Nespresso Professional has revealed the findings of its detailed, 28-page PDF "Workplace of the Future 2021 Research Report", conducted in partnership with ACA Research, showing touchless technology, dedicated collaboration spaces and a significant focus on mental health and wellbeing will shape the workplace of the future.
Given the workplace changes the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to us all, whether we're working from home or working in the office, report data suggests "organisations will need to entirely reimagine the traditional office and explore new ways of working when contemplating the coming years."
Here’s the full video of the launch event, after which the article continues - please read on!
From agile spaces to hybrid working arrangements, significant sustainability commitments, and contact-free technology – employees now expect more from the workplace than ever before - with demands from people like the boss of JP Morgan that workers return to the office now that vaccinations are much more widespread than before.
Not all employees are as keen as the JP Morgan boss to just return to the office, with report data revealing “43% of Australian workers are planning to look for a new job in the next 12 months – a figure that rises to 51% for Gen Y.”
This data reinforces the need for employers to find new ways of establishing welcoming and innovative office environments to improve employee wellbeing and workplace culture - especially when they don’t earn the hundreds of millions of dollars that JP Morgan bosses are likely earning, or have quite the same health insurance plans - especially in the US.
Thus it is no surprise to see the data showing this “also has implications for attracting new talent as younger generations increasingly seek a sense of purpose embedded within their corporate culture – 45% of Gen Y said they wouldn’t work for a company that didn’t provide sustainable products and initiatives.”
Interestingly, despite their differences, we’re told that “Gen Y, Gen X and Boomers surveyed unanimously believed a stronger focus on employee wellbeing and mental health was increasingly necessary (98%), and that rewarding breaks throughout the day provided a positive contribution to their overall health and happiness.”
Dr Amantha Imber, Organisational Psychologist and Founder of behavioural science consultancy, Inventium, believes this confirms employers need to focus on creating environments that encourage happiness and connection. "To stay competitive, workplaces need to proactively adapt to a new hybrid way of working that helps employees stay connected (and reconnect) with their co-workers.”
The report’s findings continue, showing “while 64% of employees claim breaks with their colleagues are a valuable source of support and emotional wellbeing, 97% of participants surveyed also believe team culture to be increasingly important in a post-COVID workplace.
“More significance will need to be placed on shaping and investing in the social aspects of the workplace as well as ‘non-work’ moments.”
Dr Imber adds: “There needs to be a social space for serendipitous conversations like the classic kitchen or corridor conversation. Having a physical space for social reconnection over a coffee break or lunch enables workers to reap the benefits of being in the workplace. These conversations can lead to great ideas and bright thinking.”
So, here’s where Nespresso hopes we’ll wake up and smell the coffee.
Inspired by the evolution of the workplace, Nespresso Professional is already championing these moments for employers through the new Nespresso Momento Coffee & Milk machine. With 77% of Australian employees believing their morning coffee break to be important to their relationship with co-workers and workplace culture, the Nespresso Momento Coffee & Milk helps bring people together and encourage the creation of meaningful team relationships through the delivery of high-quality coffee experiences.
There was the opportunity to see this impressive machine at work at the launch of the report, complete with touchless technology that lets you scan a QR code and customise your coffee selection from your own phone’s screen, and its obvious to see how this will be popular in offices, while simpler machines from Nespresso and other brands like DeLonghi who make licensed compatible machines will also be very popular in homes and small offices.
However, it’s clear that Nespresso wants the world to know about its Momento range, which embraces a shift to smart, contact-free technology to reduce health risks within the office.
Nespresso naturally notes its Momento Coffee & Milk “delivers a range of barista-quality milk-based coffees through the simple scan of a QR code.
“This enables employees to use their mobile phones as a remote-control to select their favourite coffees like lattes, cappuccinos, or flat whites without having to leave the office. Or alternatively, they can enjoy barista-quality coffee at the touch of a button as the intuitive machine reads the coffee capsule and recommends the optimal beverage extraction for the selected coffee.”
While the future of work may be changing at an accelerated pace, the need and desire for human connection has not changed.
Jean-Marc Dragoli, GM of Nespresso Oceania said: “To truly create an inspiring environment and ensure employees’ wellbeing is reflected in their work, we need to embrace the workplace as somewhere we all go to in order to engage and connect.”
You can download your own copy of the Workplace of the Future 2021 Research Report here, while full details of the Nespresso Momento is here, along with the official video below.
