A core element of the Envelope platform is the ability to create detailed performance “profiles” of components in a system, and to leverage that knowledge for optimal sizing and modulation of output.

Commenting on the potential for the Envelope Platform, Pratik Sharma, Global Director, Building Services & Performance Management, stated:

The true power of the Envelope platform is in how it enables system optimization through performance coupling with partner products or solutions. Working within this platform, Armstrong, and digitally controlled solutions of all types, can connect and coordinate operations for improved performance and efficiency. Components that can be connected to the Envelope platform include chillers, cooling towers, boilers and heat pumps, made by a wide range of well-known industry manufacturers.

Learn more about the Envelope platform at Armstrong.

Armstrong Fluid Technology is a leading force in the shift toward digitalization and integration of fluid-flow systems. With advanced solutions that leverage edge computing, Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, digital twin technology and demand-based control, Armstrong provides and protects efficiency in building mechanical systems, approaching energy optimization as a whole-building challenge and advancing the practice of full lifecycle management. Focusing on HVAC, Plumbing, Gas Transmission and Fire Safety applications, the company provides energy-efficient, cost-effective solutions and performance management services to building and facility professionals around the world.

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The PLANIX R1 seamlessly incorporates Ricoh’s state-of-the-art 360-degree camera alongside a 2D LiDAR sensor to pair fast and precise spatial data capture with high-resolution 360-degree visuals to enable 3D documentation of spaces. This integration with Planitar’s proprietary software captures comprehensive property data, making it easier than ever for users to visualize and measure spaces with pinpoint accuracy. The PLANIX R1 is a streamlined, rugged, and powerful tool that significantly enhances workflow efficiency, empowering users to create detailed 3D tours and accurate floor plans faster than ever before.

Yasuo Nishiyama, vice president, Smart Vision, of Ricoh, commented:

We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Planitar by embedding our innovative THETA X camera into their industry-leading PLANIX R1 system. Planitar continues to push the boundaries of indoor mapping technology, delivering rapid-capture camera systems that enable operators to capture entire facilities in minutes and generate precise deliverables on the same day. This combination of speed, accuracy, and reliability sets Planitar apart in this space. We are committed to offering solutions that revolutionize workflows for real estate, construction, and insurance professionals.

Alexander Likholyot, CEO and co-founder of Planitar Inc., stated:

When searching for a 360-degree camera partner for the PLANIX system, image quality, robust and flexible design, and industry versatility were non-negotiable. Ricoh has consistently exceeded our expectations in all these areas. The PLANIX R1 is the culmination of over two years of collaboration and innovation, bringing our users unmatched accuracy, speed, and visual fidelity.

With this powerful partnership as a foundation, Ricoh and Planitar say they are committed to exploring future opportunities for joint innovation. Their shared vision is to continuously push the limits of imaging and LiDAR technology, providing robust, future-proof solutions that evolve with the needs of professionals in multiple industries.

For more information about the iGUIDE PLANIX R1 camera system and the Ricoh/Planitar partnership, visit iGUIDE.

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In addition to the four grand prizes, eight runners-up will each receive a set of 30 Ruckus whiteboards. All installations are expected to be completed between December 2024 and February 2025.

Bryan Ballegeer, vice president of education markets at KI, commented:

We’re thrilled to continue our Classroom Furniture Giveaway, offering educators the opportunity to create diverse and dynamic learning environments. Our goal with this initiative is to empower educators and students by giving them a voice in the design of their learning spaces. We celebrate the pivotal role that teachers play in shaping environments where creativity and collaboration can thrive.

Submissions will open on October 1 and close on October 25. Eligible educators must be employed at a U.S. educational institution, work with grades pre-K through 12, and be at least 21 years old. The winners will be announced on November 20.

Participants will use KI’s Classroom Planner tool to design their ideal learning space. Submissions should include a detailed rendering of the proposed space and a brief explanation of how the design reflects the educator’s teaching philosophy and meets the needs of their students.

Read about last year’s winners and their students’ first impressions of the classrooms on KI’s blog. Visit KI’s website for more information about the third annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway.

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Posted by Johann Nacario — July 26, 2024 — From 22 to 25 October 2024, a leading international trade fair for the future of work — ORGATEC — will showcase the latest developments, products and trends set to shape tomorrow’s working world. It has already become apparent that a wider shift is taking place towards the design of open, welcoming office environments that are aligned with the evolving needs and lifestyles of employees.

