12 Modern Workplace Trends in 2025

Workplace trends for 2025 (also called future of work trends or modern workplace trends) reflect a shift toward flexibility, technology integration, and employee-centricity. According to JLL's 2024 Future of Work Survey of 2,300+ decision makers, more than 60% of organizations expect increased workplace utilization over the next five years, yet this growth will happen within hybrid frameworks rather than full-time office returns.

This guide covers the 12 key trends organized into five categories, with supporting statistics, implementation considerations, and common failure modes that organizations encounter when adapting to new ways of working.

Workplace Trends Summary

Work Model Trends

Hybrid Work Becomes the Standard

Hybrid work has overtaken both fully remote and fully in-office as the preferred work model. Morning Consult's January 2024 survey found that workers are less likely to prefer remote work (23%) and more likely to want hybrid arrangements (29%) than they did a year ago—the first time hybrid has led since tracking began in 2022.

"The proportion of vacancies offering hybrid working is at an all-time high, with more than one in five advertised job ads in the UK in July 2024 specifying a hybrid option—cementing its position as the new standard of working." — James Neave, Head of Data Science at Adzuna

The next generation reinforces this pattern. A Bright Network survey found over 90% of students want to work in the office at least two days a week, citing opportunities to learn from others, build professional networks, and engage in social activities.

Office Vacancy and Commercial Real Estate Shifts

The US office vacancy rate hit a record 20.1% in Q2 2024, according to Moody's Analytics—breaking the 20% barrier for the first time since tracking began in 1979. Moody's attributes this to "a lasting shift in the sector as we near equilibrium of working models four years after the pandemic."

While Moody's anticipates continued weakness for six to eight quarters, JLL's 2024 survey suggests eventual recovery: 43% of organizations expect the number of days in office to increase by 2030, and 64% expect company headcounts to grow, driving demand for space within hybrid frameworks.

Flexible Schedules Surpass Location Flexibility

Schedule flexibility has emerged as a higher priority than location flexibility for most employees. According to a 2022-2023 Future Forum survey, 93% of desk-based workers desired schedule flexibility compared to 81% who desired location flexibility. Employees with full schedule flexibility report 39% higher productivity scores than those without.

The traditional five-day, 9-to-5 workweek faces growing challenges. Four-day work week trials have shown promising results: in the UK pilot involving 61 companies, productivity increased by 22%, 71% of employees reported reduced burnout, and more than 90% of companies continued the policy after the trial. Over half have since declared the change permanent.

Space Design Trends

Office Redesigns for Specific Use Cases

Organizations are redesigning offices around distinct work modes rather than uniform desk arrangements. Gensler's research identifies four essential space types: spaces for creative group work, individual focus spaces, spaces to reflect and restore, and areas to refresh and recharge.

"Everybody's moving or downsizing space. They are rethinking the way that their spaces are reconfigured. It's not just having a space for someone to sit, but having collaborative spaces, places where people can disconnect a little bit from everything that's going on around them." — Mayra Portalatin, VP of Facilities Services at NVE, Inc.

Flexible configurations that can be easily rearranged are becoming essential as organizations prepare for fluctuating occupancy rates. Automation and AI are enabling personalization of temperature, lighting, and desk configurations to suit individual preferences.

Decentralized Office Networks

Decentralization is reshaping both physical footprints and organizational structures. Satellite offices, coworking spaces, and regional hubs are replacing large central headquarters, bringing workspaces closer to where employees live.

"Because of the type of work our employees do, we didn't need a traditional space to come into, but there were still meetings requiring confidentiality and collaborative work that called for in-person gathering spaces." — Vita Minas, Vendor Development Manager at Autovista Group

For facilities managers, this shift requires managing multiple smaller locations with cloud-based systems for coordination. For organizational design, decentralization means delegating decision-making to managers further down the chain, encouraging employees to become independent thinkers at all levels.

Technology Trends

AI Automation Enhances Productivity

AI is becoming integrated into daily tasks across the workforce. Nearly 70% of managers report increased team productivity over the past year (Robert Half), with 36% of workers crediting emerging technologies like generative AI. The proportion of British workers using generative AI at work increased by 66% in one year (Deloitte).

