Some 73 percent of surveyed staff in four major Czech cities would appreciate to have the opportunity to see their potential workplace prior to signing an employment contract. “This corresponds with the general perception of the industry that employees are educated about their rights and privileges, and pay attention to the general working environment,” Petr Kareš, head of tenant representation at JLL, said in a news release.

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Whether we like it or not, we all have to work for some, or more usually, most of our adult life. During this time, many of us will work in an office, which is a place that has changed immensely – not only in the last ten years or so, but almost entirely since the start of the twentieth century. The management structure and style of companies, the tools available to the workforce, and the places within the office buildings have been changing and evolving. There has been a shift from hierarchical management structures to a more diverse and organic model. The tools of work have changed from the humble typewritten letter and Bakelite telephone to 24/7 access to emails though laptops and smart phones. And finally the workplace itself has evolved from one with enclosed offices for the senior managers, or a sea of cubicles to workplaces that encourage creativity and collaboration.

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This week’s British Psychological Society Occupational Psychology Division annual conference in Nottingham has proved to be a fruitful hunting ground for insights into the nature of modern work and workplaces. The week culminates today with the presentation of a new study from business psychologists OPP which claims that personality has a big impact on the type of office environment people prefer to work in. Modern features such as shared space and open-plan floors appeal mainly to extroverted workers and made introverts uncomfortable. Over 300 people (71 per cent female and average age 47 years) completed an online survey about their current workplace. The participants had previously completed a personality test to ascertain their personality type. The results showed that many features of the modern office were more likely to be preferred by extroverts than by introverts.

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As the lines between when and where work happens continue to blur, the office will serve as a hub for colleagues, peers, and friends. Each January, at the outset of each new year, we stop to ask ourselves the same question that always yields a different answer: Where is the future of office design headed? In a recent IA survey, over 75 percent of participants stated that their office reflects the company culture for whom they work, and that their individual work space reflects their individual interest in some way. But does the workspace really just reflect the individual, or is the individual increasingly defining the workspace?

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What a year! 2015 has been a fast-moving 12 months of furious activity in flexible workspace, with countless expansions, mergers, and outside-the-box thinking. There have been closures, challenges and departures too. But above all, 2015 has seen yet another spectacular flurry of growth and change within our industry, which has laid yet more strong foundations for 2016 and beyond. It’s time to look back and celebrate as OT counts down 15 momentous moments in 2015…

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