The office of the future is going to be a lot like it is predicted to be with the open space, amenities and connectivity that is going into new projects in Phoenix and elsewhere, the speakers at Bisnow's Phoenix Office of the Future event said.
But it will not be entirely as expected. Concerns about privacy and the cost of the fanciest tech mean that in some ways, the office of tomorrow will still be a lot like the office of today.
One formerly cutting-edge office space trend that is now mainstream is open-plan workspace, the speakers said. Tenants want a fair amount of it, certainly. Employees like it, to some extent, but not quite everywhere, and not quite all the time.
Collaborative open space is not for everyone. A mix of open space and private space is what the speakers said most tenants are gravitating toward in Phoenix.
Most law firms, for instance, have added elements of open-plan design — and are quite forward-looking in their office space in Phoenix these days — but partners are not going to spend all of their work time without an office.