"Using AI to screen resumes, match candidates, and schedule interviews gives hiring managers and HR teams more time for interviews and company-culture matching." — Kara Hertzog, President of Innovative Employee Solutions

AI applications in the workplace range from automating administrative duties to providing advanced data analysis, analyzing productivity patterns, and supporting scheduling and creative tasks.

Technology for Distributed Team Connection

Over 85% of organizations identify increased adoption of new technologies and broadening digital access as factors most likely to drive organizational transformation, according to the World Economic Forum. According to a Cisco 2024 Hybrid Work survey, nearly two-thirds of employees want better technology and infrastructure to accommodate different work activities.

"The technology broadly available to us is going to evolve so much. The ability to record conversation, distill conversation, turn that into action items, and spread that out to a team—that's going to become really important in hybrid environments." — Rob Sadow, former CEO & Co-founder of Flex Index

Virtual whiteboards, advanced video conferencing, and emerging VR/AR technologies are helping bridge the gap between physical and virtual workspaces.

Workplace Analytics and Data-Driven Decisions

Organizations are increasingly relying on workplace intelligence tools to optimize space usage. Data from occupancy sensors, WiFi tracking, and workplace management software provides insights into how spaces are actually used, guiding decisions about space allocation, room scheduling, and capacity planning.

"Where we're headed next is so much more into predictive analysis, into machine learning in this space, really leveraging our operations and maintenance space into a way that we can use things like digital twins to help really understand, in a very predictive and proactive way, how we can maximize the effectiveness of the spaces that we oversee and lead." — Lynn Baez, Enterprise Vice President of Facilities and Workplace at McKesson

People and Skills Trends

Workforce Upskilling Becomes Critical

The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report projects that 44% of workers' core skills will be disrupted by 2027, driven by AI and the green transition. Six in 10 workers will require training before 2027, but only half currently have access to adequate training opportunities.

Tech literacy—knowing how to use new technologies to complement work—is becoming essential. Socio-emotional skills like empathy, curiosity, and resilience are gaining emphasis as AI increasingly handles analytical tasks. Organizations are shifting focus from traditional job titles and degrees toward specific skills and competencies, with more internal mobility programs encouraging employees to take on roles matching their evolving skill sets.

Employee Well-Being and Mental Health Focus

According to an Indeed Work Well-being report, less than a third of employees thrive at work, affecting engagement, satisfaction, productivity, and innovation. In the same report, 47% of workers have increased expectations around work well-being.

"One of the main opportunities I see for facilities management in the wake of the pandemic is to take advantage of that seat at the table that we've been given finally and to be able to impact the workplace in ways that we were not doing in the past, especially when it comes to the well-being of the employees or the occupants of the building." — Christa Dodoo, Head of Facilities Management Services at United Nations World Food Programme

Companies are responding with mental health programs including mindfulness, counseling services, and mental health days. Workplace design is shifting to reduce stress through green spaces, quiet zones, and wellness rooms.

Operations Trends

Sustainability and Green Building Standards

Commercial buildings are trending toward sustainability, with pressure to reduce energy use, emissions, and carbon footprint. The US Department of Energy released a national definition of a zero-emission building to guide decarbonization efforts. As of 2024, there are over 195,000 LEED-certified buildings across 186 countries, representing 29 billion square feet of certified space—up from 5,699 projects in 2014.

"Retrofitting existing buildings with modern, sustainable technologies and practices can help significantly enhance their sustainability. Even major cities are increasingly turning to retrofits over new construction as a way to further lower carbon emissions and reduce environmental impact due to the preservation of existing structures." — Travis Dauwalter, Senior Director, Offering Management - Sustainable Building Technologies at Honeywell

Facilities managers are implementing energy-efficient HVAC systems, automated lighting controls, and occupancy-based climate adjustments. LEED certification and similar green standards are becoming competitive differentiators.

Cybersecurity for Hybrid Environments

Hybrid and remote work have created new security challenges. Cloud-based applications pose additional security threats and data management complexity. Decentralized work structures make implementing uniform security measures difficult. Connected buildings and smart devices require protection against potential cyber threats.

