2025未来办公趋势前瞻+The Future of Work：A Trends Forecast for 2025

TheFuture

forecastfor

ofWork

Atrends

2025

TheFutureofWorkIWG

TheFutureofWorkAtrendsforecastfor2025

2025issettobeanothertransformativeyearfortheworld

ofworkandwewillcontinuetoseebusinessesandtheir

employeesadapttoanevolvinglandscape.Aswecansee

fromouroperationsandacceleratedgrowthacrossmore

than120countries,theriseofhybridworkingshowsnosignsofabating,yettherehasbeenmuchdiscussionabouthow

companiesandtheirpeoplewilloperateunderthemodel.

Inrecentmonths,headlineshavebeendominatedbydiscussionaroundReturntoOffice(RTO)

mandatesandhowthesehavebeengainingsignificantmomentumamongstcompaniesofallsizes.

WhilemediaheadlinesmisssomeofthenuancesoftheshifttowardsRTO,thetrendisunmistakablytakingplacewithcompaniesprioritisingtimefortheirteamstocollaboratein-persononaregular

basis.However,whereandhowpeopleworkisactuallyfarmorenuancedthanmuchofthecurrent

conversationimplies.It’snotjustabinarychoicebetweenworkingfromatraditionalcitycentreofficeandfromhome.There’sathirdoption:workingoutofalocalcoworkingspaceoroffice,neartohome,withotherlike-mindedpeople.

Businessesthatdonotofferhybridworkingriskmissingoutonkeepingandattractingthebesttalent.Flexibilityisnolongeranicetohave,it’sanecessity,andmanywillnotconsidernewrolesthatrequirelongdailycommuteswhentheycanworkjustaseffectivelyfromalocalworkspacenearertowheretheylive.

Othertrendsthataresettohaveamajorinfluenceontheworldofworkfindforward-thinking

companiesshiftingtheirfocustowardsenhancingtheproductivityandhappinessoftheirpeople,

demonstratingagrowingunderstandingthatproductivitystemsfromgoodmanagement,ratherthansimplybeingafunctionofwhereemployeesarelocated.Employersarealsocomingtotermswiththeexpectationsofthenewcohortthat’senteringtheworkplaceinevergreaternumbers:GenZ.

Companiesthatstayabreastofthesetrendswilldriveperformanceandprofitsin2025,pavingthewayforgrowthandinnovationintheyearsahead.

MarkDixon

FounderandCEO,InternationalWorkplaceGroupplc

2

TheRebuffof

EnforcedCommutes

Ithasalsobeensuggestedthatsomeemployershaveusedafive-days-a-weekmandateas

awayofdeliberatelyreducingheadcount.

However,hybridworkingexpertProfessor

NicholasBloom,ofStanfordUniversity,says

thatsuch“backdoorlayoffs”,ashedescribes

them,tendtobackfire.ResearchbyInternationalWorkplaceGrouprecentlyrevealedthat

two-thirds(67%)ofrecruitershaveobservedanincreaseincandidateslookingtoleave

companiesthatimplementedfive-daycentralofficeattendancewithlongcommutes.

ItwasclearfromtheStanfordconferencethatenforcingadailycommute,oftentoafar-

awaycity-centrelocation,breedsemployee

resentment.Ontheotherhand,researchhas

consistentlyshownthathybridworkingleadsnotonlytogreateremployeesatisfactionbut

alsogreaterproductivity.Companiesthat

embracethehybridmodelandempowertheiremployeestoworkwhenandwheretheypreferwillfaremuchbetterthanthosethatdon’t,andwillattractthebesttalent.“TheRTOdebate

shouldend,”saysBloom.

TheFutureofWorkIWG

1

foundthat,whencompaniesswitchtoaskingtheiremployeestocommutelongdistancesonadailybasis,thereisacorrespondingincreaseinstafflookingfornewjobs.Thisparticularly

appliestomoretenured,senioremployees.

Andthenumberscanbesignificant.73%of

employeesatamajorUScompanytoldjob

reviewsiteBlindthattheywereconsidering

resigningfollowingaso-calledRTOmandate.

