办公的未来-2026年趋势预测报告.pdf

The Futureof WorkA trends forecast for 2026 IWG plc 2025The Future of WorkIWG2The year ahead will see businesses doubling down their focus on their people not just as their biggest asset,but also as one of their greatest investments.That means ensuring their teams are being offered the wellbeing,training,development and new technology-driven learning opportunities that they need to thrive.With this increased priority on their employees,companies are also recognising that productivity and engagement are driven by how,when,and with whom their people collaborate rather than solely where they work.New advances in technology,in particular AI,will continue to accelerate the shift to flexible and hybrid working models for organisations of all shapes and sizes.This will enable smarter collaboration and more dynamic ways of working,as businesses also invest in data-driven workplace design and AI-powered personalised experiences.Increasingly,career pathways will be defined by skills rather than traditional degrees,and human-AI collaboration will become a valuable means to business success.In 2026,focus will shift from where work happens to companies profitability and productivity,and the wellbeing of their teams.Businesses will continue to invest in technology as well as in flexible workspace memberships,allowing employees to work closer to home where they will be most productive,avoiding costly,unnecessary commutes.For many,this will mean working from suburban commuter hubs,small towns or emerging 15-minute cities,with occasional visits to city centre HQs.Work will become more local,more personal and more intelligent than ever before.In this white paper,International Workplace Group(IWG),the worlds largest platform for work,with brands including Regus and Spaces,reveals the 12 top trends that are set to shape global working in 2026.Mark DixonFounder and CEO,International Workplace Group plcContinuous improvements in technology,including AI and new approaches to training and development,will be significant drivers of productivity,engagement and loyalty in 2026,enabling companies to create a future-ready workforce and working environment that propels business growth.“We will continue to see a fundamental shift in the geography of work with the centre of gravity moving towards local communities.The remarkable advances in cloud technology and videoconferencing software both vital to enabling effective hybrid working mean workers no longer need to travel long distances on a daily basis.Innovations in technology will continue to advance in years to come and will radically underline and fuel the flexibility of location.“The rising demand for more localised working has led to the majority of our new IWG centres opening in the heart of local communities,suburbs and rural areas,enabling many people around the world to say farewell to long daily commutes.”IWG plc 20251The Future of WorkIWG3“Potentially more transformative than electricity or fire”is how Sundar Pichai,CEO of Google,has described artificial intelligence.His words are no exaggeration,and AI is already beginning to have a huge influence on the world of work.But how will humans and AI best collaborate,and how can business leaders reimagine how they view skills,productivity,management and more?In 2026,teams will more regularly integrate AI copilots into their daily operations.These systems will significantly reduce the need for humans to carry out simple tasks such as admin,knowledge retrieval and scheduling,meaning employees will find themselves with more time for higher-impact work.Research by IWG has found that more than a third of workers are already using this AI time bonus for creative or strategic work,learning and development,in-person collaboration,and networking.The role of managers will increasingly be one of orchestration,focusing on fostering human-AI collaboration,and finding ways to blend AI insights with human skills such as empathy and strategic thinking.The Rise of AI:Your Work CopilotAI in workplace hardware is increasingly blurring the divide between those working in a central HQ and those working remotely.Cisco has coined the term distance zero to describe a scenario in which all participants in a meeting,regardless of their location or device,feel equally present,visible and integral to the conversation.Its collaboration devices include features such as AI-powered tracking for cameras and intelligent microphone systems that adapt to the room.Nudge NudgeThe nascent science of nudgetech is using AI to deliver personalised prompts at scale.This will revolutionise the way that a company communicates with its employees and help to strengthen company culture among distributed workforces.Rather than just broadcasting the same information to everyone,managers and internal comms teams can instead send more nuanced,personalised communications to individuals that can adapt over time depending on how each employee responds.Think of an employee