Taking a more intelligent approach to the office: Five trends that will impact Australian workplaces in 2025

Designing more appealing offices

Five years after the onset of the Covid crisis, it’s fair to say that hybrid working is well and truly here to stay, with 36% of Australians regularly working from home¹. Workers across all demographics have given the modus operandi the thumbs up – and they’re willing to walk away from employers that don’t enable them to enjoy the autonomy and flexibility it provides. It’s a status quo that’s prompting many businesses to invest in ensuring their offices are both functional and appealing – places employees genuinely want to be, at least some of the time. The next 12 months will bring more instances of workspace redesign and an uptick in technology spending to give employees access to latest release equipment and solutions that make it easier for them to do their jobs. 

Optimising the meeting room experience

Nowhere is that increased investment likely to be more evident than in the meeting room. The latest video conferencing technology can elevate the meeting experience, for in-person attendees and remote joiners alike. Innovative technology such as immersive ultra-high definition video, AI powered cameras and beamforming microphones and smart whiteboards will all play a part in enhancing communication and collaboration in the workplace. Expect to see greater spending on the type of infrastructure that allows the latter to feel like they’re actually in the room, not listening in from afar.

Ensuring these technologies are always operational and ready to use will be critical, as businesses increasingly prioritise employee productivity and seamless collaboration. The ability to avoid downtime and disruption during meetings is becoming a key focus for businesses, recognising that even minor technical delays can have a ripple on effect on overall efficiency. Managed services that take on the responsibility of monitoring, maintaining, and supporting meeting room systems are becoming essential. By outsourcing these tasks to specialised service providers like Ricoh, organisations can ensure their technology is always running smoothly, freeing internal IT teams to focus on higher-value priorities and enabling employees to collaborate without interruption.

Importantly, it won’t just be employers investing in meeting room technology. Faced with high vacancy rates in key markets, some landlords have begun upgrading the meeting rooms in their buildings to try to attract and retain quality tenants. In the absence of a sudden surge in demand for CBD premises, many more are likely to follow their lead as the new year progresses.

Making meetings more meaningful

Over the years, meetings have acquired a bad reputation, courtesy of the fact that, for many attendees, they represent a poor use of time. Of late, however, local businesses have begun harnessing the power of AI to make them more efficient and meaningful. Microsoft’s Co-pilot, for example, is being used to take notes, produce meeting transcripts and summaries, and document takeaway actions – tasks which would formerly be performed by a dedicated minute taker. As technologies like this continue to evolve at speed, their usage will fast become universal, in the public sector and across the commercial world.

Monitoring ESG efforts

As of 1 January 2025 Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting will be mandatory for Australian organisations with annual revenue in excess of $50 million. Measuring emissions across the enterprise promises to be a time consuming and challenging exercise; one which will send businesses searching for AI-powered workplace management solutions like RICOH Spaces that can take much of the hard work and hassle out of the process. Digital tools and technologies, including IoT sensor arrays and building monitoring platforms that can track data such as real-time energy use that allow businesses to gather the raw data they need and synthesise it into the government’s required reporting format are likely to enjoy increasingly brisk trade.

Stepping up the focus on cyber-security

Public awareness of cyber-risk has risen exponentially in recent years, as has the level of risk itself. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) reported that cyber security incidents accounted for 38% of all data breaches between January and June 2024 marking a 9% increase from the previous six months.  This uptick underscores the imperative for companies to implement formidable defences, as the likelihood of falling victim to cyber attacks continues to grow. That realisation has been the catalyst for increased investment in cyber tools and technologies; a trend that’s set to continue with a vengeance into 2025 and beyond. Maintaining protection for staff working on premises and remotely, and for the information that’s shared in public spaces such as meeting rooms – both physical and virtual – will be paramount and spending decisions can be expected to reflect that focus.