Morethanathirdsaidtheyknewsomeonewhohadalreadyhandedintheirnotice.

Companiesthatcontinuetoexpecttheir

employeestocommutelongdistancestoa

centralofficeeverydaywilltriggerawaveof

resignationsasemployeesresistenforcedlong

dailycommutes.ThisphenomenonparallelstheearliertrendoftheGreatResignation,whichsawlargenumbersofworkersquitbecausetheyweredissatisfiedwiththeirjobsandwantedabetterwork-lifebalance.

AtarecentconferenceatStanfordonthe

implicationsofremotework,threeresearch

paperslookedspecificallyatRTOpoliciesand

NewAdditionstotheOfficeLexicon

Thedissatisfactionofemployeesforcedtocommutefivedaysaweektoacentralofficeiscreatingnewbusinessbuzzwords.

Resenteeismdescribestheexperienceofstayinginajobdespitebeing

fundamentallyunhappy,anditisparticularlycommonamongemployees

whohavenoflexibilityoverworkinglocationandpractices.Somecompanies

havestartedtrackingtheuseofemployees’passestoenforceattendance

atacentraloffice,andthishasledtoanincreaseincoffeebadging,the

phenomenonofscanningyourpassattheofficebutonlystayinglongenoughforacupofcoffeeandmaybeameetingbeforeleaving.Thosewhoareangry

abouttheiremployer’spoliciesandfeelforcedtolookforanotherjobarerageapplyingfornewpositions.Andtoavoidlosingteammembers,somemanagersareintroducinghushedhybrid,allowingthemtoworkremotelyinsecret.

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TheFutureofWorkIWG

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InasurveyofleadingHRexecutivesby

InternationalWorkplaceGroup,morethan

eight-out-of-tenagreedthathybridworking

increasesproductivityand,inaseparatesurvey,three-quartersofworkerssaidtheywereboth

moreproductiveandmoremotivatedasaresultofadoptingthehybridmodel.Thistiesinwith

researchbyProfessorNicholasBloomandothersdemonstratingtheproductivitybenefitsof

hybridworking.AccordingtoBloom,thehybridmodelincreasesproductivityby3%to4%onaverage.ResearchbyBostonConsultingGroupfoundthatsalespeopleatfirmswithflexible

workingpoliciesgrewsalesbyfourtimesmorethanthosewithoutthem.

OutputWill

TranscendHours

80%

ofHRexecutives

sayhybrid

workingincreases

productivity

Infact,

productivityisaboutthegoodmanagementofpeople,settingclearKPIsandholding

effectivebusinessreviews.”

MarkDixon

FounderandCEO,

InternationalWorkplaceGroupplc

Therewasatimewhenproductivitywas

measuredsimplybythenumberofhoursworkedsatatadeskinacentraloffice.Ifleaderscouldseetheirteams,theyfeltreassuredthatwork

wasbeingdone,regardlessofwhetherthiswasthecaseornot.ButasMarkDixon,FounderandCEOofInternationalWorkplaceGroupsays:“Infact,productivityisaboutthegoodmanagementofpeople,settingclearKPIsandholdingeffectivebusinessreviews.It’snotaboutrequiring

employeestoworkfromaspecificlocation.”

In2025andbeyond,employerswillincreasinglyprioritiseoutputoverhours,andprogressive

companieswillempowertheiremployeestoachievethemhowandwheretheythinkbest,thankstohybridworking.

Progressivecompanieswillempowertheir

employeesbyutilisinghybridworking.

