Workplace strategy: What it is and why you should care

Innovative workplace solutions have been known as “workplace of the future”or “alternative fficing.” Today these concepts are being adopted by a cadre of forward‐thinking companies of all sizes, across industries. These companies have begun to tailor their workplace to meet their particular needs. They are seeking ways to use their investments in space and technology to enable rather than inhibit progress toward their objectives. While still far from being universally embraced, these changes in workplace conceptualization and implementation are worth a closer look. This paper identifies key trends, discusses the forces driving them, debunks some myths that have arisen, outlines the potential benefits of these approaches, and discusses the need for an integrated approach to achieve successful implementation. Several examples are provided to demonstrate the appeal of workplace strategy across industries and suggest lessons that can be applied by the reader to their own unique situations. Primary workplace research conducted by the author as well as her corporate and consulting experience informs the points made throughout this article.