Why the Office Has to Earn Its Place Again: Our Key Takeaways from Workspace2030

For years the debate around the future of the office has focused on attendance. How many days. How often. Who decides.

But at our recent Workspace 2030 event, one thing became clear very quickly. This is no longer an attendance problem. It is a relevance problem.

Drawing on original research presented by Hannah Nardini of WKspace, the data shows a workforce that is not rejecting the office outright, but is increasingly questioning what it is actually for. Here's what we learnt from Hannah at our recent event.

Choice, pressure and the illusion of flexibility

When people are asked whether coming into the office feels like a choice or an obligation, the answer is uncomfortable. Nearly six in ten respondents say they feel pressured to attend, even if that pressure is subtle rather than explicit.

This matters because perceived choice changes behaviour. If the office is framed as something enforced, it becomes transactional. If it is framed as something valuable, it becomes intentional.

The research shows that many people are not coming in because they want to, but because they feel they should. That distinction sits at the heart of why so many offices feel busy but underused.

Productivity, stress and environments that work against us

One of the most striking findings from the WKspace survey data is how poorly current offices support focused work. Over three quarters of respondents rate their office as ineffective for concentration.

At the same time, more than half say being in the office increases their stress levels.

Noise, lack of privacy, poor environmental quality and outdated layouts are not just irritations. They actively undermine the very outcomes organisations are trying to improve. If the office makes people less productive and more stressed, no amount of policy will make it appealing.

This is where the conversation needs to shift from mandates to design intent.

Generations are not divided, they are misaligned

By 2030, up to 75 percent of the workforce is expected to be made up of Gen Z and Millennials. The research shows clear differences in how generations experience the office, but not the simplistic stereotypes we often default to.

Younger workers value learning, inclusion and visibility, but they dislike rigid structures. Millennials want collaboration and culture, but only if it justifies the commute. Gen X and Baby Boomers often see the office as a place for leadership, structure and credibility.

The tension is not between generations. It is between environments that have stayed static and expectations that have evolved.

The office of the future cannot cater to one group at the expense of another. It has to flex.

What people actually want from a redesigned office

When asked what they would prioritise if their office was redesigned today, the answers are telling.

Quiet zones, wellness features, collaboration spaces and reliable technology consistently outrank more desks or larger floorspace. Cafes and social areas matter, but only when they support connection rather than noise.

This points to a smaller but richer workplace. Fewer desks, more variety. Less open plan sprawl, more purpose built environments.

By 2030, offices are predicted to operate with 20 to 40 percent fewer desks, but with a greater diversity of spaces. Project hubs, tech lounges, quiet rooms and social zones become the core infrastructure, not the extras.

Technology, sustainability and wellbeing are no longer optional

One of the strongest themes in Hannah Nardini’s presentation was that the future workplace is not about adding more technology, but making it less visible.

AI driven scheduling, real time occupancy data and adaptive environments should reduce friction, not introduce it. Technology becomes an invisible layer that anticipates needs rather than demanding attention.

At the same time, sustainability and wellbeing are no longer differentiators. They are baseline expectations, particularly for younger generations. Net zero ambitions, circular materials, biophilic design, air quality monitoring and lighting that supports circadian rhythms are becoming non negotiable.

The office is no longer judged just on how it looks, but on how it feels to spend time there.

From monitoring presence to valuing outcomes

Perhaps the most important shift discussed at Workspace 2030 is cultural rather than physical.

The office of the future moves away from measuring success by time spent at a desk. Instead, it values contribution, collaboration and impact. It becomes a place people choose to use because it offers something their home setup cannot.

Learning. Energy. Belonging. Momentum.

As the final slide of the session put it so simply, the best office experience does not demand presence. It earns it.

Looking beyond 2030

If 2030 is about relevance, 2040 is about integration. Adaptive architecture, personalised environments, AI as a collaborative partner and workplaces designed around human energy rather than square footage may sound futuristic, but the direction of travel is clear.

The office is becoming a living system, not a static container.

The challenge for organisations now is not predicting the future perfectly, but starting to design spaces that can evolve with it.