We need offices more than we think: expert

When the pandemic was announced in mid-March in Poland, companies had to switch to home office overnight. Remote working has become the dominant model of functioning in most companies in our country and worldwide. Many organisations still operate in it today. However, there are some doubts as to whether working from home is really a good solution in the long run.

According to Monika Rajska-Wolińska, Managing Partner of Colliers International in Poland, there is certainly no return to typical office work from 9 to 5, five days a week, but the impact of total virtualisation of work and business contacts on team’s creativity and morale is debatable primarily because the home office offers far less opportunities to interact and make contacts with colleagues. 

“Before the pandemic I was in the office very often, because the contact with people gives me energy and at the same time drives the employees to act when they see that the boss is present and interested in what they are doing. This close relationship builds a sense of community, which is extremely important in our culture. In the face of remote working, all we have left is virtual contact. And although in the 21st century technological solutions allow for a lot, video conferencing will never replace face-to-face meetings,” Monika Rajska-Wolińska, stressed.

According to a survey conducted by Colliers, most people would like to work remotely 1-2 days a week, but 38 percent of those surveyed already experience social isolation. Employees declared that in the current situation (total or mostly remote working) they lack meetings with co-workers, spontaneous coffee conversations and a clear distinction between professional and personal life. This is just one of the evidence that we need an office environment. 

“The unpredictability of business cycles is now so high that flexibility and adaptability are becoming key aspects of a business strategy. Following this trend, Colliers International has introduced an innovative tool on the Polish market - Colliers Mobility Pass. It is a virtual platform that allows you to book coworking spaces through an easy-to-navigate smartphone application. The employer buys a subscription, thanks to which employees have access to over 5,000 locations of flexible spaces in 70 countries. Through an intuitive mobile application everyone can book a desk, private office or conference room anywhere in Poland and the world and use everything that such space offers,” Colliers expert summed up.

(WBJ)