Future directions of research in innovative workplaces

Organisations are increasingly turning to Innovative Workplaces to offer employees more collaborative workspaces, improve employees' productivity through a larger worksetting variety and reduce real estate underutilisation. This chapter begins with exploring the history of office workplaces prior to identifying the drivers of workplace change and a discussion on the current research on Activity Based Working offices that is a form of innovative workplace forecasted to increase adoption post-COVID 19. These topics provides the basis to identify future research required in Innovative workplaces ranging from the drivers of workplace change, in-depth studies on the architectural and functional ABW features, managing Space Pressure, how employees experience the workplace and the workplace change management process, the appropriateness of a one-size fits all office concept, and the implementation process extending years post-moving in. Overall, the future directions of research on innovative workplaces lean towards transdisciplinary research to design an innovative workplace that is adaptable to economic, social, technological and organisational drivers of change. An integration of the drivers of change with various disciplines (Architecture, Corporate Real Estate, Facilities Management, Workplace Change Management, Human Resources Management, Technology and Psychology) are required to design the physical and functional features of the future innovative workplace.