Have you ever wondered how a typical office would look in a decade or so?<\/p>\n
The first thing to come to mind is likely some pseudo hi-tech equipment based on a bad sci-fi: retina scanner at the entrance, a conscious robocop for protection, a 3D avatar of your boss in a luxury boardroom, etc. \u2014 all of these fantasies copy today\u2019s reality and enhance it with geeky digital tomfooleries.<\/p>\n
The reality is likely to be more down-to-Earth and packed with less gizmos, but, in some respect it may be even more shocking. Here we present a number of controversial trends, which may shape the office in years to come.<\/p>\n
Judging by assertive ads and wow-inspiring publications, working from a home office is in our imminent future. This opinion is partially affirmed by stats: the number of such offices is growing.<\/p>\n
The whole remote home office boom dates back to the previous decade when the proliferation of the Internet peaked. Throughout the years, Internet growth somehow stabilized<\/a>. The total amount of permanent remote workers (including self-employed) in the U.S. does not exceed 5% of the employed population.<\/p>\n At the same time, occasional remote working is a far more widespread phenomenon. Today, you are sitting in the office. Tomorrow, you are preparing a PowerPoint presentation on an airplane, then you answer emails while sitting in a coffee shop in a different city. This is the working reality of about a half of all Americans<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anyone who ever worked remotely, learned to appreciate the charm of office visits, at least, during the first hour. Numerous studies have proven that physical proximity to co-workers (not what you might have thought!) significantly contributes to higher productivity. Considering that peak office space utilization rate, according to the Strategy Plus consultancy, is 42% on average, flexible reconfigurable open spaces offer a high chance that employees will become closer.<\/p>\n What does your workspace look like? @sbeloussov @richardbranson<\/a> Let\u2019s share! Here\u2019s mine: #WS_Challenge<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jVcZmEYlHR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Eugene Kaspersky (@e_kaspersky) November 13, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nOffice forever!<\/h4>\n
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