Rethinking the workplace: How the tech sector influences other industries

When people learned to gather and share food, they freed themselves from the burden of merely surviving. When they began harnessing and using energy to fuel machinery, they liberated their bodies and increased their productivity. And when they started teaching these machines to operate, learn and even ‘think’ on their own, they unleashed a future of limitless possibilities. Each era ushered in a need for new skills, fresh approaches and innovative ways of thinking. What makes current times unique is the rapid pace of change. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the tech sector. Intense competition, readily available capital and open frontiers are challenging tech companies to continuously adapt and innovate. Yet many of their workplaces were designed for a completely different era of work. This paper highlights workplace trends and insights from tech business leaders and HOK WorkPlace specialists on the front lines of today’s evolving business landscape. It also explores what is on the horizon and how tech enterprises can optimise the places where their people work. Although the paper focuses on the tech sector, it is relevant to every business interested in creating high-performance work environments that empower their people to thrive.