WORKFORCE TRENDS EXPERT AND SPEAKER: THE FUTURE OF WORKPLACE INNOVATION

Ask workforce trends experts, keynote speakers, and workplace innovation pros: Most expect that the physical workplace in 20 or 30 years will be unrecognizable. However, dig deeper, and they’d also tell you people will still be working in physical workplaces with each other. It’s as basic as it gets, or so workforce trends experts’ and keynote speakers’ thinking goes. People need and want to experience moments together – and right now that’s happening (and is only expected to continue happening) in physical spaces. 

Perhaps more notably according to workplace innovation leaders is that what will change is the definition of the workplace. As workforce trends experts, keynote speakers would point out, the rise of hybrid work has accelerated a new market — workspace on demand. These are new types of spaces… cutting-edge alternatives to the home or office where people can get work done, if you will. Yes, in some sense they take on the role of co-working spaces  – but also think cafes or offices with rooms and resources of all kinds bookable by the hour. Anyone who has excess space will be capitalizing on this office-as-a service trend – startups, coworking spaces, even commercial real estate players – or so folks’ current line of thinking goes.

One thing’s for certain: You’re going to see a lot more sharing of spaces. We’re already seeing tenants in high-cost areas looking to set up co-working shops to monetize their free space. Next, there will be virtual marketplaces within buildings or even neighborhoods where companies can list open, unused desk space, meeting rooms, event space, or parking for others to use. Picture the likes of Airbnb, only for workspace. 

Noting this, if you were to ask workforce trends experts, most would tell you that commercial real estate has a future – but it’ll have to disrupt itself like every other industry. 
Landlords will attract tenants with the latest workplace technology (in particular tech that supports hybrid work) and the added value of being able to access shared resources in tandem with other tenants. Going forward, it may well open up a new market segment – an online marketplace for workspaces on-demand that helps commercial lease holders justify the cost of a lease.