Excitement is in the air in the build-up to ORGATEC, which opens its doors in six months’ time. After all, the dynamic process of transformation taking place in today’s world of work is almost unprecedented. More than ever, the office is called upon to meet the changing needs of employees and become more flexible, diverse and appealing. A look at today’s office furnishing sector reveals the trends that reflect our changing lifestyles and work-related needs.

Cultivating emotional harmony: The office as a haven of well-being

Today’s office workers want an inspiring work environment where they feel at ease. For that reason, contemporary office design is centred around creating a positive atmosphere. Moving away from the rigidity of traditional office furniture, today’s designs provide an avenue to play around with vibrant hues on the various components. Furniture design takes inspiration from fluid, harmonious lines and organic shapes. Other office features such as carpets boasting an inspired use of color and atmospheric lighting create a pleasant ambience, fostering a deeper emotional connection to the workplace.

Offices on the move: Setting work in motion

Generation Z in particular finds the notion of fixed workplaces less appealing. The office is therefore literally on the move. Versatile furniture designed to be used when working at desks, in meeting spaces and in home offices is conducive to an agile workflow. Mobile working is also facilitated by partition systems that can be moved around the office to create creative spaces and clip-on lockable storage boxes. Weather-resistant armchairs and sofas, meanwhile, transform terraces into cozy outdoor work areas. Today, even power strips are agile, acting as modular systems that cater to different workspaces and requirements.

Full circle: The rise of the circular economy

The office furnishing sector is increasingly adopting a circular approach, viewing this as a competitive advantage. When designing office furniture, consideration is therefore being given to how it can later be disassembled. Used materials such as PET, metal and compostable materials are reused to produce it. To avoid waste, manufacturing residues such as polyurethane (PU) foam or packaging are repurposed as recycled raw materials. Return options for office furniture, which manufacturers refurbish and sell after use, are another well-rounded solution.

Quiet, please: The growing demand for personal space

Recent surveys indicate a growing demand for personal space in the office. Accordingly, intelligently designed cubicles featuring a semi-open layout create a serene atmosphere in open offices and provide acoustic insulation without impeding communication between employees. New products such as noise-dampening seats and floor-mounted screens also combine effective acoustics with visual appeal. Moreover, acoustic pods and multifunctional room dividers silently transform open-plan areas into personal workspaces, paving the way for hybrid work models.

Clean lines: Championing simplicity

The design of many new products in the office furniture sector likewise exudes a sense of calm. The rather unsentimental “less is more” of early modernism has been given a stylish update. Furniture inspired by minimalist design creates an environment characterized by understated simplicity. The clarity of form signifies enduring aesthetics and conveys care and respect for the materials used. These are often natural wood and textiles, which boost well-being and reduce stress.

Smarter working: Office connectivity

Smart office solutions are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Even the design of today’s work environments is based on 3D virtual realities. With multi-space offices, employees can quickly find the perfect spot to concentrate or exchange ideas by means of a booking app. Meanwhile, smart lockers ensure that documents are stored securely and facilitate their handover to colleagues. When it comes to video calls, meetings are set to shine thanks to digitally bookable acoustic pods equipped with 4G access and various lighting modes.

All these aspects indicate a shift in office culture towards a welcoming and open work environment for all. ORGATEC 2024 will respond to this development with a wide-ranging program. In addition to innovations presented by exhibitors, various dedicated Focus Areas will offer inspiring insights into trends and developments shaping the future of work environments, where professionals from across the globe will have the chance to explore what will be possible in the office of tomorrow.

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The new large-screen digital display initiative, initially targeting healthcare facilities, will leverage the IGEL Preventative Security Model to help minimize the attack vectors. Using a secure Linux operating system, the IGEL OS delivers a solid Zero Trust foundational approach to IT security. With the IGEL OS, customers across various industries and sectors will be able to securely and effortlessly manage content on a variety of large-screen LG displays.

Jim Airdo, senior vice president of Strategic Alliances, IGEL, remarked:

LG’s commercial display solutions are revolutionizing how organizations manage, process and communicate information to the masses in various vertical markets. Our expanded strategic collaboration opens doors for customers from healthcare and ultimately other industries, empowering them to create seamless digital environments that captivate and inform audiences, essentially without risk or compromise.

