THE recent announcement that formal requests for flexible work arrangements must be fairly considered by employers caused a bit of a kerfuffle. While some employers see potential for increased productivity and employee satisfaction, others fear an erosion of workplace culture and impediments to meeting business objectives.

But whichever way you look at them, flexible work arrangements add to the conversation around workplace design and how that continues to evolve.

Granted, flexible workplaces are nothing new, especially after the pandemic forced offices to close and made working from home a widely acceptable – even if temporary – option. However, flexible workplace designs have become more significant now, given workplace upheavals in the last few years.