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TheFutureofWork

IWG

ThereWillbeaContinued

3

40%

NeedforQuality,ProfessionalWorkspacesbyGrowing

ofemploymentisby

smallandmedium

enterprises

StartupsandSMEs

AmericaiscurrentlyundergoingwhatThe

Economisthascalled“anextraordinarystartup

boom”,withapplicationstoformnewbusinessesatrecordlevels.Theboomissignificantfor

localeconomies,leadingtomorejobcreation

andboostingotherlocalbusinessesacross

everystate.Recentresearchhasalsoshown

Assmallbusinessesproliferateandbusinesses

launchedduringthepandemiceraboom,therewillbeincreasedneedforscalable,flexible

TheInternationalWorkplaceGroupisalready

meetingtheincreasingdemandforflexible

workspacesinsuchlocationswithamajor

programmeofnewopeningsinitsglobalnetwork.Itnowhasmorethan4,500flexspacesaround

theworld,andtheyareincreasinglyinsuburbs

andsmalltowns.IntheUS,newlocationsincludeBluffton,SouthCarolina(pop.27,716),Kodak,

Tennessee(10,500),andDestin,Florida(14,000).IntheUK,thereisasimilarstory,withnew

centresopeningintownssuchasGerrardsCross,Buckinghamshire(pop.8,000),StMellons,Cardiff(14,801),Broxburn,WestLothian(15,970),and

Coleraine,CoLondonderry(24,483).

“Ouraimistoexpandournetworklocationsdeepintotheheartofthecommunitieswheretheyareneeded,”saysMarkDixon.“Whatallthesetownsandsuburbshaveincommonisthattheyare

greatplacestolive,raisefamiliesandsocialise.”

workspaces.Movingforward,asthesebusinessesincreasetheirheadcountsorfootprints,the

flexibleworkspacemodelwillsupporttheireffortsincost-effectiveways.

USentrepreneursmigratingfromexpensive

coastaltechhubstosetupinaffordable,liveablecommunitiesinso-called‘tiertwo’cities.TheseincludethelikesofAtlanta,Cleveland,KansasCityandIndianapolis,whichareallseeingmajorsmallbusinessgrowth.

Asimilarpictureisemergingintherestofthe

world.Smallandmedium-sizedenterprises

accountforaroundhalfofglobalGDPandaround40%ofallemployment,andSMEnumbers

worldwideareanticipatedtoalmostdouble

betweennowand2031.AstheexampleoftheUSdemonstrates,themajorityofthesenew

businessesarelikelytobeestablishedinsmallercitiesandtowns.

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TheFutureofWork

IWG

CommuterTownsareSettoBoomThanks

toHybridWorking

TheProjectedIncreasein+60%+175%

NumbersofWhite-CollarWorkersinCommuter

Townsby2043

Hybridworkingisdrivingmajordemographic

andeconomicchangearoundtheworld,with

formerlysleepycommutertownsbeingbroughtbacktolife.Newtechnologynowallowsusto

workwhenandwherewefeelmostfulfilled

andproductiveand,asaresult,millionshave

abandonedthelong,dailycommuteinfavour

ofahybridsolution,dividingtheirworking

hoursbetweenalocalflexspaceandhome,

withoccasionalvisitstoacentralofficefor

brainstorming,meetingclients,training,or

simplysocialising.Inaparalleltrend,peopleareincreasinglyleavingbigcitiesforabetterlifein

thesetowns,benefitinginthesamewayfromthehybridmodel.

ResearchbyInternationalWorkplaceGroup

andAruppredictsthatcommutertownsintheUScouldseeanincreaseinthepresenceof

white-collarworkersbyasmuchas60%over

thenext20yearsasaresultofhybridworking.Locationsthathavehistoricallylargerwhite-

collarcommuterpopulationsandfewerlocal

white-collarjobsaresettobenefitthemost.Forexample,Westport,Connecticut,atownwith

traditionallyhighlevelsofwhite-collarresidents,couldseeanincreaseinitsskilledworkforceof

upto72%.IntheUK,thehybrideffectislikelytobeevenmoredramatic.Thereportpredictsthatthepresenceofwhite-collarworkersin

commutertownswillincreasebyupto175%by2043,witha44%increaseinthosechoosingtoworkfromlocalflexibleworkspaces.

Localeconomiesarealreadybeginningtosee

theknock-oneffectsoftheincreaseinbusinessandjobopportunitiesthatcomefromthis

demographicshift.“Thepotentialeconomiceffectsofhybridworkingarestaggering,”

saysDixon.“Thisisamajorshotinthearmforcommunitiesthatuntilveryrecentlyhavebeenstrugglinginfinancialterms.”

