Office return will hinge on ‘smart’ solutions

The return to the office will hinge on ‘smart’ solutions, says Simon Martindale, fund director of the Property Income Trust for Charities (PITCH) at Mayfair Capital.

Despite all the talk of flexible working and hybrid models, a corporate “new normal” has yet to be formally established. According to a McKinsey & Company survey, 68 percent of organisations have not yet communicated a detailed plan for the return of staff to offices.

At this crossroad, there is an immense opportunity to shape the future of work and combine many of the benefits of home working with the advantages of the office. The office itself is at the heart of the debate. With employees increasingly given the choice to work from home, the physical office space must evolve in a bid to attract occupiers.

This ideal sustainable smart office must be tech-integrated and designed to facilitate collaborative tasks that are better achieved in person, as well as geared towards the improved h