New World Of Work – Microsoft Presents A Dynamic Work Environment

Microsoft Singapore - New World of Work — Microsoft Singapore New World of Work

2 July 2012, Singapore – With 50% of MNC employees reporting out of their base country, and 40% of an employee’s work time spent on interaction with others, our work life is constantly changing. So we need a change in our work environment to meet the needs of our new worklife.

Microsoft redesigned their Singapore office, implementing the latest technology to give greater work flexibility for its employees. Microsoft calls this the “New World of Work” based on the idea that change takes place in three areas: People, Place and Technology.

People – Modern society’s mental approach to technology is shifting, becoming faster, more social, more integrated, enabling us to work and communicate in different ways.

Places – We are increasingly working on the move – from airports, other offices, during the commute or from home – meaning that we have become more fluid in terms of our physical presence.

Technology – As the lines become blurred between home and work, the idea of the office as the primary work location is being challenged as we evolve the idea of being able to work any time, any place and anywhere.

Combining these three elements, it provides both the organization and its people with an environment that lets them do their best work wherever they are. At its center is trust: empowering staff and giving them the freedom to work whenever and wherever they want, by measuring employee effectiveness and performance in terms of output, rather than being present in the office.

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How Does “New World of Work” Work?

Employees are dependent on the mobile electronic devices these days since there is an increasing need to work outside the office including overseas assignments. Hence Microsoft Singapore revamped their office layout structure, by not assigning any desks or private offices to it’s managers and employees. The free seating policy lets employees choose where to seat or work anywhere in the office by using a PC, handset, webcam or smartphone. No more desk phones needed since all communications and file sharing within and outside of the office can be replaced with Microsoft Lync, SharePoint and Office 365.

There are also several different layouts for employees to choose from depending on the type of environment that best suits their mode/mood of work at that point in time. Here are some examples : a cafe bistro layout when they need that relax mood to boost their creativity, a mini bar concept for casual group discussions or even a formal workstation when they need to get down to business.

No more messy desktops and unwashed mugs on the desk as every employee will be assigned with a locker to keep their belongings which also double as a pigeonhole for incoming mails.

When employees roam around the office to do their work, this will increase the interaction between colleagues and hence giving more opportunities for collaboration with colleagues to increase the productivity for the company. Work no longer feels like work, opportunities widen with interactions. “New World of Work” not just creates flexibility, it also help in retaining talents in company, reduction in office space and more space for a better working environment or showrooms for product showcasing.