USUK

Peopleareincreasinglyleavingbigcitiesfor

abetterlifestyleincommutertowns.

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IWG

TheFutureofWork

GenerationHybridWillContinuetoChangetheWayWeWork

2025willseeanevengreaterproportionof

workerswhohaveneverexperiencedworkinglifeasitwasbeforetheCovid-19pandemic.ThesearethemembersofGenZ,bornbetweenthe

mid-1990sandtheendoftheNoughties,whonowmakeupagrowingproportionofcompanyrosters.Withinthenextfewyears,theywill

compriseathirdoftheworkforce,andtheir

attitudesandbeliefsareincreasinglyinfluencingtheworkplace.

GenZaredigitalnativeswhohavegrownup

doingschoolandcollegeworkwherevertheycanfindaWi-Fisignal.Forthatreason,theytakeforgrantedflexibilityintermsofwhereandwhen

theydotheirworkforanemployer.ResearchbyInternationalWorkplaceGroupfoundthattwo-thirdsofnewgraduateswillnotconsiderwork

thatforcesthemtocommutefivedaysaweektoacitycentrelocation.

GenZ-ersalsoprioritiseahealthywork-life

balanceoverlonghoursandrigidroutines,and

theyexpectunderstandingfromtheirbosses.

Ratherthanthetraditionalcommand-and-

controlleadershipstyle,thisgenerationrespondsbesttoamoreempatheticmanagement

approachthatprioritisesemotionalwellbeing.Expecttoseeleaderstakemoreinterestintheiremployees’emotionsandconcerns.

Companieswhodonotfullyunderstandthe

needsof‘GenerationHybrid’,andfailtooffer

themtheflexibilityandunderstandingtheycrave,willmissout.“GenZisthefutureoftheglobal

workforceandoftheworld’seconomy,”says

Dixon.“Astheyentertheofficeineverincreasingnumbers,theyarestartingtotransformthewaythatworkisdone,andtheyalsobringimportantnewthinkingaboutdiversity,transparencyand

authenticity.Byunderstandingtheirexpectations,wehaveagreaterchanceofattractingtheir

uniquetalents.”

WhatGenZwant:

88%

85%

wanttowork

inanoffice

closetohome

75%

favourhybrid

workingover

commutingto

acentraloffice

everyday

saythatchoosing

howandwherethey

workiskeytoliving

theirbestlives

GenZnowmakeupagrowingproportionofcompanyrosters.

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IWG

TheFutureofWork

It’sclearthathybrid

workingnotonly

makesushappier,

healthierandmore

productive,butasourearlierresearchhas

shown,italsomakesusbetteroff.”

MarkDixon

FounderandCEO,

InternationalWorkplaceGroupplc

TheTraditionalCommuteDefiesLogic:CalculatingtheMoneySavings

Thereisagrowingappreciationbyboth

employeesandemployersofthecost-saving

andtime-savingbenefitsofworkinglocally–andarealisationthatthelongdailycommutetoa

citycentreofficemakesnosense.Whywouldanyonechoosetositinendlessgridlockoronapackedtrainwhentheycannowchoosehow

Commuterscouldsaveupto$30,332annuallybyworkinglocallyfourdaysaweek.

andwheretheywork?Ontheotherhand,

76%

freeingpeoplefromalong,unproductive,andexpensivejourneythattakeshoursoftheday,toperformtasksthattechnologyenablestobeperformedanywhere,canyieldimmediatebooststoemployeeproductivity,health

ofhybridworkers

saveon

travelcosts

andhappiness.

Ditchingthecommutealsobringsmeasurable

benefitsforworkersintermsofsavingmoney.

Toquantifythevalueofworkinginahybridway,InternationalWorkplaceGroupcollaborated

Cuttingthecostlydailycommutehelpspeopletoreachfinancialgoals.

goal,likehomeownership.Ouranalysisshows,forexample,a24-year-oldGenZworkerlivinginRedBank,NewJersey,couldsaveupto

$388,320throughouttheirworkinglifebydoingtheirjobfromtheirtrendydowntownfourdaysaweekandcommutingintoManhattanonly

onceaweek.

