The November session of the Network looked at the ways organisations are adapting to new ways of working. We explored the key questions of how to know what settings are needed in our workplaces, and different approaches to the vexed question of “how many days in the office” – and if that’s the question we should be asking. As always, we looked at ways to go further than the many unambitious approaches to ‘hybrid working’ by getting smarter and maximising the potential benefits.
Here’s the video of the session, with contributions from Ian Baker, Head of Workplace at EMCOR UK, and Andy Lake, Director of Flexibility.co.uk. Philip Vanhoutte joins for the panel session at the end. Ben Hutchinson chairs the session. (Full line up details below.)
Smart Work Network Members can access the presentations from the Resources area. (Login required)
Here’s the lineup on the day:
Case Study: Designing Hybrid Working at United Utilities – Ian Baker, Head of Workplace for EMCOR UK
Water company United Utilities delivers water to over 3 million homes and 200,000 businesses across the Northwest of England. At their Warrington HQ, they have been trialling and conducting research on how employees engage with returning to a purposefully designed space, one that reflects the suggestions of the majority of workplace professionals about how the space should be used. Ian led us through the process of engagement and experimentation, and how the new workplace and ways of working are developing.
Tackling the “How many Days in the Office” dilemma – Andy Lake, Co-Founder of the Smart Work Network
Many organisations are experimenting – or struggling – with how to get the balance between time spent in the office and away from the office. Some organisations are mandating a number of days per week, specific days per week, a percentage of time per week or per month, or leaving it to teams or individuals to decide. These all have impacts not only on how work is done, but also on how the workplace is designed and used.
Andy provides an overview of what organisations are doing and the merits and challenges of the various possible responses, and offer practical techniques for making decisions . And he invites attendees to share and compare experiences so we can learn from each other about what works and what doesn’t.
Panel Session
All the speakers will then take part in an interactive Panel Session to respond to questions and comments from attendees.