Michael Kosla, senior vice president, LG Business Solutions USA, stated:

Over the years, our mutual customers and partners have reaped the rewards of our collaboration, enjoying enhanced flexibility for their cloud-enabled digital workspaces. Now, IGEL’s expansion into the operational technology market takes their secure, engaging digital experience to large-screen LG commercial displays for the first time.

At the heart of the IGEL-LG collaboration is a shared dedication to enhancing the customer experience. IGEL’s cloud-based software solution will allow users in the healthcare market to access many cloud solutions tailored for LG digital signage, interactive displays and video walls, all within a user-friendly management environment.

For more information on using IGEL OS with LG devices, visit IGEL.

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One trend stemming from the return-to-office (RTO) movement is the collective desire for a “purposeful consumption of the office”— the idea that employees want a good reason to head to the office other than mandates and surface-level incentives.

As technology use is ever-present in employees’ personal lives, employees expect their workplace tools to evolve in tandem. In sum, the bar for “good” workplace technology is much higher than it was previously.

This may explain why respondents are becoming less satisfied with their workplace tech year-over-year. The percentage of employees who answered “I am completely satisfied with my company’s workplace tools and technologies” declined in the last three years, with 39% responding “yes” in 2021, 33% in 2022, and 29% in 2023.

When it comes to generational views, the Appspace research found that Generation Z is most in favor of RTO (77%), while millennials are the least in favor (59%). Across all generations, 73% of respondents agree with the statement, “my employer could do more to improve the in-office experience.”

Employees who oppose going into the office (detractors) prefer remote work flexibility and dislike long commutes. They also point to the costs of commuting and meals associated with in-office work. Rounding out the list of reasons they oppose going to the office are:

• The space is not conducive to working productively
• Not enough colleagues are also in the office
• Concerns about health and safety
• Insufficient technology

Different workplace views, similar goals
The return-to-office supporters have a different view on how they work best. RTO supporters cite various reasons for wanting to work in the office, including but not limited to missing the social aspect of the office, the office provides a clear separation between work and home life and improved access to resources and amenities. Some even responded that they enjoy the commute.

According to the report, tech remains the biggest hurdle, across all work models. Remote, hybrid, and in-person employees’ top challenges in 2023 were identical: 1) tech issues, 2) collaboration, and 3) communication. A vast majority (84%) of respondents also believe their organizations can seize opportunities to leverage AI.

Appspace CEO Tony DiBenedetto remarked:

While there’s no consensus on return-to-office mandates, employees and managers alike share a common desire for enhanced and simple workplace connections, whether collaboration takes place in person, remotely, or hybrid. Organizations can seize this moment to deliver the best workplace experience possible with consumer-like technology that mirrors the ease employees expect and have grown accustomed to in their personal lives.

Sustainability takes center stage
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives are growing in importance for many employees. Seventy-two percent of all respondents said a company’s ESG strategy is very or somewhat important to them, with only 8% stating it’s entirely unimportant to them. Nearly two-thirds (65%) of in-office and hybrid respondents agree with the statement, “I care about my office’s energy consumption habits.”

When able to select from several ESG initiatives they wished their organization supported, respondents answered accordingly:

• Reduce the number of days employees need to come into the office via a digital employee hub (40%)
• Automatically adjust energy consumption (e.g., turn lights off in unoccupied space (38%)
• Reduce the organization’s corporate carbon footprint (36%)
• Deliver mindful company content and messaging that supports employee wellbeing and inclusivity (36%)
• Monitor air quality and occupancy to ensure healthy and safe environments (30%)
• Eliminate paper with digital-only/paper-free reception (24%)

Mike Hicks, chief marketing officer at Appspace, commented:

Employees are becoming more aware and concerned about the environmental-related habits of their office spaces. As organizations formalize and refine their return-to-office and hybrid policies, they can factor in their ESG performance with technology that addresses the dual goals of workplace engagement and sustainability in ways that deliver better productivity and employee satisfaction.

For more insight on workplace trends and technology solutions, download the 2024 Workplace Experience Trends & Insights Report. The independent research report surveyed 800 employees and 100 IT managers in the U.S. working full-time at organizations with more than 1,000 employees. All respondents worked at organizations currently offering hybrid and/or fully remote work opportunities.

The Appspace workplace experience platform connects people, places and spaces through digital signage, space reservation, an employee app, a modern intranet, and more. Organizations can replace disjointed tools and unite their digital and physical workplaces with a single platform to make work an experience everyone loves. Trusted by over 160 Fortune 500 companies and serving 12 million on-site, remote, and frontline employees daily, Appspace says it is revolutionizing the way businesses approach workplace solutions.

