It’s the question on everyone’s lips—especially as the morning commute starts to feel like a distant memory. But as we settle into 2025, the answer isn’t black and white.
In financial services, the return to the City is less about mandates and more about meaning. Offices are no longer just places to sit—they’re becoming destinations for collaboration, creativity, and connection.
Taking the Lead
Take a global investment firm in Canary Wharf. They’ve transformed their floors into vibrant collaboration zones—think fewer desks, more breakout spaces, and even a client café. Their goal? Make the office somewhere people want to be, not have to be.
Meanwhile, a boutique wealth manager in the Square Mile has introduced “anchor days.” Teams choose when to come in based on what’s happening—client meetings, onboarding, or strategy sessions. No more showing up just to sit on Zoom calls.
And the tech? It’s quietly doing the heavy lifting. Smart scheduling tools help teams sync up. Virtual whiteboards make hybrid brainstorming feel natural. And secure cloud platforms mean sensitive data stays safe—whether you’re in the office or in your kitchen.
But here’s the real shift: it’s not about where we work, but why we’re there.
So, what’s your take?
- Are you finding the office more energising—or more distracting?
- Has hybrid working helped your team perform better—or made things more complicated?
- And if you had to choose: three days in the office or three days remote?
Let’s hear your thoughts—how is your team navigating the new normal?
