DECEMBER 2021CONSTRUCTIONBUSINESSREVIEW.COM 19By Harry Ibbs, Architect ARB Europe Design Technology Studio Director, GenslerIn the last 18 months there have been enormous transformations within the AEC industry and arguably across most industries, many of which have influenced and shaped business decisions made during the pandemic, you could say the pandemic has only sought to accelerate some of the transformation we had started to see. The biggest and most notable is in the area of communication and connectivity, staying connected and providing employees with the tools and platforms they need to collaborate, innovate and stay productive has been at the forefront for all companies. We've seen great technological advancements in this area with many new tools coming online or old ones getting a face lift which has enabled most employees to seamlessly transition into working from home with great ease. Whilst workers have been able to adapt to this new world with ease, we know that workers are still craving the human interaction that can't be replaced virtually. In our recent UK Workplace Survey we found that 67%of employees want to return to the office for between 1-4 days a week and would prefer a hybrid of home, work and office work.Detailed in Gensler's UK Workplace Survey 2020Our survey, conducted between July 9th and August 5th 2020, of those working in the office full time, a substantial 65% of their time is spent collaborating, learning and socialising with those around them, in comparison to a mere 37% when working from home. Conversely, time spent focusing is far greater at home at 63%, while only 35% of time in the office is spent on focused work Post pandemic office life and home life will not be the same and technology will continue to play a major role in our every day. To aid the `return to work' strategy for ourselves and our clients, Gensler has leveraged generative algorithms to plan office occupancy, helping companies use data to bring people back to the office safely. One of those tools is called ReRun, a system that works by importing a company's existing floor plans, then overlaying social distancing bubbles that space out employees in ways that align with government health and safety requirements. The algorithm can be adjusted and updated as requirements change.Extensive feedback received during the process fueled later sprints to refine the algorithm's approach to elements like foot traffic circulation and specialised spaces, like huddle rooms and breakout areas. Perhaps most importantly, the team layered an extra step into the tech solution: human intervention.RECENT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND HOW YOU HAVE BEEN TACKLING THESE CHALLENGES IN YOUR COMPANYCXOINSIGHTS
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