In 1969, Tomorrow’s World, the BBC’s then flagship science programme, envisaged the office of the future as a much quieter, more automated place. The executive, dressed in formal suit and tie, sat behind a perspex desk and only interacted with an automated wheeled trolley. He was lonely, unstimulated and cut off from the rest of his colleagues. The future looked grim.
Today, our vision of the future workplace is more optimistic; we still major heavily on what technology can contribute, but our overall focus is on getting the best out of people as they work and how their environment can support and encourage them.
Organisations are stretching the boundaries of workplace design in order to create the ideal environment; making spaces that people not only want to work in, but want to work well in. Tree houses to think in. Slides from one floor to another. Meetings round a picnic bench on artificial grass. An indoor pier complete with beach hut work spaces. These are the extremes of today — will they be the norms of tomorrow?
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What do you envision for the future of the workplace? Do you agree with the one created in this report? Use the comments section below to share your thoughts.
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