Do we get more coworking spaces?
–Yes, in the long run, and especially in big cities, I think that we will go to more significant extent share spaces with others, who we live closer to but do not work together with. For such hubs to be attractive, however, people must want to be on-site, there must be access to services and activities.
In the autumn of 2020, Sifo commissioned Sodexo to conduct a survey in which 700 Swedish HR managers were asked questions about teleworking at their workplace. The study identified, among other things, several advantages and disadvantages of teleworking. Organisations’ digital development, work-life balance and more effective meetings were also identified as the main benefits. On the other hand, the weaknesses that HR managers saw with teleworking were poorer psychosocial work environment, more difficult for managers to take their work environment responsibility and more problem to create commitment and team spirit.
“I think a common mistake is that we bring working methods that worked when we were seen in the office every day into teleworking – even though digital work requires completely different tools and methods. But we are seeing a rapid development of digital works, for example, work environment rounds. I also think that we will see an increased use of VR for lectures, meetings and workshops, as it provides completely different conditions for creativity, collaboration and interaction than a flat-screen does,” says Johanna Langer.
The perceived disadvantages of teleworking are linked to the problems identified in the report Five problems with the hybrid model – and advice on how to solve them, written by Johanna Langer and Henrik Järleskog, Head of Strategy Continental Europe at Sodexo. In addition to the challenge of optimising premises and service services, the authors’ highlight exclusion and inequality, corporate culture, leadership and balance between the individual and the team as concerns.
“The most difficult challenges are linked to soft values and well-being. I see an imminent risk that subcultures develop at companies, and then we get less collaborative skills and reduced loyalty to the company. However, in recent months, we’ve also seen that productivity in several places has gone up too much, as we get the less slack time and take fewer breaks. This is a development that we must follow closely so that it does not affect employees’ health,” says Johanna Langer.