5G mobile connectivity and the workplace of the future

Leeson Medhurst is Head of Strategy at office design and build company Peldon Rose. He’s shared his insights with The Telegraph on why connectivity is at the heart of workplaces of the future.

Peldon Rose has designed offices for organisations since 1987, and Medhurst has seen first-hand how technologies such as mobile connectivity, 5G and videoconferencing have transformed the office landscape in recent decades.

 “Creating an environment that encourages connection between people is fundamental to every successful space,” he says, “and every successful organisation.”

A key part of that in today’s world is to blend remote with in-person working – still a huge challenge for businesses of all sizes, says Medhurst. 

“Your best work is not always in the office. Your best work is where you are connected in the best way possible,” he says. “Hybrid or remote working is down to what works for you: from an employer and employee perspective as well. It’s challenging. We’ve seen videoconferencing become the go-to medium for interaction between businesses and their clients. When we create spaces, technology is at the heart of what we do.”

Medhurst says every workplace needs to support remote connectivity in a way that is personal to their business’s needs.

“Mobile technology allows you to be more nomadic,” he says, “and move around the space. The challenge is to find the right balance between remote and in-person working. It’s very important that workplaces invest to ensure their connectivity is up to date. We are very much in a digital-first position now, and companies are still playing catch-up.”

There used to be a perception that high-quality connectivity was only available to big, blue-chip companies, but connectivity is becoming accessible to all, Medhurst says.

Services such as 5G broadband enable SME businesses to set up new office spaces quickly, as there’s no engineer installation or landline required. And if you need to work on location, you can take your 5G broadband hub with you. 

For employers hoping to create a workplace to tempt workers to spend time with colleagues, the key factor is choice, Medhurst says.

Business leaders need to tailor the space, whether for interpersonal energy or as a personal focus space, depending on how their businesses work, and based on the desires of their employees.

“Technology has enabled us to be connected in different ways and in different locations,” says Medhurst. “I’m super-excited about where we go from here. The past 10 years have been a revolution – but the next 10 years is going to bring us so much more!”

This is a shortened version of an article produced by and published on Telegraph.co.uk – read the full article here.