portal that doesnt just display the latest news but actively learns what kind of updates an individual engages with most.IWG plc 20252The Future of WorkIWG4Companies of all sizes are moving away from loosely defined hybrid policies to more structured,multi-location models with teams increasingly empowered to work from more convenient places closer to home.Rather than insisting on a“Return to the Office”,its a case of a“Return to Several Offices”.Microsoft recently announced that by 2026 many of its US employees will need to be in their closest Microsoft office at least three days per week while many corporates are empowering their teams to work from a network of coworking or flexible workspace locations.Not RTO,but RTSO IWG plc 2025The Future of WorkIWG53Micro-Certifications as CurrencySkills Sharing on the RiseOrganisations are putting a greater focus on skills sharing across teams to propel business success.This has the double benefit of pooling knowledge and best practices while also strengthening company culture.The practice is especially common when it comes to the use of AI in the office.Research by IWG found that tech-savvy younger workers are actively assisting older,more tenured colleagues to adopt and learn to use AI,bringing considerable added value to their enterprises.“Organisations that encourage employees across all generations to share skills and knowledge will outpace those that dont,”says Dixon.Hybrid workers will stack“micro-certifications”(bite-sized,skill-focused credentials)instead of relying on traditional degrees or annual performance reviews.Employers will support this by funding on-demand learning platforms,creating more agile talent pools.This trend will change internal mobility,with skills becoming more portable and accessible.Workers will need to get used to continual relearning as the rate of change in workplace technology grows ever quicker.According to the World Economic Forum,two-fifths of workers current skill sets will be transformed or become outdated within the next five years.Amazon recently announced a$2.5 billion Future Ready 2030 commitment aimed at addressing just this issue.Its target is to help prepare at least 50 million people for the future of work through a wide range of programmes,including upskilling initiatives for its employees.When it comes to new hires,companies are increasingly looking beyond academic credentials and focusing instead on individuals with skills and practical experience.These so-called New Collar Workers may not have spent three years at university earning a degree,but they nevertheless can bring vital expertise to the workplace,especially in areas such as coding and AI.IWG plc 20254The Future of WorkIWG6Insufficient onboarding can set workers and their new employers up to fail,including driving many workers to leave the organisation as soon as theyve arrived.This leaves employers back where they started,with additional costs.As companies seek ways to improve operations and their bottom lines,they will put greater emphasis on properly onboarding new hires to provide them with the resources,skills and relationships to do their jobs well and grow with the organisation.For many businesses,this will include more in-person trainings and relationship building opportunities.Employers hoping to get the most from new hires will place less emphasis on admin and more on hands-on work training,setting clear performance expectations and offering practical mentoring from established employees.Onboarding Gets More IntentionalEmployers hoping to get the most from new hires will place less emphasis on admin and more on hands-on work training and mentoring.IWG plc 20255The Future of WorkIWG7Gen Z is entering the workforce with clear expectations that go beyond pay:they prioritise wellness,mental health,flexible hours and meaningful work that aligns with their core values.With an ageing global population,rising retirements and widening talent gaps,it is critical that business leaders understand and react to these changing priorities in order to stay competitive and secure the best talent.Research by IWG found that nearly nine-out-of-ten(88%)of the emerging Gen Z workforce favour a hybrid working model rather than commuting to a central office on a daily basis,which is seen as a time-consuming hassle by more than a third(37%).“For Gen Z,flexibility isnt a perk,its a necessity,”says Dixon.