿性关节炎nged from "touchdown workstations" for bridging different forms of work to mini-room boxes for undisturbed video conferencing in small groups. Visitors were particularly interested in the interplay of space, furniture, technical equipment and software. For example, a "Room Inspector" on display can be used to book workstations, conference rooms and charging stations for electric cars, among other things, as well as to individually regulate room temperature and lighting.
Background information
Theoretical supplementation was provided by lectures and panel discussions at the special show. Here, successful implementation strategies were presented and a professional exchange with experts was made possible. Topics included the importance of AI and robotics in tomorrow's working world and how British architects and designers are tackling the challenge of greater sustainability in office design. It was thus possible to experience first-hand what has already proven successful, but also what problems had to be solved and what challenges still lie ahead.
