In September 2022, we couldn't miss a chance to attend the WORKTECH22 Copenhagen event. WORKTECH aims to help organizations and business leaders successfully navigate the changing landscape of work and implement effective workplace strategies and solutions. And this is exactly the mission with which Sharry's strategy is in line.

What have we learned there? Take a look at 4 key takeaways:

1) Hybrid work is here to stay

Companies have accepted hybrid work model is here to stay and they are looking for ways to make it work without having to mandate any policies or rules to employees, but rather encourage employees to come to the office or do what is optimal for their companies and specific teams.

This was nicely reminded by Katherine Divett, CEO of Puzzle Partners, at WORKTECH: "Make changes with people not to people."

2) Treat employees as consumers

Create a strong brand and treat employees as consumers. Creating an even stronger employer brand and treating it as a real consumer brand is one of the ways to retain employees and attract them to come to the office. Make employees want to see they are part of something bigger.

That's also a strong reason why Sharry's workplace experience platform is white-labeled to help create stronger employer brands through our workplace apps, PortalWX online platforms, or even guest passes with the logo of the enterprise or office building.

3) Booking & data

Pre-pandemic, employers would decide where their employees should work from. Nowadays, employees decide for themselves. Therefore, companies have to keep adjusting their office spaces based on employees' changing behavior and needs and always be prepared. How?

Make sure employees are always welcome at your offices and have a desk to sit at – whether that's by enabling desk booking or having enough desks for all. Data and sustainable solutions can help create attractive people-centric workplaces where employees want/like to be.

"The future of work is built on technology, applied to business needs, and adapted to human behavior. Use technology to ensure productivity & well-being", said Andreas Horwitz, Senior Manager at EY Consulting. "Redefine the physical workplace to support our employees better."

4) Extended workplace in VR/AR

VR & Metaverse - virtual environment - was stated as very important for the future of work. It's been currently used for example in Retail, Manufacturing, and Education. Explore if, why, and how extended reality could become part of your companies to stay ahead in the world of hybrid work.

The interesting topic brought in the presentation by Rosie Sackett, Technology Consultant at Accenture. Accenture has invested in VR equipment for all of their global staff and their meetings and events happen in Metaverse, making the remote collaboration more real/human.

‍Are you looking for a comprehensive solution to manage hybrid work? Book a call with a Sharry specialist to watch a DEMO of our workplace experience platform combining desk booking, people management, access credential management, visitor management system, and even a community content tool.

Written by Barbora Sedláková, Business Development Manager at Sharry