The Worker Has Evolved: When Will The Workplace?

As we observe Labor Day, the return to office debate is still dominating the corporate conversation. Despite many US companies tightening mandates, companies are spending copious amounts of money trying to get employees back into offices that were built for a different era and generation. We need to bridge the gap between what companies demand and what employees actually require to do and bring their best selves to work.

While the desks and open floor plans remain, the American worker has changed. A Bospar 2025 study found that 61% of workers feel more productive at home. However, research from McKinsey suggests that remote work alone isn’t enough, employees need better support in five key areas: collaboration, connection, innovation, mentorship, skill development - a toolkit only cultivated in a shared office. A great working environment is never one size fits all, it is a critical factor in determining productivity, quality of work and retention of employees.

Too many businesses are prioritizing location over the output of work. This resulted in a debate primarily dominated by attendance policies, hybrid schedules and mandates. A CBRE 2026 study found that 69% of employers are tracking attendance data but if employers want people back in the office, monitoring their people isn’t the right strategy for success as businesses risk building resentment amongst employees.

They must give employees a compelling reason to show up, whether that is better collaboration, access to colleagues, mentors and leaders, focused spaces, social connection, environments that spark creativity or resources they don’t have at home. The office needs to offer something that home cannot.

Now, this doesn’t mean companies need to create a package of benefits for employees to motivate them back into the office, they need to be intentional about how the space can best suit employee needs. The goal should be a workplace that simplifies collaboration, elevates ideas, ensures an opportunity for the osmosis of learning and build better relationships with clients and colleagues.

A decade ago, traditional open plan offices were designed for visibility, however this doesn’t always translate into productivity. Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert or ambivert, constant noise, interruptions and lack of privacy can make it harder to concentrate and do deep work. Not only are we compromising on how productive someone can be but we’re also risking the ultimate quality of the work. The question shouldn’t be “How do we get everyone back into the office?” but “What should an office look like if we want people to actually do their best work there?”

A poorly designed office is more than a HR issue. If people are distracted or uncomfortable, businesses pay the price through lost productivity, lower engagement, poor quality of work, reputational issues or employee retention. Companies need to treat design as a business investment rather than simply a real estate or facilities decision.

Now, it’s not about one versus the other, it’s how we can use them in tandem with each other. Viewing this as a binary choice may have worked 10 years ago, however this approach is outdated. The future of work is likely to evolve as the years go on and will most likely involve a mix of home, office, and third spaces depending on the work being done.

Companies need to take concrete steps to maximize employee potential and office space. The considerations include:

While the working model is a key part of a business, the working environment leaders create for their biggest asset (their employees) trumps them all. The future isn’t about choosing between home and office. It’s about building workplaces intentional enough to support the differing tasks, personalities and working styles.