The WORKTECH conference and WORKTECH Academy were both founded on the principle that a harmony of people, place and, above all, technology should form the basis for how organisations plan the future of work. Amid the global pandemic, this vision has swum into focus as companies have pivoted to a new model with remote working and a virtual, cloud-based infrastructure at its core. In this session, co-founders Philip Ross & Jeremy Myerson discuss how marginal ideas have gone mainstream - and what happens next - in conversation with WORKTECH chairman, Torin Douglas, former BBC Media Correspondent.

In this session, we are going to explore key lessons learned from hundreds of IoT solutions deployed in smart office buildings, hospitals and manufacturing setups. We will discuss core IoT technology choices and why Bluetooth® technology is leading the pack, how to avoid point-solution with an eye for long-term growth, tips for working across IT and business functions to help drive success, mistakes to avoid, questions you should ask and best practices helping organizations drive digital transformation in building and work spaces.

Gone are the days when work was confined to the office and technology now plays a more vital role than ever in our daily working lives. In this panel, we will explore how emerging technologies are augmenting the physical and digital workplace experience and helping organisations future-proof their workplace strategies. From virtual reality to workplace analytics and visitor management solutions, our experts will shed light on some of the key tech innovations that are redefining the future of work.

The future of work can often feel uncertain and complex. Emerging technologies, cultural changes, geopolitical conflicts, climate disruptions and shifting economies can feel overwhelming and bleak. But what if you could think like a futurist, exploring a range of possible and potential futures? What if you had the ability to envision the future you want and the tools to get you there? Futurist and author Brian David Johnson will show you how to think like a futurist, dispelling myths about the future and exploring what he sees coming for the future of work.

In this session, Gillian shares insights from The Silo Effect and her upcoming book Anthro-Vision, examining how our tendency to create functional departments – silos, hinders our work. In an age when technology, big data, and financial analysis defines business decision-making, Gillian presents a different idea: businesses can revolutionize their understanding of human behavior by studying consumers and organizations through an anthropological lens. By making the familiar seem unfamiliar, she offers a three-dimensional perspective in a world where many executives are plagued by tunnel vision.

Moving forward, the future of work and of office space will be focused on providing employees flexible options and employers who embrace flexibility in the workplace will be the employer of choice. Prabhdeep will walk through how WeWork has spent the last year digitizing it’s offering to adapt to the growing flexible workspace market.

The pandemic has radically altered the way the global workforce interacts with physical space and returning to the workplace is now set to become a conscious decision rather than the default position for most office workers. As companies plan for the future, what role will home and flexible workplace solutions play as compliments to the traditional office? Our panel of experts will discuss latest trends in the corporate real estate and facilities sector and offer international perspectives on the challenges and opportunities faced by corporate leaders as they adapt their workplace strategies.

The global Covid pandemic has taught us all a lesson in flexibility, showing that indeed we can work from home (if we must). Yet what is missing, when no one meets in unplanned ways, is creative friction and opportunities for the unknown to unfold. In this talk Dr Kerstin Sailer takes stock of what the office is good for and argues that innovation requires physical space. In so doing, she offers a way to think about a different kind of post-pandemic office, one that is based on the benefits of being together.

In 2021, organizations across the globe will be rethinking their workplace strategies with a newfound emphasis on safety, flexibility, employee experience, and cost reduction. How can business leaders create safe environments that foster meaningful connection and collaboration as they transition to hybrid working models? This panel will explore how leading workplace solutions can be implemented and integrated to enhance safety while maximizing the workplace as a destination for collaboration and innovation.

O+A sees the new workplace as an environment shaped by what the crisis taught us to value most. It will be a workplace that is healthier, more deliberate, more agile, and more inclusive than the workplace that preceded it. This is an opportunity to make the working world what we want it to be; to upgrade the pre-crisis workplace and add the discoveries that emerged from working at home and counting on technology. Join Primo Orpilla as he presents a new series of space types that will shape the work environment going forward.