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Carousel Daily is a unique initiative that was created to cut through the noise of the workplace or learning environments where essential communications may be overlooked or forgotten. The Carousel Daily flips the script by empowering internal-facing organizations to reach the right audience, at the right place, and at the right time. Delivered to iOS devices, Carousel Daily bulletins are accessible through an app installed on organization-issued or personal devices.

Carousel Cloud customers can deliver the same visual communications that they display on their fixed digital signage or create unique feeds specifically designed for more mobile audiences. Carousel Daily Feeds are distributed as links, QR codes or configured via MDM for users. The app allows for the inclusion of external URLs within the feed, seamlessly guiding viewers to essential destinations for tasks such as training completion, video viewing, CEO messages, annual enrollment, and any other matters demanding their attention. The service also provides analytics to help administrators measure audience engagement, including responsiveness to each call to action.

Eric Henry, president, Carousel Digital Signage, stated:

The Carousel Daily allows our customers to get the most value out of their communications efforts, and it does so without bombarding audiences with endless feeds full of information they don’t need. Users can target people with the precise information they need to act on. Our corporate customers can go straight to the employees to announce a new training, or remind them to sign up for new benefits. Our K12 customers have the flexibility to create alternate feeds for students and parents, and retail operations can send internal updates relevant to store managers. The beauty is that nothing fundamentally changes about how they use Carousel Cloud. Customers use the same scheduling and content management toolsets to reach their audiences in new, exciting and impactful ways.

Carousel Daily comes free with a Carousel Cloud subscription and is licensed by audience size to meet the organization’s needs. Carousel Digital Signage partners with JAMF for customers that leverage mobile device management (MDM) services to manage, secure and deploy Carousel Daily onto end-user devices. As Apple Education Partners, Carousel and JAMF are dedicated to bringing the best Apple Experience to education and corporate customers.

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Implementing 20 LG CreateBoards of various sizes in training rooms, meeting rooms and huddle rooms allows SAVI Controls to not only practice exactly what they preach to dealers and end-users, but demonstrate to visiting partners the value of the products they recommend.

Outfitting the experiential space with LG’s CreateBoards in a range of sizes from  98-, 86- and 75-inch, and a 65-inch model in the boardroom, SAVI is able to ensure that all employees and visitors experience an innovative and streamlined technological experience, from partner meetings to employee brainstorms.

With immense ease-of-use (requiring very little training) and simple set-up, SAVI is able to enhance meeting productivity and efficiency using the CreateBoard’s intuitive features, simple screen sharing, presentation annotation, file exporting and more.

The new center is touted as serving as a prime example of the client value provided from partnerships like that of SAVI and LG. Coupled with SAVI software, LG’s product integrations ensure optimized performance and maximum value, setting a precedent for digital display solutions. Please see the complete case study at SAVI.

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Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, stated:

The annual return to office power struggle that happens each fall has arrived yet again, as we’re seeing companies beg, entice and force their employees to show their faces around the watercooler — even if it’s against their will. People don’t want to spend time and money on frequent office pilgrimages if they’re just going to be sitting on the same video calls they’d be doing in the comfort of their own homes or on tasks that they feel less productive doing from the office. The data shows that many companies have more work to do to provide an attractive, productive and stress-free office environment that makes employees want to gather.

Workers are finding creative ways around return-to-office mandates to save time and money

Employers forcing their workers back to the office have been met with all manner of pushback, from open letters and strikes to “quiet quitting” and actual quitting. More than two in three workers (69%) believe their employers are requiring them to work from the office because of traditional work expectations, especially when 60% of hybrid workers think they’re more productive when they work from home (30% say they are at the same level of productivity working from home).

As employees are being called back to the office yet again, many are subtly protesting by complying for as little time as possible. More than half (58%) of hybrid workers are “coffee badging” — showing up to the office for enough time to have a cup of coffee and earn an imaginary badge for it, then going home to do their work. Another 8% said they haven’t been coffee badging but would like to try it.

