Who Wins And Who Loses In The Office Of The Future?

One issue facing our emerging Covid-19 world is how the workplace will look. More and more, it will seem that those who can stay home—because they do knowledge work via computers—will do so. Research shows that until a vaccine is utilized, people who can work from their homes will. On the other hand, many workers like the fact that they no longer commute and find that they are more productive at home.

Of course, not everyone will be able to work virtually. Anyone who works with her hands will need to continue to do it. That “handiwork” includes medicine, dentistry, machinery operator, hairstylists, and restaurant and retail workers. 

But within the knowledge space, offices may become the new white elephant—something once prized, but no longer. Likely a hybrid workspace will develop. That is, some will work from home, others in the office. There will be team meetings in physical space, certainly, but lots of team collaboration will be done virtually. And frankly, it has been for decades. Engineers, designers, IT specialists have been collaborating with colleagues located across the street or across the ocean.

Look to sci-fi?

The challenge will be what effect will blended work environment have on the culture of work? And as an example, I will speculate 200 years into the future into the world of outer space, as depicted in the television series, The Expanse. In this series, there are three sets of humans: earthlings, Mars inhabitants, and Belters.  

The earthlings dominate and continually clash with the people on Mars. Belters are the outcasts. They lack a homeworld; they live in a gravity-free environment which has induced physiological and mental differences. The challenges each faces as they interact with one another gives a glimpse into a trifurcated world. Yes, this is science fiction, but all good science fiction is a commentary on the present world in which it was created. The Expanse is mostly dystopian and serves as a warning that when cultures evolve differently, there may be problems with communication, collaboration and eventually understanding. 

Impact on culture

A CEO with whom I was speaking the other day, marveled at how well his team responded to the initial phases of the pandemic. They huddled virtually and regularly and figured out the best solutions. They were nimble, agile and responsive. The advantage the CEO noted was the senior team all knew one another well. What will happen when you onboard someone into the culture where their physical space is limited or non-existent? How can you impart culture into this environment? What does culture even mean in a blended work environment?

There is also something to be said for physical presence. Humans beings are mammals and, as such, respond to the presence of other humans. We are designed to read faces and physical gestures. We respond to the warmth of another person present with us. We assemble for essential occasions at work, either to celebrate an accomplishment or to learn about what we can do differently.

Yes, all of these things can and will be done virtually, but it will be different. Teammates today know one another. Teammates of tomorrow will need to find new ways to learn about one another. 

Proximity to power

The new culture also raises the issue of power. Successful organizations share strength as a means of enabling front line workers to determine their own best practices. People are given more power in the form of greater responsibilities because they have proven they know how to get results. In the new culture, will people who work in an office, near to their boss, gain power through proximity? And will workers who are virtually located lose power due to a lack of proximity?

Before Covid-19, workers who worked "remotely" (a synonym for disengagement) were considered different. They were either explicitly or implicitly removed from promotional considerations. For some workers who liked what they did but did not seek management opportunities, this situation suited them perfectly. For others seeking recognition and eventual promotion, working virtually was a distinct disadvantage.

Questions to consider

• What will working virtually do for women seeking greater levels of management responsibility?
• Will women have more opportunities or fewer ones? 
• If there more men in the office and more women working virtually, will women be more disadvantaged? 
• If there are equal numbers of women and men working virtually, what must these employees do to distinguish themselves for promotion?

Topic for research

No one knows the answer, of course, because the work environment is fast-evolving. The longitudinal effects will be a rich source of research for aspiring Ph.D. candidates working in the behavioral and organizational sciences. But we cannot wait for research; leaders must act now to ensure that with “virtuality” ensures mutuality.

Leaders must make it clear that working virtually is not a stigma, just as working in the office is not an advantage. The organization of the future will need all kinds of employees with diverse skill sets as well as different ways of approaching work.