Organizations are investing in comprehensive security solutions addressing both virtual and physical spaces, including continuous cybersecurity training for employees, stricter protocols for sensitive data protection, and security for building management systems, IoT devices, and access control technologies.

When Return-to-Office Mandates Fail

Return-to-office mandates can backfire when implemented without flexibility or clear value proposition. Common failure modes include:

Talent attrition from rigid mandates: Companies with strict RTO policies experience 13% higher annual turnover rates. A June 2024 Conference Board survey found 45% of HR professionals in companies with strict mandates reported retention difficulties. At Amazon, 30,000 employees signed a petition protesting RTO, with 1,800 pledging to leave.

Disengagement without support: When mandates focus on attendance rather than productivity enablement, employees disengage. Behaviors like "coffee badging" (showing up briefly then leaving) emerge. Per UK research, 56% of office workers believe RTO mandates designed to boost productivity are failing because employers aren't providing the right support.

Employer brand damage from punitive enforcement: Heavy-handed enforcement—tracking badge swipes, threatening termination—generates public backlash and social media criticism, making talent attraction more difficult.

What works instead: Organizations succeeding with hybrid models provide clear value for in-person time (collaboration that can't happen remotely), lead by example from leadership, involve employees in policy design, and measure outcomes rather than attendance.

How Skedda Supports Modern Workplace Management

Skedda is workplace management software that helps organizations navigate these workplace trends through space booking and utilization tracking. For hybrid and flexible work environments, Skedda provides:

• Desk and room booking for hot desking and flexible seating arrangements
• Occupancy data and analytics to understand how spaces are used
• Integration with existing calendars and workplace tools
• Support for managing multiple locations in decentralized office networks

FAQ

What is the biggest workplace trend for 2025?

Hybrid work consolidation is the defining trend for 2025. According to Morning Consult's January 2024 survey, 29% of workers now prefer hybrid arrangements—more than fully remote (23%) or fully in-office—and JLL's 2024 survey found 60%+ of organizations expect increased workplace utilization within hybrid frameworks over the next five years.

How are companies implementing four-day work weeks?

Companies implementing four-day work weeks typically maintain productivity by reducing low-value activities like unnecessary meetings, encouraging asynchronous communication, and dedicating specific days to meetings versus individual work. In UK trials involving 61 companies, more than 90% continued the policy after six months, with 22% productivity increases and 71% of employees reporting reduced burnout.

What causes return-to-office mandates to fail?

Return-to-office mandates fail when they lack flexibility, clear value proposition, or employee input. Research shows companies with strict mandates experience 13% higher turnover, with high performers and those with caregiving responsibilities most likely to leave. Successful hybrid policies focus on outcomes rather than attendance and provide compelling reasons for in-person collaboration.

What skills will employees need by 2027?

According to the World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report, 44% of workers' core skills will be disrupted by 2027. Tech literacy—the ability to use AI and new technologies—is becoming essential, while socio-emotional skills like empathy, curiosity, and resilience are gaining importance as AI handles more analytical tasks.

How are offices being redesigned for hybrid work?

Offices are being redesigned around four essential space types identified by Gensler's research: creative group work spaces, individual focus spaces, spaces to reflect and restore, and areas to refresh and recharge. Organizations are moving away from uniform desk arrangements toward flexible configurations with automation for personalized temperature, lighting, and desk settings.

What sustainability certifications matter for commercial buildings?

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) remains the dominant green building certification, with over 195,000 certified buildings across 186 countries as of 2024. Facilities managers pursuing sustainability focus on energy-efficient HVAC, automated lighting controls, occupancy-based climate adjustments, and the US Department of Energy's zero-emission building standards.

Next Steps

1. Audit current workplace policies against the 12 trends to identify gaps
2. Survey employees on flexibility preferences—both location and schedule
3. Review space utilization data to understand actual vs. assumed usage patterns
4. Assess technology infrastructure for supporting distributed collaboration
5. Develop upskilling programs aligned with projected skill disruptions
6. Establish metrics for measuring workplace initiative success beyond attendance