One reason they’re not staying the full day is because it’s expensive for them to do so. Workers spend an average of $51 per day when they go to the office, which is $408 for hybrid workers (8 days/month) and $1,020 for full-time office workers per month. Meaning in-office, full-time employees spend 3x as much as full-time remote workers. This includes a daily average of $16 on lunch, $14 on the commute, $13 on breakfast and coffee, and $8 on parking. Those with pets also spend an average of $20 per day on pet care.

Commuting time is also likely affecting this trend. With 61% of workers spending 30 minutes to 1.5 hours commuting each day, and 20% spending 1.5 to 2 hours, the office experience needs to make the trip worthwhile. Allowing for flexible hours — arriving after morning rush hour and leaving before the evening one — could make a significant impact on total daily time spent in transit.

Nearly all employees could be convinced to go to the office — for the right perks

Despite their hesitations, 94% of workers are willing to return to the office. But the traditional “perks” that once worked for luring people there are no longer sufficient. Employees ultimately want what really matters: saving money. More than 1/3 of hybrid workers (38%) would be more likely to go to the office if their companies paid for their commuting costs, while 28% could be swayed by daycare or eldercare subsidies or on-site alternatives, a likely result of the caregiver shortage. Another 28% think there is such a thing as a free lunch, admitting they could be lured by free or subsidized food and beverages. More than 1/3 (34%) said more privacy in the office, likely for individual calls and video meetings, would help draw them back in.

Killing the dress code is a free and easy way to get people to show up

As companies are cutting costs due to economic uncertainty, those who don’t have a budget for these kinds of benefits might consider loosening up their dress codes — or killing them altogether. Nearly 3 in 4 employees (72%) said a flexible or non-existent dress code is important to them. About a quarter of all workers (24%) would be enticed to go to the office if they could wear any clothing or styles they choose, with another quarter (25%) saying they would even take a 15% pay cut for the privilege.

More than half of business trips could have been a video call

Some of the resistance to the office stems from the advancement of videoconferencing technology and increased familiarity with it. Many people believe that in-person meetings often don’t offer significantly more value than remote or hybrid alternatives. Only about half (54%) of workers say business trips at their organizations have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with employees of larger companies (250+ people) being 20% more likely to say this compared to their counterparts at smaller businesses.

While the average number of business trips per person in 2023 is 4.5, workers say over half of those trips (2.4) could have been held virtually instead. More than 1/3 of companies (38%) have cut back on business trips because video calls work just as well as in-person meetings for many needs.

Worker stress increased since last year, taking a toll on employees’ mental health

While they may be saving time and aggravation at the airport, employees are more stressed than ever, with 56% saying their stress has increased and 35% saying it stayed the same since last year. Full-time office workers are 23 percentage points more likely than remote workers to say their stress levels have gone up in the last year.

About 30% say their workload has increased and they can’t keep up, and 19% don’t feel fairly compensated. Other top reasons for worker stress include recession fears (56%), not having the flexibility they want (55%), being forced to be in the office full-time (52%), and not feeling seen and heard in meetings as a remote participant (51%).

Stress can have serious consequences, including disengagement. More than half of workers (52%) say they feel disengaged at work, with 1/3 (31%) citing a decrease in their mental health over the past year as the top reason. Some are choosing to permanently disengage, as almost 1/3 of workers who are currently seeking a new job (30%) are doing it specifically to find a less stressful role.

A quarter of workers are worried AI will steal their jobs, but half of them still want their employers to use it

Another source of stress is the rise of AI and how it may affect job security. About 1/3 of employees (31%) think AI will compete with their jobs, and one in four (23%) are concerned it will steal their jobs altogether. Another third (32%) believe AI will cause ethical issues in their workplaces.

More than half of workers (52%) said their employers have already adopted AI technology to replace or augment employees’ roles. When it comes to technologies that employees want their companies to adopt in the next two years, AI or an AI assistant is at the top of the list, with 48% of workers wanting it. About 44% of employees believe AI will help them do their jobs faster and more effectively, and 35% think it will create new jobs and team growth. Augmented or mixed reality devices are next on the wishlist at 44%, while 38% said they would like to use holograms or avatars in the workplace.

Many people are juggling multiple jobs, with office workers and Millennials most likely to polywork

In today’s economic climate, having multiple jobs or side hustles, also known as “polyworking,” is becoming more common, especially among Millennials. Almost half (46%) of workers are currently polyworking, while another third (36%) plan on doing so in the future. About 74% of Millennials have at least one additional job, which is more than any other generation — in comparison, 13% of Gen Z, 11% of Gen X, and 2% of Boomers are polyworking.

