It's been about 12 months since I asked several workplace experts in my LinkedIn network what they thought were going to be the major workplace trends for 2017.
Their predictions were as original and varied as their backgrounds. Some common threads still existed: getting rid of constraints in the workplace, workplace created for humans, the rise of autonomy of workers... Overall, doing away with "sacred cows" of times past in the workplace and making room for new paradigms.
Now, a year later, I reached out to them again to see where they think the workplace is going in 2018 (click to tweet).
Here's what they told me:
e it via embracing the notice that high tech = high touch; channeling a maker environment; leveraging space fusion; or employing multi-sensory design elements. We need to acknowledge that we need to go beyond brick and mortar. After all, we are no longer simply creating environments — we are designing the experience."
Kay Sargent, Senior Principal - Director of WorkPlace, HOK
My book The Elemental Workplace to be published on 1 March advocates a simple framework for action. We have a collective responsibility to demystify. So, in 2018, we all need to commit to it. And do it."
Neil Usher, Executive Consultant at Unispace and Workessence
Consequently, FM organizations have a need for leaders who can advance new acquisition and adaptation strategies that will continue to improve the end user’s experience within the built space."
Thomas L. Mitchell, Jr., Organizational Leadership | Facilities Management | Strategic Planning | Workforce Development at FM3IS Associates, L.L.C.
For me, this is the most important trend for 2018, and it is one of the main keys to unlock the full potential in our people and teams and create success in our organizations. We of course must see that the Workplace is not just about the Workplace Holistics (Leadership/Culture/Way of working, and Digital and Physical Workplace), but also just as importantly about Workplace Continuity (Continuous Monitoring, Adjustment and Development) and above all People-Centricity as the starting point."
Kati Barklund, Sr. Solution Specialist, Modern Workplace at Microsoft Sweden
This will precipitate the new skill of Trans-disciplinary work...where the drivers of improvement will need to incorporate a much broader array of contributing solution sets: cognitive science, anthropology, hospitality, data analytics and human factors engineering for example in their search for a competitive edge. We will begin to see Universities thinking about how to teach people to thrive in this world where 2 + 2 will equal yellow."
Chris Hood, Director at Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA)
Last year I predicted increased flexibility & openness in offices, boom in office IoT - that happened. Predictive analytics revolutionising FM? Not yet, but I'm rescheduling it for my 2018 prediction!"
Maciej Markowski, CEO & Co-Founder at spaceOS
Awareness of and individual's rights to exert control over their data will be driven by legislation (GDPR), case law, and the news agenda. It’s a moral maze and potential minefield for organisations: whoever manages best to use, control and protect data, while respecting the rights of data subjects, will thrive. Others will struggle."
David Sharp, Managing Director at International Workplace
To be even more provocative, I expect 2018 to be the year that artificial intelligence and machine learning become common components of our work experience. We must learn how to “partner” with computers for data capture, analysis, and interpretation. Finally, we are living through a tornado of economic transformation; Jeremy Rifkin’s “Third Industrial Revolution” is becoming real and will change literally everything about how we generate power, communicate, and move around this small planet we live on."
James Ware, Executive Director of The Future of Work…unlimited
Most growth-stage startups have proven that such services are especially convincing for millennials, and it's now the turn for large corporations to roll out more of those."
Marie Schneegans, CEO & Founder at Workwell
I look forward to the day when an office is not a building to hold desks and meeting rooms, but a space comprised of a variety of vignettes, designed to support the numerous ways people work today. And of course there will be no desks."
Eric Marvin, Head of Workplace, AMR at Logitech
1) We will see the mainstreaming of Core + Flex Portfolio Strategy as occupiers drive more of their workplace footprint to flexible office options.
2) We will see the emergence of traditional landlords as direct participants in the flexible office market - providing flexible terms, engaging spaces and hospitality services that were previously only available from serviced offices and coworking spaces."
Mark Gilbreath, CEO/Founder at LiquidSpace
Finally, here is my own view on what to expect in 2018 in terms of workplace developments:
Gregory Blondeau, Managing Director & Founder of Proxyclick
Did the last year's predictions come true? It's difficult to give a definite yes or no; the truth is probably somewhere in between. In any case, the trend of humanizing the workplace and even customizing it to individual needs and preferences is more than noticeable. It's safe to say, we will see that develop further.
All in all, it was really great to again receive these, quite different, but valuable insights, and also notice some common themes for 2018, such as work-as-a-service or workplace as an experience (continued from last year), for example.
A big thank you to everyone who gave their answer. Special thanks to Kati Barklund, Maciej Markowski, Kay Sargent, James Ware, Mark Gilbreath and Chris Hood who answered my call for the second year in a row.
What about you? What do you think will be the prevalent workplace trends of 2018?