“It’sclearthathybridworkingnotonlymakesushappier,healthierandmoreproductive,butasourearlierresearchhasshown,italsomakesusbetteroff,”saysDixon.

withconsultancyDevelopmentEconomics,andourcollectiveresearchrevealedthatmorethanthree-quarters(76%)ofworkerssaveontravel

costsduetohybridworking,andcommuters

couldsaveupto$30,332annuallybyswitchingfromcommutingtoacity-centredailytoworkinglocallyfourdaysaweek.

MembersofGenZenteringtheircareersata

timeofmarkedinflation,andmoredebtthan

previousgenerations,standtosaveevenmore.Theabilitytoforegoadailyandcostlycommutetoacity-centreofficespacecouldbethe

solutiontomakingendsmeet,gettingorstayingoutofdebt,orbeingabletosaveforafinancial

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IWG

TheFutureofWork

2025willstarttoseeashiftinthenumber

ofwomenpromotedandhiredintoC-suite

roles.Overthepastfewyears,hybridworkinghasmadeworkforcesmoreequaland

diverse,allowingemployeesfromdifferent

backgroundstoworkinwaysthatsuittheir

personalcircumstances.However,todatethishasnotnecessarilybeenreflectedinsenior

appointmentsforwomen,anditisbecomingamatterthatneedsurgentlyaddressing.Hybridworkingwillplayacentralroleinimproving

femalerepresentationinC-suitesacrossarangeofsectorsandindustries.

HybridWorkingisSettoBoostGenderParityintheBoardroom

2/3

Itisestablishedthatwomenusuallybeara

greatershareofchildandfamilycare.And

thedemandsontheirtimearebecomingevergreaterforthoseintheso-called‘sandwich

generation’,whoarelookingafterbothailing

parentsandyoungchildrenorteenagers.On

bothsidesofthe‘sandwich’,stressesare

increasing,astheelderlylivelongerandare

pronetogreaterinfirmity,whileratesofanxietyanddepressionarerisingamongteenagers.

Hybridworkingisalifelineforwomencarers,asitprovidesthemwiththeflexibilityandextra

2025willstart

ofwomensay

hybridworkinghas

giventhemmore

opportunities

toseeashiftin

thenumberof

womenpromotedandhiredinto

C-suiteroles.

decreasingforthefirsttimesinceS&Pstartedcollectingdatain2005.

Beyondthebasicdemandsofequityand

fairness,companieshavearealincentiveto

increasefemalerepresentationintheC-suite:

researchhasshownthatfirmswithmore

womeninseniorpositionsaremoreprofitableandmoresociallyresponsible,andprovide

higher-qualitycustomerexperiences.Thisyear,moreandmorecompanieswillseektoaddresswaystopreventseniorfemaleemployees

leavingtheworkforceasaresultofinflexibleworkingpolicies.Theadoptionorcontinuationofthehybridworkingmodelwillplayamajorroleinthat.

timetocarryoutfamilialresponsibilities.Italsoempowerswomentorealisetheirfullpotentialintheworkplace.AsurveybyInternational

WorkplaceGroupfoundthattwo-thirdsof

womensaythehybridmodelhasgiventhemopportunitiesatworkthattheywouldnot

otherwisehavehad.

Ontheotherhand,companieswhoimpose

inflexibleworkroutinescanoftengivewomennochoicebuttoquittheirjobs.Suchpolicieswouldappeartoberesponsibleforthefactthat,asshownbythelatestresearchby

Standard&PoorMarketIntelligence,thenumberofwomeninC-suitepositionsis

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TheFutureofWorkIWG

TheRighttoSwitchOffWillGatherPace

8

Advancesintechnologyhaveenabledustoworkhowandwherewechoose.However,thesame

technologyalsomakesuspotentiallycontactableatalltimes,meaningtheboundarybetweenworkandleisuretimecansometimesbecomeblurred.Legislationtocounterthisissuehasalreadybeenintroducedinanumberofcountries,including

France,Greece,Portugal,Spain,Italy,Ireland,

BelgiumandAustralia.Inthecomingyear,the‘righttoswitchoff’,givingemployeestherightnottoworkoutsidetheircontractualhours,willbecomeevenmorewidespread.