Full-time office employees are more than twice as likely (68%) to have one additional job than remote (5%) and hybrid workers (27%). Of those with an additional job, 39% say they need the additional income to cover expenses, while 33% say their additional job is their true passion, but they need to polywork for financial reasons.

To review the full report and detailed findings, visit Owl Labs’s State of Hybrid Work 2023. To learn more about Owl Labs and its ecosystem of video conferencing solutions for hybrid organizations, visit Owl Labs.

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The report reveals what drives employees to quit (and “quiet quit”), the amounts of money that in-office workers shell out on everything from lunch to pet care, the decline of the open plan office, and the rise of task-based hybrid work. It also explores burnout and stress, particularly about a possible recession. The data shows that flexibility, versus fully remote work, is the new norm and what employees really want. Employers are delivering on staff members’ requests to work where they want by allowing a range of in-person and remote options, resulting in more inclusive hybrid environments.

Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, remarked:

Workplace trends are continuing to evolve rapidly, even three years after the pandemic began. Priorities and preferences have evolved for both workers and employers in the past year, bringing flexible and hybrid work to the forefront, even as some companies have continued to attempt a “return to the office” push each fall since 2020. This new data shows that successful businesses need to present a range of hybrid options and technologies to keep workers happy and productive, as one-size-fits-all remote or in-person policies don’t allow everyone to do their best work. Listening to employees is crucial as companies iterate on their policies, practices and product solutions to align with team members’ needs.

More people want remote and hybrid work, and employers are trying to catch up

Some companies may be trying to lure workers back to the office again this fall, but employees want the flexibility they’ve become accustomed to over the past few years. The percentage of workers who want to be remote full-time increased by eight percentage points since last year to 42%, and 36% of employees now want to be hybrid, up five percentage points. The vast majority (86%) say remote work would make them happier, and 62% feel more productive when working remotely. The call to come back to the office is loudest among smaller companies — 41% of small businesses (10-50 employees) are requiring people to return to the office, compared to 27% of enterprises (10,000+ employees).

The flexibility that employees want is slowly becoming the norm — workers reported that prior to the pandemic, only 8% of their companies had flexible policies whereas today, almost two-thirds (62%) say their company has implemented at least some degree of flexible work. Mid-sized companies (501 to 5,000 employees) are leading the way with 70% offering flexible work policies — more than any other size company. Some employers remain unprepared though, with only half (50%) training managers on how to lead remote and hybrid teams and 54% teaching workers how to hold effective and inclusive hybrid meetings.

Task-based hybrid work allows employees to do different tasks in the best environment

Task-based hybrid work, where your location depends on the type of task you’re doing, gives people the freedom to choose their locations based on their own individual schedules and tasks, allowing teams to get the best of both worlds and optimize productivity. Nearly half of workers (49%) say they can meet deadlines better when remote, versus 31% who like to reach deadlines in-office. When it comes to meetings, more than half of workers (51%) say team meetings are more productive at the office, while a quarter (25%) prefer joining team meetings remotely. Additionally, 39% of workers say they are more productive when brainstorming and innovating at the office, while 37% prefer remote brainstorms.

Office design is changing, with coworking spaces becoming a popular “third place” between office and home

Since the pandemic began, many companies have transformed their physical office spaces, from square footage to location to design, and 37% have hired someone to manage the workplace experience for on-site or remote employees. More than 1/3 of employers (37%) have closed offices or decreased office space and 13% have opened smaller satellite offices, while 14% of employees say their company provides access to a “third place,” like a coworking space, as a middle ground between home and office. Office design is changing, too — 15% of companies have shifted to “hot desking,” where employees don’t have a permanent desk and need to reserve workspaces.

The age of the open office is in decline, as 68% of employees say more privacy would make them more inclined to go to work in person. Despite the increase in hybrid meetings with both in-office and remote participants, only about one in five companies (19%) have expanded their collaboration and meeting spaces, and 1/3 (36%) have upgraded their video meeting technology.

Going to the office costs employees twice as much as working remotely

More than 1/4 of employees (28%) feel that they should be paid more to work remotely, with another 57% saying they should be paid the same regardless of where they do their jobs. Only 14% said they should be paid more for office work. In reality, while many companies provide monthly stipends to cover remote work expenses, it actually costs employees more money to commute to the office.

