Activity-based working is a specific way of designing office space by providing end users with various space typologies that meet their working needs. Whether it is partitioned spaces dedicated to focus work, lounge areas for informal discussions with colleagues or open brainstorming areas equipped with the necessary technology, the work environment adapts to the needs, requirements and activities of the end users. Activity-based working is a way to meet employees’ desire for a more balanced workstyle and greater flexibility.

This system supports the workforce that uses the office to engage in both individual and collaborative activities, but not every day. This particular layout is best implemented as free address, with no dedicated seats and employees reporting to a shared zone or neighbourhood. This approach allows employees to be effective and connected while in the office and allows employers to be efficient with their space strategy.

An additional benefit of activity-based working is the sharing of ideas and information as employees move between spaces based on their activities, instead of a strict confinement to designated areas or floors based on department or specialty.

In order to reduce the amount of cabling required to connect laptops in the workplace, plug 'n play solutions are becoming increasingly popular among employers. In practice, by means of a docking station, the employee can connect his/her computer to the screens at the workstation, access the high-speed Internet network or even charge the laptop, all by connecting a single cable to it. This workplace technology aims at improving employee efficiency and productivity, as it streamlines office connectivity.

As the need for meeting space within companies and organizations has increased in recent years, workplaces have had to adapt in order to offer employees an efficient way to manage the use of these spaces. Gone are the days of sending an email to the company reception with the meeting details along with a meeting room booking request.

In today's digital age, companies are increasingly turning to integrated technology to meet internal needs. Employees can, for example, book a space directly through an interactive screen at the entrance of the room, or even through their digital messaging system. A central software collects the data from these various channels to accurately report on the real time availability of the different rooms.

Following the exponential growth of new technology (Building Information Models (BIM), Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence), office buildings and the work environment are undergoing a profound transformation.

Buildings are getting smarter through the use of IoT sensors. Through temperature, light and carbon dioxide sensors, heating, cooling and lightning can be adjusted based on occupancy and utilized zones, which reduces energy costs and lowers the building’s carbon footprint.

Making workspaces easier and more functional is another advantage of new technology. Offerings like CBRE Host, an experiential product suite that connects and optimizes people and spaces through tech-enabled services and community interactions, make the process easier. For example, Host’s app component can provide capabilities like turn-by-turn directions to an open conference room. Employees can also schedule meetings with colleagues, book workspaces, request food and beverage services, and access building repair and maintenance professionals.

Flex-desking or hotdesking is a way to utilize office space more efficiently. Without designated workplaces, employees can choose to sit where they want (in designated areas per department or not). Typically, flex-desking is combined with a clean-desk policy that requires employees to store personal items in lockers. If organised properly, flex-desking will stimulate collaboration and creativity, and encourage communication and team spirit among employees.

With office desks being emptied at the end of the day, the office floor will be tidier and easier to clean. With staff being out in meetings, working from home or on vacation, flex-desking is both space and cost efficient as less office desks will be needed for the same number of employees. This gain in space is often compensated by more "we-space", such as for example lounge areas or formal and informal meeting and break-out rooms.

Because meetings follow each other but do not necessarily look the same, employers and workspace designers have thought together about different room typologies according to the type of meeting to be held. A room equipped with all the necessary technology for video conferencing will allow employees to meet even remotely, taking care to provide sufficient sound and image quality to allow a seamless experience. For brainstorming sessions, a closed or open space with, for example, an interactive digital screen for notetaking is preferable. Whatever their final use, meeting rooms should always meet the criteria of comfort, well-being and connectivity, in order to allow employees to meet in the best conditions according to their needs.

Another major technological revolution in our work environments is related to on-screen document sharing and presentations. There is no longer any need for an HDMI or other cable to connect a laptop to a meeting room screen.

With the help of software such as Solstice, it is possible, with a few clicks, to transfer the content of your choice to a specific screen. The connection between the computer and the display is immaterial, for example by encoding a code displayed on the screen. This operation does not require any wiring, is fast and allows greater space flexibility.

Co-working spaces are flexible workplaces where several tenants occupy one or more workstations or other formal and informal meeting spaces. The spaces may be privatised for the confidentiality needs of an organisation. Co-working spaces are usually used by companies as a flexibility asset, allowing their employees, through pre-booking of workstations, to avoid having to travel to the head office in favour of locations closer to home.

These multi-tenant workplaces usually offer services designed for the well-being of the tenants, including a coffee corner, lounge area or catering options. As physical workplaces need to remain changeable, the increased flexibility of employees themselves is important, with the ability for employees to work from an alternative location.

Biophilia or Biophilic design is a building or interior design concept that refers to humans’ connection to the natural world. Research on the topic shows that biophilic elements improve the health and wellbeing of humans. It was first introduced in Edward Wilson’s 1984 book The Biophilia Hypothesis.

So, views of the natural environment (where possible), improved natural light, human scale spaces, materials sourced from nature and of course plants and living things – even auditory stimuli like bird song and the sound of water – all contribute to increasing our connection with nature.
We are now seeing greenery being reintroduced to the workplace with a range of planting; real and fake, edible plants, internal living walls. Moss walls have proven to require minimum maintenance and contribute to mitigating poor acoustics and background noise.

A research collaboration between CBRE and the University of Twente showed that over 60% of staff felt happier, healthier and more energised in their working environment when plants were introduced. Results also indicated that planting contributed to an improved performance of over 10%. What was also interesting was that artificial plants also positively affected occupant well-being.

Technology applications are at the forefront of delivering intuitive solutions to employees to streamline their daily interactions within their community, workplace and even with each other. From scheduling health screenings and reservations, to enabling a touchless experience, these apps are growing in sophistication and prominence as an essential part of the employee experience.

One of these apps’ main goal is to allow employees to make decisions with productivity in mind, pairing them with recommendations based on their desired work style, who they are meeting with and the services in the workplace, to create a real and optimal occupier experience. Artificial Intelligence-driven recommendations are expected to help employees make informed decisions of when to go into the office based on meeting schedules and other colleagues’ work patterns. This, to foster collaboration between a more fluid workforce.

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable, companies have taken various steps to make their operations as paperless as possible. In order to reduce paper consumption, employees are increasingly turning to digital archiving. Some printers are also equipped with badge readers, requiring employees to validate their print jobs, which contributes to environmental awareness.