The Workplace Evolution: How WPP is Harnessing Technology and Culture to Shape the Future Workplace

Kathrina Nhan, Head of Talent Acquisition, WPP in Australia and New Zealand

The future of work continues to be an ongoing central topic driving thought around flexibility.

• Who is working? Blended workforces, freelancers, part-time workers.
• When we work: shorter working weeks and longer/varied hours.
• Where are we working?Physical, virtual and pop-up spaces.
• How are we working?Automation, chatbots, gamification and cloud-based systems.

At WPP, we believe that to be our most creative, reach our full potential and prioritise our wellbeing, we all need to be in the right space. Making sure we have the right environmentto be our best creative selves is paramount.

Our workspaces

We proved we could work away from our brick-and-mortar office and still get work done. You can work in more than one place: your physical office, your home, another city/state/country, or anywhere with a strong Wi-Fi connection. Even with physical office spaces, companies have reduced the size and number of offices to allow for hot desking. And with this, there’s more intention of bringing the “out-of-office vibe and comfort” into the office. This might look like standing desks, comfy chairs, ergonomic equipment, quiet rooms, collaboration spaces, adjustable lighting, music, snacks, beverages, etc. 

Technology is also part of this consideration. With more teams coming into the office when there’s a specific purpose (i.e. to collaborate and brainstorm), there is an added pressure for workspaces to have that seamless experience for employees to connect to the network and collaboration spaces or boardrooms with zero difficulties. And with employees moving out of previously high-density areas, organisations must now consider bringing the office space to where their employees are (pop-up campuses). 

WPP has 37 campuses globally, which bring our agencies together in modern, world-class workplaces which inspire our people to collaborate, work, learn and create together. A move towards campus locations also allows us to spearhead sustainability efforts, as we progress on our journey to 100% renewable electricity and single-use plastic free workspaces.

Our workforce composition

The workforce is blended. The full-time permanent, 9-5, Monday to Friday, is no longer the coveted work schedule of the majority. It’s evolved to include hours worked outside your typical 9-5 to better work around your life outside of work. A shorter work week to extend the weekends, part-time hours to allow for more time spent doing something else, and gig workers who live the dream of deciding their hours, working from anywhere and choosing who they want to work with. Being a global network of over 110,00 people, we share a common understanding aroundflexibility when managing schedules to best balance work and home life.There is an undeniable advantage when it comes to working face-to-face. Effective communication, client networking, collaboration, opportunity for spontaneous brainstorming and camaraderie between colleagues ultimately drives a sense of belonging and increases productivity.

“At WPP, we believe that to be our most creative, reach our full potential and prioritise our wellbeing, we all need to be in the right space”

More and more we are seeing our clients meeting us and their own teams face-to-face as well. Today, our team are in office at least three days a week, with many opting to come in four and five days thanks to our culture and creative campuses, which sit at the heart of our people strategy.

Organisations will have to evolve how they engage and retain their blended workforce to ensure that the culture remains strong and the experience among all types of workers in the workforce is as equitable as possible.

More technology

AI is an incredible tool which we can use to synthesise large amounts of data to help draw insights, especially when it comes to understanding our resourcing gaps and skillset requirements for workforce planning. We can use it to identify the right talent by quickly identifying candidate traits, evaluating their technical capabilities through automated testing, simulated work environments and scenarios, and highlighting biases or inequities.

Being able to automate repetitive, mundane tasks frees up more time for more creative and intellectually stimulating work. Explore using chatbots to respond to frequently asked questions from talent and your employees. Using gaming to reward and recognise employees while increasing their participation in various learning/training programs can be a positive way technology can help improve the employee, manager, and future talent’s experience with the organisation.

WPP has been investing in AI for several years, it's proven an invaluable tool for innovative advertising practices and our media business, which is high-value area with potential for long-term growth. The application of these tools in the recruitment space is part of an ongoing global conversation, as we recognise the value this can bring to workforce planning and talent development.

The more technology, the better. But let’s keep in mind that it’s there to support and augment, but it will never replace human connections and leading others – these actions cannot be automated.  

The future of work relies on people. People are complex and now, more than ever, want flexibility. The pandemic was a wake-up call for everyone, where self-reflection was (and continues to be) a constant. Stress affects our relationships and impacts us; physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Organisations that care and continue to centre their culture around employee wellbeing will thrive. After all, we spend so much of our lives working, so why wouldn’t we want to do it for an organisation that pays us a wage and supports our wellbeing?