Orchestrating the future of work
Work has become more fluid, hybrid is the new norm, and AI is redefining productivity. Are we keeping pace with the new rhythm of work?
“The future of work
hinges on harmony.”
Conducting the new rhythms of work
Imagine a workforce as an orchestra. Each employee plays a different instrument with their own rhythm, their own pace. The challenge is creating harmony across it all. This report explores how commute, presence, and the nature of work have evolved in a hybrid world, and what that means for leaders looking to compose a high-performing employee experience.
Rhythm of commute
Should the office earn the commute?
The daily commute, once a fixed feature of working life, is now under scrutiny. While 62% of employees are satisfied with their journey, a significant proportion describe it as stressful, wasteful, or draining. Yet for others, that same journey becomes a moment of pause; time to think, breathe, or learn.
Commute satisfaction hinges on both duration and mode: active travellers such as cyclists and walkers report far greater positivity than their peers on public transport or in cars. In an era where presence is a choice, not an obligation, the commute sets the tone for the entire day. Shouldn’t we be treating it as part of the employee experience, not just the path to it?
Rhythm of presence
The cadence of office attendance has become more fluid and personalised
Midweek now marks the high point of attendance, while Mondays and Fridays are far quieter, and nearly a third of employees report no fixed routine at all. Presence is shaped by more than commutes; design and demographics also matter. Younger employees are far more likely to attend multiple days per week, seeking connection, energy, and opportunities to learn, while older employees tend to be more selective.
Fixed desks are associated with stronger attendance, yet once inside the office, most employees (49%) remain largely sedentary, tied to a single setting throughout the day. Internal mobility is limited, and those who do move more frequently often report a less satisfying experience. Presence, therefore, is not only about who comes in and when, but how different groups use the space once they arrive.
Rhythm of work
Is the workplace tuned for the rhythm of deep focus, or just collaboration?
Despite seismic shifts in how and where work happens, individual focused work remains the most important activity for most knowledge workers. But some things have changed: video calls have surged, telephone calls have waned, and creative thinking is rising in prominence.
Work is increasingly multifaceted. Some employees manage a handful of activities, while others balance over 15, but each with their own tempo and needs.
Why do the outcomes vary so significantly from one unassigned workplace to another?
Simply put, not all unassigned workplaces are the same. And this is where variety comes to play a crucial role.
There are two types of unassigned workplaces most commonly found: those that offer a range of workspaces to employees depending on the activity being performed, and those with only a uniform sea of desks and minimal meeting rooms, commonly referred to as hot-desking.
Interestingly, employees with the lowest complexity activity profiles report the highest workplace experience, while those managing the most diverse set of tasks can often find their needs unmet in order to support their work.
Collaboration patterns also diverge. A small but significant group of highly collaborative employees report the strongest experiences, suggesting that workplaces are better tuned to support interactive rhythms than solo ones. By contrast, highly individual roles, though no less vital, often face unmet needs.
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This report uses global data to explore the future of commute, presence, and work, and how organisations can compose workplaces that truly resonate.