Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Commercial property: Space Solutions says post-Covid offices will be for sharing

Space Solutions

The next generation of offices will continue the shift towards agile shared space to support collaboration and concentration, according to workplace consultancy Space Solutions Group.

Remote technology provision and flexible working are now embedded into most workplace planning, but research also shows that most meetings involve only up to four people and can take place in a semi-enclosed environment.

This will mean more focus on communal areas, an emphasis on flexible meeting spaces and being mindful of ongoing Covid-19 risk, with a focus on preventative measures such as hygiene stations and using materials that are easy to clean.

The collective experience of home working is likely to accelerate a move towards more agile working.”

Phil Muir, Space Solutions

According to Aberdeen-based Space Solutions, post-Covid offices are likely to feature:

  • Multiple work settings rather than fixed workstations
  • Shared and not owned space
  • Support of and trust in employees rather than “command and control”
  • Collaborative and connected working in the office, rather than Individual contributions or autonomous working
  • Technology that enables instead of inhibits
  • Better support for concentrated tasks

Space Solutions has created a range of services for organisations to evaluate how to adapt their offices to the new circumstances and changed working arrangements post-Covid.

Phil Muir, consultancy and design director at the firm said: “Companies who think strategically about their office space and follow through with authentic actions typically attract the best talent, and have higher retention rates, and a happier and more productive workforce.

“The collective experience of home working is likely to accelerate a move towards more agile working, where work is a ‘thing that you do’ and not a ‘place where you go’. This will require the elements of people, place and technology to work together more than ever.”

Phil Muir, consultancy and design director for Space Solutions Group.

Noise remains a critical factor, Space Solutions said, adding the proliferation of video calls and meetings will mean people will demand quiet space where they can carry out concentrated tasks and areas where they can collaborate virtually without disturbing others.

Space Solution’s own research over the past year of lockdown shows what worked for employers, what was unexpected and what changes are worth keeping as more businesses prepare to return to offices.

Pre-pandemic, the uptake of regular working from home was low in many organisations as managers expected staff to be in the office.

No significant impact on productivity

“Successful home working since March 2020 has surely overturned this attitude”, Space Solutions said, adding: “Numerous workplace surveys during lockdown reported no significant drop in productivity with staff working remotely.”

But working remotely is challenging for many people and junior staff especially can be negatively affected by the loss of interaction, the firm said.

And on health and hygiene in the workplace, it said: “Attitudes have changed and the design of communal spaces, choice of materials and cleaning will take on a new level of importance.”

Mr Muir added: “We believe the solution to flexibility lies in a robust space planning strategy – not in technology itself which cannot be predicted, but in the infrastructure and the strategic allocation of building fixes.”


Rosen Group takes second office unit at Citibase in Aberdeen’s west end

Change Management: Your guide for getting back to the workplace