When the news of the Covid-19 broke followed by temporary work from home for a week, everyone gave mixed reactions, ranging from elation to apprehension. Now the spent working remotely from home around the world has shifted the mindsets of the leaders in every organization. Where the idea of working from home was earlier frowned upon, at least in a country like India, it is now seen as a viable option. As we look beyond the short-term effects of the pandemic on the future workplace, one thing has become clear, an office is not just a desk and a chair.

The newfound appreciation for the virtues of remote working has increased remote hiring practices and allowed organizations to recruit talent beyond the geographical boundaries. The decisions related to physical offices are now more strategized and well calculated. It is not just about “do we need a new office?” but rather “do we even need an office?”.

Often the response to questions about the importance of remote working in a world of physical workplaces has been very frosty. One can easily argue that offices are not needed and working from home can be as productive and efficient as working remotely, which is correct to an extent. But what about the work culture and work relationships? What about being a part of the community? Of course workplaces will continue to be an important part of our jobs because they provide important experiences.

A new standard has been set for the workplace now. Employees now seek a hybrid setup, expecting to be empowered to work from anywhere. The future workplace must be designed as the epicenter of work life in how they promote interactions, support work activities and nurture a sense of belonging.

As the workforce becomes more divvied, offices will increasingly become on-demand, and in order to add meaningful value, they will need to be engaging and awesome.