How does an office need to work to make it through the pandemic – and even more importantly: How will the office work after the pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic has once again profoundly changed the way we see the office. During the pandemic, offices have had to be remodelled and adjusted to take necessary precautions, so that people feel safe there and can still be productive. The international office expert Bene presents with “THE CORE by Bene” a global office concept on how to navigate these challenging times.
Bene summarises its observations, as well as the challenges and opportunities in relation to the future of the working world, in three key themes:
THE OBVIOUS: During the pandemic, offices need to be remodelled and adjusted to meet necessary safety measures so that people feel safe and can be productive. Concepts need to be developed to fulfil these needs.
THE HIGHER PACE: The way we work is constantly evolving, many aspects of which, such as new styles of leadership and digitalisation, have been significantly accelerated by the pandemic. Collaboration, interaction and the purpose of work are now at the forefront of the discussion and will gain greater importance in the post-pandemic world of work.
THE BIG STRESS TEST: We are currently experiencing the biggest stress test for remote work and the home office. Even the organisations that were reticent have seen how agile working can be utilised for the benefit of the business and employees. However, the workspace is still a vital part of the office landscape from face-to-face exchanges with colleagues, facilitating idea generation, as well as developing and maintaining strong corporate cultures.
“Meeting and communication zones are becoming increasingly important in the office,” says Michael Fried Executive Board member for Sales, Marketing & Innovation at Bene. “The office gives space for ideas and opportunities. It becomes a motor for innovation. The focus is more on teamwork and less on individual work.”
Through the enormous wave of digitalisation it brought about, COVID-19 has accelerated this process even more and has significantly changed the requirements we place on a modern office. Bene developed this office concept to meet these current and future requirements.
THE CORE by Bene
The office is the physical “core” of an organisation, the heart of a company, a place where people and ideas come together, creating opportunities for spontaneous social interaction and collaborative and agile work, and where shared management and fluid leadership can evolve.
THE CORE by Bene is a global concept that can already be experienced at the Bene showroom in Frankfurt; a live, immersive and experiential space to study how our places of work have adapted, and how they will further evolve after the pandemic.
With the ideal mix between open spatial structure and shielded areas, THE CORE by Bene manages the balancing act between distance and teamwork so that people feel comfortable and can work creatively at the same time, comprising:
HYGIENE CONCEPTS AND SENSOR TECHNOLOGY
Innovative technologies and smart room solutions ensure safety throughout the premises. This starts at the check-in area with temperature screening and registering for ‘track and trace’, followed with contact-free hand disinfection. The system will then give a green light to lead the visitor to a prior selected and cleaned workstation.
SPATIAL AWARENESS
The focus of the entire office space is on teamwork and exchange, all the while maintaining the correct distance. Anchor points in the form of furniture are clearly placed in collaboration areas to ensure correct distancing. The room configurations are designed in such a way that they can be adapted to changing needs at short notice, giving the office breathing space. In addition, moveable partition walls and partition elements can be used as protective barriers.
A NEW KIND OF EXCHANGE AND INTERACTION
There is a wide choice of spaces for project and teamwork, in addition to the team workspace and an informal meeting area. Other areas enable spontaneous stand-up meetings, ensuring an optimal exchange of ideas.
THE LEARNING OFFICE
“The office is a living organism that is constantly evolving and adapting to changing structures and the latest processes in a company or team. It is important to think about these plans and space concepts on a regular basis and make sure they are still serving their purpose”, says Patricia Möckesch, Product & Innovation Ambassador at Bene.
No-one knows exactly how or when the pandemic will end but there is no doubt that it has altered the office landscape immeasurably. With THE CORE concept you can constantly learn. The sensor technology throughout enables collation and analysis of data to determine which spatial settings are particularly popular. Revisions and improvements can be continually made to create the most efficient and effective workplaces.
“Modern office concepts are characterised by more communal areas that can be used flexibly and can be easily adapted to a wide range of requirements. The importance of the office as a hub for information, corporate culture and social interaction is growing. Offices must convey a sense of security, orientation and trust in order to continue to be inspiring places for people to meet and be creative in the future”, says Michael Fried.
Focusing on user experience, Bene has developed and already implemented this holistic and contemporary office landscape in Frankfurt in collaboration with other experts such as Giulio Castegini from Drees & Sommer, Norman Kustos from neotares Consult and Iulia Patricia Manea from Holger Meyer Architektur.
Because the world of work and the office environment are already in a state of flux, through the analysis of the data it provides, THE CORE will not lose its relevance, even after the pandemic.
About Bene
The international office expert is a specialist in the design and furnishing of modern office and working environments. Bene defines the office as a living space, and its concepts, products and services turn this philosophy into a reality. The Bene Group is a globally active company with its head office and production facilities in Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Austria. Development, design, and production, along with consulting and sales, are thereby united under one Austrian roof. As a significant market player in Europe, Bene stands for innovative concepts, inspiring offices, and high-quality design. Bene develops and produces customised solutions for all company sizes – from one-person companies to SMEs and global corporations. www.bene.com