As businesses and institutions adjust to the reality of hybrid and remote work, and their leaders put more emphasis on operational efficiency, Advisory Board members from Lambent Spaces, an occupancy analytics software company, share their views on how space planning and workspace management will adapt in 2024.
- Embracing the new reality
“For many, 2022 and 2023 were about ‘hoping’ that things would revert back to pre-pandemic life and trying to predict when that would happen. 2024 will be more about not only accepting but embracing the hybrid work reality and learning to thrive in it. And using the tools and learnings of the past 24 months to help them move forward.” Michael Casolo, Board Advisor - Applying Moore’s Law to space planning
“Covid has created a Moore’s Law type of scenario related to space and technology. Just as advancements in micro-processing double capacity every two years, so too does the need for teleworking/flexibility in office space and the available data related to the use of those spaces.” Marc Fournier, Georgetown University - Increasing emphasis on skill development, AI-driven processes and hybrid work in higher ed
“In 2024, higher education institutions will continue to experience major changes, the most impactful being an increased emphasis on skill development, the application of AI to institutions’ business processes, and the optimization of hybrid work arrangements for staff. We also expect to see more schools strengthen and expand their online classes and degree programs. In this environment, the importance of space management and associated data will continue to increase.” Marilyn Smith, Board Advisor - Re-engaging employees
“Employee engagement will emerge as a huge topic by the 2nd half of the year. Many businesses that mandated employee return to office are beginning to see some negative side effects in the form of the further erosion of employee engagement levels. As this continues, those companies will be forced to over-index on employee engagement to beat back attrition, enhance their employer brand, and improve productivity. The companies that stayed away from mandates and instead embraced reasonable levels of choice and flexibility, will be employers of choice in 2024.” Robert Teed, Board Advisor and Founder & CEO, Integri Group, LLC - Prioritizing employee experience and hospitality
“Organizations are recognizing the importance of creating engaging, hospitable environments, not just for their employees, but for the broader community. This will lead to the emergence of specialized roles such as hospitality consultants and experience managers, who will be instrumental in crafting and managing these dynamic spaces. Offices will evolve into multifunctional hubs, active seven days a week, seamlessly transitioning between traditional office work, university classrooms, and community event spaces. This holistic approach will blur the lines between work, education, and leisure, fostering a more integrated, vibrant community-centric model of working.” Kevin Sauer, Board Advisor and Founder & CEO, Sauer Strategy Works LLC - Investing in AI and neurodiversity
“Like every industry, the hype for AI in space planning will go through the roof. The companies that succeed quickly will be those using AI for existing data sets as opposed to newly built technology. The market is shy to invest in new technology with purported AI capabilities and the trick for the end user will be determining marketing versus function.“Understanding space use for neurodiverse employees will also gain a lot of attention in 2024 and help companies attract and retain unique talent. Companies will need robust technology to understand the requirements for and utilization of the space.” Simon Davis, Founder and CEO, Purposeful Intent and Board Advisor
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