IntheUK,theGovernment’sMakeWorkPayPlanincludesprospectivelegislationfora

righttoswitchoffinawaythatismutually

beneficial,“givingworkersandemployers

theopportunitytohaveconstructive

conversationsandworktogetheronbespoke

workplacepoliciesorcontractualtermsthat

benefitbothparties.”And,intheUS,therearealsosignsthatlegislationmaybeonitsway.In2024,SanFranciscoAssemblymanMattHaneyproposedabilltomakeCaliforniathefirst

stateinthecountrytogiveemployeesthelegalrighttoignorenon-emergencycallsandemailsoncetheworkdayends.BothWashingtonandNewYorkCityhavealsoconsideredbills.

AsresearchbyInternationalWorkplaceGrouphasshown,workerscherishtheextratime

thatthehybridmodelbringsthem,andgetconsiderablephysicalandmentalwellnessbenefitsfromit.Bothgovernmentsand

employersaroundtheworldwillincreasinglyrealiseitisimportantthatpeoplearefully

abletoenjoytheirleisuretimewithoutworkinterruptions.

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TheFutureofWorkIWG

HybridWorkingas

aWellnessBenefit

9

Similartothewayinwhichhealthinsuranceisextremelyvaluedintoday’sworkplace,flexibleandhybridworkingisgoingtobecomean

equallyimportantpartofmanyprofessionals’compensationpackagesin2025.Arecent

surveyofglobalHRleadersbyInternational

WorkplaceGroupfoundthat,inalmostnine-out-of-tencompanies,hybridworkingis

oneofthemostin-demandbenefitssoughtbyprospectiveemployees.Researchhas

demonstratedthesignificantbenefitsthat

hybridworkcanhaveonworkers’overall

wellbeingand,subsequentlyproductivityandmotivationatwork.Thistrendwillmanifest

itselfinnewways:frommorerobusthybrid

TheHealth

andWellness

Benefitsof

HybridWorking

86%

ofhybridworkerssay

theirincreasedfree

timehasledtoa

betterwork-life

balance

68%

ofhybridworkers

saytheirphysical

healthhas

improved

81%

ofhybridworkers

saytheirmental

healthhas

improved

workingpoliciesandgreateraccesstofitnessfacilities,toimprovedemployeeassistance

programmesandmentalhealthdaysoff.

SeparateresearchbyInternationalWorkplace

Grouphasshownthathybridworkersreport

feelinglessdrained,lessstressedandless

anxious,withanoverwhelming86%sayingtheyfeeltheycancopewithday-to-daylifebetter

whenworkinginaflexiblemodel.Morethantwo-thirdsofhybridworkerssaytheirphysicalhealthhasalsoimproved,withmoretimeforexercise

andhealthiermealpreparation,andbettersleep.

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TheFutureofWorkIWG

Mixed-useDevelopmentsWillTransform

CityCentres

Dynamicmixed-usedevelopmentsare

changingthefaceofbusinessdistrictsin

citiesaroundtheworld.Theimpactofhybridworkinghasreducedthenumberofinner-citycommuters,andisdrivinginvestors,landlordsanddeveloperstoreimaginethecommercialcoresofcitieswithawidermixofusesand

experiencesbeyondthebasicprovisionofofficespace.

InLondon,HSBChasannouncedthatin2027,whenitsleaseexpires,itwillleavetheiconic

SignatureStarMetals,Atlanta

42-storeyHSBCTowerintheCanaryWharf

financialdistrict.Thebankinggroupplanstodownsizeitsofficespacebecauseitisnow

committedtoflexibleworking.TheTowerwillthenundergowhatmanagementcompany

CanaryWharfGroup(CWG)describesasthelargest-everconversionofanofficetowerintoamixed-usebuilding.

Therevampwillseelargechunkscarvedout

o