Officespredicted to shrink INBOX


Organisations are set to reduce office space by 17 per cent by 2020, according to a new study by mobile and cloud technology firm Citrix. It predicts the workplace of the future


will provide just seven desks for every 10 office workers, with each person accessing the corporate IT network from an average of six different devices. For 2020, the figure is as low as six


desks for every 10 workers in Singapore, The Netherlands, the UK and the US. Some of the highest desk-to-worker ratios will be in Japan (8.77), South Korea (7.95) and Germany (7.9). Citrix, in its Workplace of the Future


report, says offices will foster creativity, be inspiring and encourage collaboration by enabling people to work from wherever, whenever and on whatever device so that work becomes something people do, not a place people go. Polling 1900 senior IT decision-makers


across 19 countries, the report found that 29 per cent of people will no longer work fromtheir traditional office. Instead they will be based at semi-permanent locations including the home (64 per cent), field and project sites (60 per cent) and customer or partner premises (50 per cent). Workers are also expected to access


corporate applications, data and services from locations such as airports, coffee shops and hotels, and while in transit. A global trend dubbed “mobile work-


styles” will see fewer employees in the office, most using multiple computing devices in a range of locations. Globally,


PA PROFILE


What is on your desk? Atelephone, laptop computer, big screen, mobile phone, hand cream, personal photos, postcards from friends, business cards, note book with a pen, some stationery, a desk lamp and some snacks.


What’s in your top drawer? There is a key to my boss’ office, some beverage coupons for the team, some U keys for working documents, and


VIEWFROMMYDESK Christine Li is an assistant at Coco-Cola in Shanghai. business cards.


What is on the wall by your desk? Nothing.


Do you use aMac or PC? I have a PC.


What is your favourite software for your job? Actually, I like Microsoft Lync.


AUGUST/OCTOBER 2013 | WWW.EXECUTIVEPA.ASIA 07


24 per cent of organisations have already fully adopted mobile workstyles. By mid-2014, 83 per cent of organisations will have embraced mobile workstyles, says the report. Mobile workstyles benefits:


1 For organisations, workshifting (people moving work to more optimal times and locations) means a more flexible office (73 per cent), lower employee- related costs (53 per cent), reduced real estate costs (48 per cent) and helps attract (47 per cent) and retain (44 per cent) top talent.


1 For employees, workshifting offers more flexibility (65 per cent), increased personal productivity (62 per cent), less commuting time (61 per cent) and a better work/life balance (55 per cent).


1 For most organisations (83 per cent), bring-your-own-device (BYOD) initia- tives manage the growing options for workers to access corporate networks. Employees generally choose and buy their own computing devices, with 76 per cent of organisations offering full or partial reimbursements.


1 Overheads have improved for the 80 per cent of companies already using workshifting and BYOD, while 96 per cent of organisations are planning to make the shift.


1 Organisations expect to reduce work- place space by 7 per cent within just two years, and 16 per cent by 2020. Companies that have implemented workshifting already have 15 per cent fewer desks.


Keep up to date with the latest news and views of interest to busy PAs.


Savings boost for regional conferencing


A Chinese government clampdown on “wasteful” expenditure – mainly on business travel, vehicles and entertainment – has proved an unexpected windfall for smaller regional hotels and resorts. At the start of the year, the Ministry of


Finance announced a crackdown aimed at cutting spending by 1.6 per cent to 7.97 billion yuan (US$1.29 billion). But spending last year, at 8.095 billion yuan, was already down on the previous year’s 9.346 billion yuan. The plan follows a campaign by President Xi Jinping to clamp down on graft and also extravagance at official events. Sales of first- and business-class flights


have dropped as the campaign gathers pace beyond high-end dining. Civil aviation authorities say the number of business travellers on first- and business-class trips has fallen by about 10 per cent since, while airport VIP lounges have had about 20 per cent fewer passengers. Upmarket restaurants in Beijing and Shanghai have seen revenues fall by 35 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, many government conferences


have moved out of the main cities to regional centres. AnAmerican-owned resort in the lake district near Shanghai has had 90 per cent occupancy this year because of the conference trade, a source tells Executive PA Magazine Asia, and is considering expanding its brand.


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