Research project
The Future Workplace
- Start date: 1 March 2020
- End date: 1 October 2022
- Principal investigator: Dr Matthew Davis
- Co-investigators: Dr Mark Robinson
Dr Helen Hughes
Postgraduate researchers:
Afshan Iqbal
Ehssan Al Johani
Description
The workplace is changing rapidly. COVID-19 lockdowns have forced greater numbers of people to work from home for the first time. This is introducing a wider range of employees to virtual working and raising questions over how to manage and support individuals at a distance.
The adoption of greater flexibility in when and where people work raises fundamental questions over what the future workplace should look like. Do we still need offices and if so, what should they be like in order to offer something that working from home can’t? How do we ensure that the flexibility that working from home offers doesn’t come at a cost to individuals or to their organizations? How can technologies and physical spaces help to support collaboration, culture and innovation in the new workplace?
Research overview
This research examines the experience of individuals working in a range of work settings and patterns. We examine impacts on wellbeing, performance, job satisfaction and knowledge sharing. We explore the strategies that people use to help them work effectively. We examine the role of technologies and workplaces in supporting performance, wellbeing and innovation.
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Past event
Maximising value from your commercial property – Walker Morris
25 February 2021, 12-1pm
As part of Walker Morris’ “Future World of Work” series, we will be exploring how changes to the way we work are opening up opportunities for commercial property development and explaining how planning consent for such development may be easier than you think.
Join us for a panel discussion, Chaired by Chris Woodthorpe, Walker Morris, including external consultants which will cover:
- Afshan Iqbal, Leeds University Business School – will provide an overview of the key findings from their research and implications for home/office working
- Caroline Paradise, Atkins – will look at the key implications for the commercial property market and design of office spaces / how we use office spaces
- David Hodgson, Head of Strategic Development, Commercial Estates Group – will discuss trends in commercial property, particularly evolving office occupier demands influencing new build design and area masterplanning as well as repurposing redundant office and retail spaces
- Graham Whiteford, Walker Morris Planning Team, will provide practical advice on planning law
Publications and outputs
- Transitioning back to the office. Afshan Iqbal (Leeds University Business School) and Lucy Gordon (Walker Morris) discuss working from home during the pandemic, and what employers need to think about when transitioning back to the office. June 2021.
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1078004824&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/leedsunibschool" title="Leeds University Business School" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Leeds University Business School</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/leedsunibschool/transitioning-back-to-the-office" title="Transitioning back to the office" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Transitioning back to the office</a></div>
- Future world of work: Business (not as usual). Report from Leeds University Business School and Walker Morris, December 2020.
- The future workplace. Afshan Iqbal and Dr Matthew Davis discuss what is meant by working from home and the key considerations around the changing workplace in this episode of Leeds University Business School’s Research and Innovation podcast. June 2020.
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/850213333&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=true&show_comments=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/leedsunibschool" title="Leeds University Business School" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Leeds University Business School</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/leedsunibschool/the-future-workplace" title="The future workplace" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The future workplace</a></div>
- How Covid-19 is re-writing the rules of the workplace. Dr Matthew Davis featured in the Yorkshire Post on 18 June 2020, writing about how Covid-19 has revolutionised working from home at a staggering speed.
- Homeworking and the future of the office. Dr Matthew Davis delivered a webinar on 11 May 2020 as part of Leeds University Business School’s “Impact on Business: Lockdown webinar” series.
- Infographic summarising the main points made during the webinar. An accessible version (text describing the infographic) is also available.
- Why are some people better at working from home than others? Dr Matthew Davis featured in the BBC’s online Worklife series on 9 May 2020 in an article discussing motivation and productivity when working from home.