The shift to flexible working

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible working policies were relatively rare. However, as 2020 demonstrated, many businesses were forced to adopt more agile and adaptable approaches — not just in how they work, but also where their people work.

Flexible working was once seen primarily as an employee perk. Yet even before the pandemic, forward-thinking companies had begun recognising its broader benefits, including increased productivity. The pandemic and the subsequent shift to remote work have accelerated this trend, turning flexible working into a business necessity rather than an optional benefit.

While most businesses still require an office, the traditional “one desk per employee” model is no longer a given. The office is evolving beyond being a place employees must visit daily. Today, it’s a space for hosting client meetings, fostering collaboration, sharing ideas, and building team connections. The office remains a fundamental part of business operations, but its purpose is changing.

To meet these evolving demands, businesses need offices that are versatile enough to support their employees’ needs — whether on a daily basis or less frequently. Since COVID-19, there has been a growing shift among companies of all sizes toward embracing flexible hours, processes, and, importantly, workspaces.

Flexible and agile working are no longer just trends; they are essential strategies for businesses striving to thrive in a post-pandemic world.

I recently came across a thought-provoking article by Nuveen Real Estate titled “The Office Is Dead. Long Live The Office,” which highlighted four key ways the pandemic will shape the future of the workplace as life returns to the office.

The point that stood out most to me was about the growing demand for supplementary flexible space — and how operators need to evolve their offerings to meet that demand. It really got me thinking: how easy will it be for landlords and occupiers to adapt their office spaces in a post-pandemic world? And more importantly, at what cost?

For the past six years, I’ve been immersed in an industry where ceiling-based systems — like 4-pipe fan coils, chilled beams, and VRV/VRF — are basically the default. But I’ve always wondered: are these really the best solutions? Or is the industry just stuck in its ways?

I’ve attended my fair share of seminars and panel discussions, where I’ve heard plenty of experts talk about the need for “innovation” and the growing importance of “adaptability” in the workplace. But in reality, not many seem to put those words into action.

When you think about it, innovation is all about introducing new ideas or methods, and adaptability is about being able to respond to changing conditions. We’ve all had to do a lot of that over the last 18 months. So maybe the real question is: has the pandemic finally pushed our industry to start thinking differently?

That’s where underfloor air conditioning comes in. By using the space beneath a raised access floor, conditioned air can be distributed through active Fantile™ units, offering a truly flexible and adaptable solution for landlords, operators, and end users alike — not to mention the design and lifecycle benefits throughout the building’s life.

Underfloor systems have been around for almost 30 years, yet they’re still surprisingly underused. That said, over the past five years or so, we’ve started to see a shift. More developers, architects, consultants, and occupiers are now choosing to “fill the void” with conditioned air — avoiding the disruption and cost of major refits, and delivering a more responsive, future-proof offering as we head into whatever comes next.