Employees spend twice as much money at the office ($862 / month) versus working remotely ($431 / month). The top costs for in-office workers per day include commuting ($14.60), lunch ($13.07), dinner ($10.98), and breakfast or coffee ($6.29). Office workers are also spending on their furry friends at home, with an average of $16 per day going towards pet care, such as dog walking. Three in four workers (75%) say they’d be more inclined to go to the office if their companies paid for their commuting costs, like parking, and 69% would be lured to the office by free food and beverages.

Workers are worried about “proximity bias” – and their fears aren’t unfounded

Employees now have more choices than ever in how they work, and this means they are newly concerned that in-person colleagues may advance quicker and have advantages over remote team members due to “proximity bias” — meaning physical proximity to the in-office boss. More than half of workers (51%) think the office is the best place for advancing their careers, compared to 31% who think remote locations are best. Nearly half of employees (49%) believe they won’t be able to build relationships with leadership team members while working remotely.

These fears are valid, as more than half of workers (51%) admit to preferring to manage others in person versus remotely (25%), and nearly half (49%) are more likely to ask the opinion of their colleagues in person over their remote team members. This data shows why it’s crucial for employers to invest in the right technology, management training and policies to ensure that remote workers feel included and aren’t disadvantaged compared to employees in the office.

Employee stress has increased, especially due to recession fears and return to office demands

Amid all these changes, almost half (45%) of employees say their work-related stress has increased in the past year. Among workers experiencing more stress, the leading cause is being back in the office, with 53% saying it’s their biggest concern. About half of these workers (49%) with higher stress levels are concerned they will not be given the flexibility they want and 45% are worried they will be forced to go back to the office full-time. Many employees are also anxious about job stability in this unpredictable economy, with 58% feeling concerned about an impending recession, which is 9 percentage points higher than any other source of work-related stress. In light of anxiety and burnout running rampant, it’s no surprise the four-day work week model is appealing to employees, with 80% wanting to try it out.

Companies are eroding trust with employee tracking software and flip-flopping on policies

Another source of stress, which affects 45% of workers, is being monitored by employers. While 75% of employees say that working from home would make them feel more trusted, and 62% feel more productive when remote, 60% of managers think remote workers are less productive. Due to this mistrust, more than 1/3 of companies (37%) have added or increased their usage of employee activity tracking software since the pandemic began.

In light of some companies pulling a “bait and switch” by offering hybrid and remote options and then requiring people to come to the office instead, 9% of workers believe their employer is likely to get rid of their flexible work policy, and 11% are completely unsure of their company’s plans. The data shows there is room for companies to increase transparency around workplace policies, as only half (53%) have surveyed their employees about remote work preferences, and only 39% of those have actually shared the results with their teams.

The Great Resignation isn’t over yet, and workers are setting boundaries by “quiet quitting” — and actually quitting — when they don’t have the flexibility they want

Despite recession fears, the Great Resignation has continued and about 1/3 (29%) of employees changed jobs within the past year, with remote workers switching roles almost twice as often as those who work in-office. Flexibility is key to retention — nearly half of workers (46%) said if they no longer had remote or hybrid options, they would stay in their role but be less willing to go the extra mile, which some call “quiet quitting.” Going beyond quiet quitting, 39% said they would actually quit if the ability to work from home was taken away and 66% would immediately start looking for a job that offered flexibility. More than half of workers (52%) would take a pay cut of 5% or more and 23% would take a pay cut of 10% or more to have flexibility in their location.

To review the full State of Remote Work 2022 report and detailed findings, please visit Owl Labs.

Owl Labs’ suite of products makes meetings more inclusive and collaborative by leveling the playing field between remote and in-room participants. The company’s flagship product, the Meeting Owl 3, is touted as the first WiFi-enabled, 360-degree camera, microphone and speaker that automatically zooms in on whoever is speaking. To learn more about Owl Labs and its ecosystem of video conferencing solutions for hybrid organizations, visit online.

Kate Lister is president of Global Workplace Analytics, a consulting firm that has been helping organizations optimize remote and hybrid work for nearly two decades. Lister is on the leadership team of IFMA’s Workplace Evolutionaries and is a trusted source of insights about the future of work for news outlets around the globe. She was one of only three witnesses invited to testify before a U.S. Senate committee regarding the post-pandemic potential for remote work in government.

[For additional insights, see “Remote Work Statistics: All the Information You Need about Telecommuting in 2023.”]

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