“Companies that dont offer hybrid working will find the talent pool is severely limited.And those who currently employ Gen Z are likely to see them depart to employers who offer them the flexibility they require.”The New Workforce Demographic:Why Business Leaders Need to Know What Gen Z Wants at Workof Gen Z favour hybrid working over commuting daily to a central office88%IWG plc 20256The Future of WorkIWG8Reversing the Quiet CrackUnlike“quiet quitting”,where employees deliberately do the bare minimum,“quiet cracking”describes something subtler:employees who are still performing but feel mentally and emotionally checked out,resulting in burnout,stalled progression and a lack of purpose.Evidence that this is more than just a social media craze can be found in Gallups latest State of the Global Workplace Report,which found that both mental wellbeing and employee engagement levels fell in 2024.This has huge repercussions:Gallup estimates that lack of engagement alone cost the world economy$438 billion in lost productivity.Research by IWG has found that more than half(57%)of workers are more likely to disengage from their jobs when they feel undervalued or micromanaged.One way for companies to remain competitive and keep their people engaged is by placing more emphasis on employee wellbeing and flexible work options.Wellness technology can play a significant role in this,with employers increasingly looking to tools such as stress-tracking wearables,AI mental health reminders and wellness challenges that gamify healthy habits and make them more engaging.Neuron Activation PodsLow-frequency vibrations in the pods activate the autonomic nervous system,boosting the bodys natural restorative properties.Virtual SkylightsHelp to regulate circadian rhythms in windowless environments,improving mood and reducing stress.Galleri Micro-farmsGrowing sustainable produce on-site offers the twin benefits of nutritious food and a connection with nature.Nook Huddle PodsSensory-safe environments with adjustable lighting and visual buffers are especially beneficial for neurodivergent individuals.Well-Tech IntegrationIn the year ahead,wellbeing will go beyond perks such as yoga classes and meditation apps.Well-tech tools will be integrated into hybrid workplace design as core infrastructure rather than as optional add-ons.Expect to see more innovations such as:IWG plc 20257The Future of WorkIWG9As they navigate ongoing economic uncertainty,more companies will turn to fractional executives,opting for part-time or contract-based C-suite talent who bring in laser-focused expertise without the cost of full-time appointments.With nine-out-of-ten(87%)CEOs and CFOs concerned about the impact of ongoing macroeconomic instability and two-thirds(67%)already reducing operating costs,businesses are looking for smarter leadership models.This flexibility allows companies to secure world-class strategic insight when needed,while enabling experienced professionals to work across multiple organisations.Unlike consultancy,fractional leadership sees an expert embedding within a company,attending leadership meetings,managing teams and taking responsibility for outcomes.While the companys core executives will be full-time employees,these fractional executives can be used as and when necessary to achieve specific objectives.This kind of fractional hiring is particularly helpful for startups and small businesses,who may lack the resources to hire an entire full-time C-suite.It also plays well with flexible working policies.Fractional executives are likely to rely on remote teams in order to achieve their targets.Fractional C-Suite and Executive TalentTwo CEOs A Rising Trend?In a growing trend,some of the worlds most dynamic companies,including Spotify,Comcast and Oracle,are now run by co-CEOs.The thinking goes that two minds really can be better than one,and contrasting viewpoints at the top can create a sharpened and more balanced overall company vision.IWG plc 20258The Future of WorkIWG10The 15-minute city concept is entering a new phase in 2026.Until recently,this revolutionary concept in urban planning has generally been a process of adaptation:modifying existing neighbourhoods or legacy developments to create a network of communities where all of lifes daily requirements from work to leisure are within a short walk or cycle ride.But now,these neighbourhoods are increasingly starting from the drawing board and being built from the ground up.Take the historic site of the former Ellinikon International Airport in Athens,where the first phase of a new development designed around 15-minute city principles is well on the way to completion.One of the largest urban regeneration projects in Europe,the$8 billion development will combine residential spaces,shopping,workplaces,leisure,entertainment,and cultural activities,all centred around a sprawling two million-square-metre park.In London,the site of the famous Olympia exhibition centre is undergoing a 1.3 billion development into a world-class arts,entertainment,exhibition and creative district.Its state-of-the-art One Olympia office building will be home to an IWG workspace across an entire floor.The development will also benefit from new restaurants,bars,hotels and a purpose-built co-educational senior school.The 15-minute city brings multiple benefits for health and wellbeing,for local economies and for the climate.As Dixon puts it:“Why would we not embrace it?”The rapid expansion of IWGs network is helping to power the trend in cities,suburbs and smaller towns in the first nine months o