每日英語跟讀 Ep.K620:The Future Office: A Blend of Home Comforts and Corporate Luxuries

Picture yourself in the suburban town of Bethesda, Maryland, juggling a full-time job and family responsibilities. The pandemic compelled you to create a cozy home office that suits your needs perfectly. Although it's wonderful to be more available to your children and enjoy the convenience of working from home, there are times when you yearn for uninterrupted focus, personal grooming, and casual interactions with your boss. Can the office of the future offer the best of both worlds? Companies like Marriott International are betting on it. They are reimagining office spaces to compete with the appeal of remote work, providing amenities and design features that prioritize employee comfort and satisfaction.

想像一下自己身處馬里蘭州貝塞斯達的郊區小鎮，全職工作同時負責家庭事務。疫情迫使您打造了一個舒適的居家辦公室，完美地滿足了您的需求。雖然能夠更方便地照顧孩子並在家工作很棒，但有時您渴望能夠專注地工作、獲得個人美容照顧，並與老闆隨意交流。未來的辦公室是否能夠兼具兩者的優點呢？像萬豪國際這樣的企業正在賭上這點。他們正在重新設計辦公空間，以與遠程工作的吸引力競爭，提供注重員工舒適和滿意度的設施和設計特點。

Marriott's new 785,000-square-foot headquarters in downtown Bethesda, designed by the renowned architecture firm Gensler, is a testament to this concept. The office resembles a combination of a hotel, spa, restaurant, and library. It houses a public plaza, coffee shop, dining hall with outdoor seating, gym, childcare center, doggy daycare, and spa, making it feel like a comfortable oasis rather than a typical office. This new office concept aims to draw employees back by offering a myriad of perks that enhance their work experience.

萬豪國際在貝塞斯達市中心新建的佔地785,000平方英尺的總部，由著名的建築公司Gensler設計，成為了這個概念的實證。這個辦公室結合了旅館、SPA中心、餐廳和圖書館的元素。設施部分有公共廣場和咖啡店，帶室外座位的餐廳，健身房和托兒中心，還有寵物狗托管和SPA中心。這使辦公室更像是個舒適的綠洲，而不是一個典型的辦公室。這種新的辦公室概念目標通過提供各種福利來吸引員工回到辦公室，強化他們的工作體驗。

While remote and hybrid work remain popular, many companies are planning new office spaces to maintain productivity and foster company culture. However, they must now consider creating offices that employees genuinely want to return to, even when remote work is an option. The key lies in designing environments that prioritize employee well-being and offer amenities that go beyond the traditional office perks. Designers are now focusing on private meeting spaces, flexible one-person offices, gyms, childcare, and other services that cater to employees' needs.

雖然遠程和混合工作仍然受歡迎，但許多公司正在計劃新的辦公空間，以保持生產力並培養企業文化。然而，他們現在必須考慮如何在遠程工作也是一個選項的情況下，創建員工真正願意回到辦公室的辦公環境。這個關鍵在於設計環境，將員工的福祉放在首位，提供超越傳統辦公場所福利的設施。設計師現在專注於私人會議空間、彈性的單人辦公室、健身房、托兒所和其他符合員工需求的服務。

The new office aims to provide a comfortable and even luxurious atmosphere, rivaling the comforts of working from home. This shift in focus calls for more natural light, outdoor spaces, and a central urban location that welcomes the surrounding community. It's about transforming the workplace into a space that is not just convenient but also enjoyable, earning its appeal even in the face of remote work options.

未來的辦公室期望提供舒適甚至豪華的氛圍，與在家工作的舒適相媲美。這種轉變重點加強了更多的自然光、室外空間，以及位於市中心且融入周圍社區的位置。辦公環境的轉變不僅要方便，還要讓人感到愉悅並享受，製造讓員工在能選擇遠程工作的情況下仍然願意回到辦公室的吸引力。

Architects and designers see this moment as an opportunity to implement innovative ideas and create workplaces tailored to specific company needs and worker preferences. They are rethinking office layouts and furniture choices to compete with the comforts of home environments. Companies are involving employees in the design process to gather insights and create spaces that truly represent the organization's values and foster strong employee connections.

建築師和設計師把這個時刻視為實施創新理念、打造適應特定公司需求和員工偏好工作場所的機會。他們正在重新考慮辦公場所的佈局和家具選擇，以與舒適的居家環境競爭。公司正在將員工納入設計過程，以獲取其見解，創建真正代表組織價值觀並促進員工連結的空間。

The debate over the necessity of physical office spaces still remains. While remote work has demonstrated its viability, these new office concepts emphasize the importance of having a space where employees can come together, understand their organization's ethos, and strengthen their sense of belonging. The future office blends the comforts of home with the luxuries of corporate life, creating a workspace that is not only functional but also inspiring and enjoyable, enticing employees to step away from the comforts of home and return to the office.

對於是否有必要建立實體辦公空間的辯論仍在繼續。雖然遠程工作已證明其可行性，但這些新的辦公概念強調了擁有聚集空間的重要性，讓員工能夠聚集，理解公司的精神，加強對工作的歸屬感。未來的辦公室將居家的舒適與企業生活的奢華融合在一起，創造出一個不僅包含功能性，而且激勵人心、令人愉快的工作空間，吸引員工走出家的舒適，回到辦公室。

Reference article: https://www.wired.com/story/welcome-to-the-comfy-office-of-the-future/