How are UK businesses adapting to the future of office-based work?

2020 didn’t just alter the world of work, it turned it on its head entirely. Most of the world were forced to transition to long-term remote work, which presented a unique set of challenges and benefits for employers and employees alike.

These challenges and benefits often contradict themselves. For example, a LinkedIn poll on World Mental Health day in October 2020 asked LinkedIn users whether they felt remote working had a positive, negative, or neutral impact on their mental health. The results were almost completely even; with 49% of the 731 respondents saying positive and 40% saying negative.

However, the 40% of negative respondents are unlikely to want to return to the office full-time. HR software company, Personio, found that one in four UK employees would resign from their current job if they were forced to return to the office full-time.

How then, do businesses tackle such varied opinions about returning to the office?

Put simply, modern businesses should consult and listen to their staff, implementing flexible working solutions that work for both their business and their employees.

Business mentor and consultant, Lesley Heath, notes that “the end of lockdown by no means signals the end of uncertainty. The post-pandemic era calls for a more compassionate leadership style.”

Mental Health Specialist, Kirsty Lilley, supports this view, claiming that “an environment where people feel their concerns are heard and responded to appropriately is important to reaching a mutually helpful compromise.”

Consequently, businesses are now looking for office space that promotes and accommodates flexible working, with hot-desking becoming increasingly popular.

A great example of this is award-winning IT support and technology consultancy company, Netstar, who have recently moved into brand-new offices in Farringdon, central London.

“It was crucial for us to find a space that accommodated our expanding team of IT professionals. We listened to their preferences and agreed that we needed a workspace that made flexible working possible long-term.

Employees can now book desks in our new, modern offices using an app. This allows them to come into the office as much as they please, whilst ensuring we can still implement social distancing and keep our team safe.”

Over the next few weeks, all Netstar employees will have the opportunity to work alongside their colleagues in their new office space, helping to transition to the ‘new normal.’ Going forward, they are also very excited to invite clients to their new office space when it’s safe to do so. You can find out more about Netstar’s new office here.

If you’ll be returning to the office soon, whether that’s full-time or part-time, Netstar have put together a complete ‘Returning to the office’ guide with everything you need to prepare for, including a handy checklist to complete! Download it here.

Netstar is an IT Support company based in Central London. Providing fully managed IT Support and Technology Consulting services. Founded in 2002 the company has grown significantly, now supporting over 150 clients based in London and the South East. Netstar’s core mission is Helping People Succeed Through Technology.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Sarah Robson on 020 7101 0544 or email srobson@netstar.co.uk.