Workplace specialists, Presynct, surveyed over 600 employees from a variety of clients, both government and private sector based across a range of services to understand their experience working remotely as a result of the COVID-19 situation.

The survey identified the key motivators for employees to return to the office, notably face to face collaboration and interaction. The following activities were identified to ideally be completed in the office:

Meetings and collaboration – new team forming, new stakeholders, new customer or people relationships
Innovation – new ideas, processes, ways of thinking and concepts
Collaboration – sharing and interacting with others on a tactile basis
Organisation – divergent ideas and thinking which require the ability to see and sort
Discussion – complex issues explained and contentious issues discussed.

While the future focus for the office will be around collaborative activities, employees will still require access to typical workpoints (collaborative and focus) to complete regular work activities while in the office.

When asked which activities would be best completed from the office, survey respondents identified activities that focused on interaction, relationship building and the sharing of complex information or divergent ideas.

		Meetings and collaboration New team forming, new stakeholders, new customer or people relationships.
		Innovation New ideas, processes, ways of thinking and concepts.
		Collaboration Sharing and interacting with others on a tactile basis.
		Organisation Divergent ideas and thinking which require the ability to see and sort.
		Discussion Complex issues explained and contentious issues discussed.