Employee expectations about how and where work is done are the crux of the metamorphosis across workspaces. To know more about it, download the complete whitepaper.

1. OF THE
INDIAN
WORKSPACE
Designing People-centric Workspaces

2. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 1
Work as we know is forever evolving and so is the need for workplaces to transform. Organisations
have been on the constant lookout for increasing competitive advantage by increasing
productivity, improving employee engagement, and expanding globally to achieve their business
objectives.
2020 brought about a conspicuous and abrupt change in the way we work – remote work was
deployed en masse; technology adoption advanced and employee wellbeing came into the
forefront. This introduced new working objectives — collaboration, effective communication and
productivity through digitisation. Undeniably, technology inversions have driven remote work and
is the primary force behind the current workplace evolution across the globe.
Now, with physical offices reopening, the combination of space, technology and human resource
policies can result in a fruitful workplace transformation.
Over a period of time, the need for flatter organisational structure, technological advancements
and diverse workforce pivoted the workspace away from cubicle-based to more open and flexible
layouts. The trend will continue in the post-pandemic era, where workspaces will play a significant
role in fostering innovation and reinforcing organisational culture and self-identity. Designing
beyond spatial efficiency to put people at the heart of workspace design will not only improve
spatial utilisation and return on investment but improve employee engagement metrics.
Expectations from the workspace, technology, behaviour and policies have transformed, creating
a new set of standards about work. Given the current pixelated scenario, distinct employee
expectations from organisations have emerged that will impact workspace design.
The ever evolving
workspaces
People-centric workspaces support connection, communication, and
rejuvenation to ensure employees give their best at work, strengthening
the growth and development of the organisation.

3. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 2
Employees increasingly
seek higher autonomy
The role of an office is
changing
Technology will take
organisations’ places
Holistic employee
wellbeing will be at the
centre of the evolution
1
2
3
4
Trends Influencing Indian Workspaces:

4. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 3
Remote working has altogether altered employees’ expectations from work as well as their
priorities. Today, everyone wants to work at their own time, from their desired space and on
projects they enjoy. Since every employee has a different personality and priorities, employers
cannot treat them as a homogenous group. Instead, employees expect them to offer an
environment that accommodates the preferences of each of these cohorts.
Employees increasingly
seek higher autonomy
Achieving higher
autonomy at workplace
Work from anywhere will be the norm
Today, senior leaders are more open to the idea of adopting flexible work schedules and WFA
(Work from Anywhere) for all or part of their employees. It is evident that going ahead,
organisations will have to allow their employees and their managers to decide the extent of
working either from home, office or anywhere. Our recent study found that more than 70% of
company leaders were considering flexible work at a scale greater than they had before and
more than half of them planned to make the cultural changes necessary to embrace hybrid work.
Explore setting up satellite and smaller offices
“Is the office going to disappear?” We believe that the office is not going to disappear, but its role
has been cemented as an anchor, where employees will come together to connect, and innovate.
The office will undergo a change. Organisations will move from having multiple large footprints in
metros to satellite offices in areas convenient to their employees. Satellite offices may turn out to
be the best solution to an evolving dynamic work landscape, allowing the organisation to expand
without moving their current headquarters.
Work from anywhere
Satellite and smaller offices

5. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 4
Reinforcement of collaboration corners
Organisations will need to take a fresh and transformational approach to create spaces
specifically designed to support spontaneous interactions that cannot happen virtually.
69% of the respondents we spoke to missed the face-to-face interactions they once had at the
workplace, from casual conversations to formal work collaborations. Recognising this need, more
than 55% of the facility heads anticipate an increase in the space allocated for collaborative work.
The workplace is likely to become a social environment where employees come to interact and
collaborate with co-workers. Formal meeting spaces interspersed with informal collaboration
spaces will allow employees to choose the best zone for their interaction needs. In addition,
these physical spaces must also support virtual collaborations. Thus, audiovisual technology and
enclosures that ensure visual and acoustical privacy will gain importance.
What people miss the most out of office
69% Face to face
65% Formal work
50% Casual conversations
41% Coffee breaks with colleagues
The role of an office
is changing
New role of an
office
Reinforcement of collaboration corners
Shift to unassigned desks
Multiple use of spaces
While remote work offers flexibility and a greater work-life balance, it has its limitations. It hinders
some key benefits of collaboration like innovation and creativity that is amiss in remote working.
Going ahead, the role of an office will be akin to a buttress, supporting and strengthening
organisations and employees.

6. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 5
Shift to unassigned desks
To rationalise overheads of fewer people in the office, organisations will have to move to more
flexible ways of working. A reduction in the area for workstations, coupled with increased space
for collaboration zones and technological support, will pave the way for unassigned desks.
Organisations will have to adopt desk reservation solutions to balance space utilisation and
employee schedules with health and hygiene considerations.
Multiple use of spaces
With the flexibility to work from anywhere, employees will come to the workspace to collaborate
and innovate with their colleagues instead of working alone in a workstation. This will bring a
fundamental shift in the way office space is consumed. Collaborative lounge spaces take up more
floor space over an array of workstations. The flexibility in the way of working will reflect in the
workspace environment too.
Lightweight and flexible furniture that is easily movable, reconfigured, and sanitised will ensure
occupants modify the space according to their needs. For instance, lounge spaces earlier used for
relaxation can be repurposed as collaboration space with portable whiteboards and screens for
meetings. Electrical point accessibility will be a hygiene factor in all such flexible work hubs.

7. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 6
Organisations are relying on technology more than ever. It serves everyone’s need to stay
connected, and influences operations in every workplace. The way organisations work is changing,
and keeping on top of this transformation, organisations need to incorporate technology into their
post-pandemic office planning.
Technology will take
organisations places
Creating an inclusive work environment
The hybrid working models will ensure that some colleagues are physically present in the
workspace and others, remotely. Thus, acceleration of collaborative technology adoption is at the
core of the new workspace. This is reflected in our study where more than 60% of organisations
we spoke to are planning to increase their spend on virtual collaboration tools.
Today, the success of virtual meetings depends on the clarity of its visuals and sound. The meeting
must be engaging despite technological issues and a lack of non-verbal cues. Currently, in mixed
presence meetings, virtual attendees cannot see the physical attendees and the notes jotted on
the whiteboard clearly. Going forward, there will be a need to establish equity for mixed presence.
Improved audio-visual technology will become a hygiene factor especially in meeting and
conference rooms. Adding room cameras that detect the speaker visually, and speakers for audio
clarity will increase involvement in the meetings. Smartboards that convert handwritten scribbles
to text or shape to brainstorm will also help establish equity. In addition, sightlines, audio, and
lighting will be designed to create an inclusive experience for all attendees, irrespective of
location.
Incorporating
technology in office
Inclusive work environment
Smart workspaces

8. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 7
Organisations will also have to extend the equity to people’s homes by investing in tools and
resources to optimise work from home setups, such as monitors, improved Wi-Fi, and office
furniture.
Emergence of smart workspaces
Technology will not only be used to improve meeting environments but be extended throughout
the workspace to empower the employees and workspace. The incorporation of sensors and
AI assistants will benefit the users and the facility managers to improve efficiency, health, and
productivity.
• Touchless/hand-free control and command
Touch screens were becoming ubiquitous in our workspaces, from elevators to conference
rooms. But in the post pandemic era, touchless technology will rule the roost in commercial
and retail spaces. Hands free technology will be used in lights, elevator buttons, and
washroom faucets to help curb surface transmission and promote infection control.
• AI assistants as office support
AI assistants like Alexa or Siri that many have become accustomed to at home, can also be
deployed in an office environment to reduce metawork (work about work). An AI assistant
can help with routine tasks such as setting up meeting rooms, recording meetings and taking
notes, freeing up time to productively work. In addition, AI in tandem with occupancy sensors,
can regulate airflow into the space depending on the number of persons in the space.

9. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 8
SenSING Dashboard
• Sensors
Occupancy management systems synchronised with a hot-desking app will book workstations
and collaboration rooms according to the employees’ schedules. Optimisation of space
will reduce costs, boost flexibility, collaboration, and productivity. The pandemic increased
consciousness around the health and wellbeing of self and the environment. Mindful of this,
adoption of sensor-based monitoring systems that measure, monitor, analyse and optimise
spatiotemporal parameters will be deployed. Parameters like temperature, humidity, air
quality (CO2
PM2.5
, TVOC), air pressure, noise to occupancy and energy will be monitored in
real-time to benefit both health and productivity.
Along with space consumption, it will also become imperative to proactively manage energy
consumption. These monitoring solutions in conjunction with building management systems
will enable facility managers to monitor and pre-empt pain points.

10. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 9
Outdoor workspaces for work and rejuvenation
Semi-open spaces (terraces) and open-air spaces (gardens and atriums) will be considered
alternate places to work and revitalise. Ergonomic work set-ups, access to power and privacy
will be a hallmark of these outdoor workspaces. Spaces that create serendipitous encounters to
promote strengthening relationships in an informal setting will act as the backbone of the office.
Indoor areas that evoke nature
A study by Human Spaces showed that a Biophilic office increased health, wellbeing and
creativity by 15% and productivity by 6%. Cognitive functions improved, blood pressure and
resting heart rate levels were reduced. While biophilia has existed for a long time, it has started
to gain importance as a design philosophy. Green walls and planters distributed throughout the
office space will provide respite to the users of the space. Patterns like nature-inspired spirals and
ripples in artwork, furniture, furnishings, and floorings will also improve the connection to nature.
Holistic employee
wellbeing will be at the
centre of the evolution
Improving
workspace
environment
Outdoor workspaces
Indoor areas that evoke nature
Workspaces that encourage movement
The 2021 Wellbeing Diagnostic Survey conducted by Willis Towers Watson highlighted that 85%
of employers in India intended to use their wellbeing program as a differentiator in the next three
years compared to 18% doing so currently. In addition to these programs, organisations will have
to improve the health quotient of their workspaces to promote holistic wellbeing. Steps taken
to improve the indoor environment and facilitate lifestyle changes will benefit their employees
personally and professionally, consequently boosting the company’s bottom line.

11. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 10
Workspaces that encourage movement
Workspaces equipped with a wide range of furniture, offering choice and control to users will
be prevalent. Furniture should promote postural change by accommodating multi-dimensional
movement to reduce stress on the body, and improve blood flow, in turn improving concentration
and productivity. These coupled with correct postures will help reduce the occurrence of
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) and improve physical health of the employees.
Going ahead...
Employee expectations about how and where work is done is the crux of the metamorphosis of
the workspace. Organisations will have to support staff in providing new ways of working that not
only bring down costs but also increase business resilience. They will have to proactively embrace
these changes to be at the forefront. A starting point to reinforce work and culture is the physical
workspace. A well-designed environment aids all possible intersections of people, processes, and
technology to boost productivity and wellbeing.
As employee expectations change, the workspace will have to keep evolving. Today, a new vision
of the workplace is where employees spend less time commuting, doing routine tasks and in
discomfort and more time creatively collaborating. Designing a people-centric workplace will give
employees a safe working environment where they enjoy their work, collaborate, stay healthy and
achieve the objectives of their organisations.

12. METAMORPHOSIS OF THE INDIAN WORKSPACE 11
Godrej Interio (GI) is India’s premium furniture brand in both home and institutional segments with
a strong commitment to sustainability and centers of excellence in design, manufacturing and
retail.
Led by the largest in-house design team in the country in the furniture category and awarded with
42 India Design Mark Awards till date, GI aims to transform spaces with its thoughtfully designed
furniture to create brighter homes and offices with products that have the highest design quotient
in aesthetics, functionality and technology. With consistent pursuit of excellence and a special
focus on health and ergonomics, GI’s product portfolio comprises a massive range.
Today, we design and manufacture furniture for office spaces, homes, educational institutes,
healthcare facilities, laboratories and more. Along with furniture we offer Audio Visual and 360
Degree Turnkey solutions. Each of our product range revolves around comfort and aesthetics while
delivering well-designed, fun and functional furniture solutions. Briefly, Godrej Interio transforms
dream spaces to life!
GI commitment to the environment has resulted in manufacturing products with lesser environment
footprint. Our pioneering efforts include designing less environment burdening products, usage of
eco-friendly materials and setting up less polluting and consuming processes, ensuring eco-friendly
packaging and transportation and finally the extended responsibility of recycling/reuse of used
furniture and scrap, thus ensuring a lifecycle approach to green.
Currently present in over 650 cities with 250 exclusive showrooms and 800 dealers, GI is one of the
largest divisions of Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., part of the Godrej Group, one of India’s largest
engineering and customer product groups.
This paper represents the opinions of the authors and is the product of professional research.
This report has been prepared for the exclusive use and benefit of the addressee(s) and solely for
the purpose for which it is provided. Unless we provide express prior written consent, no part of
this report should be reproduced or distributed. While every attempt is made to ensure that the
information contained in this document is true to its best. However, Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co.
Ltd., its employees, representatives, affiliates or any of its divisions, etc. shall not be responsible
for any reliance made on this paper or for any errors / omissions in information obtained from the
source while preparing this paper.
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