Nicholas Mann, chair of Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership.
Inclusion, collaboration and a sense of community: MKBLP chairman Nicholas Mann looks at how employers can create a positive environment to encourage staff back to the office.
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THE ‘BACK to the office’ conversation has quickly become one of the defining workplace debates of our time. January 6 marked the unofficial beginning of the return, cited as the year’s busiest office attendance day. Across the UK, businesses have been coaxing employees now used to the flexibility of remote work back to their office desks.
While many companies leverage policies to encourage or even enforce attendance (such as BT’s ‘Three Together, Two Wherever’ model), many employees remain resistant. Data from KPMG’s 2024 CEO Outlook reports that 83% of UK CEOs anticipate a full return to the office within three years yet nearly 70% of employees indicate they would consider leaving their jobs if asked to spend more time in the office.
The pandemic recalibrated workforce expectations, allowing individuals unprecedented autonomy over their daily routines. The question now looms large for employers: How do we make the office not just obligatory but desirable?
Human-centricity offers a compelling answer. Employees long for spaces in which to thrive, maintaining work-life balance while enabling shared purpose. Notably, Milton Keynes stands apart from the national trend as an example of how the right environment can turn this challenge into an opportunity.
Milton Keynes has proved itself an outlier, with rising demand for premium workspaces fuelled by expanding businesses, headquarters relocations and a burgeoning tech hub eager for modern facilities. According to property consultant Bidwells, tech employers are investing in high-quality spaces that emphasise flexibility, collaboration and efficiency.
Unity Place in Central Milton Keynes is a stand-out example of this shift. Each floor boasts an array of settings, from tranquil breakout areas and innovation labs to faith rooms and wellness facilities. It is a space purpose-built not just for work but for connection.
Such spaces are fundamental to addressing retention challenges. Bidwell’s research highlights that adaptable environments catering to diverse needs – especially neurodiverse requirements – boost satisfaction and maintain talent in fast-paced tech-driven industries. This ethos also aligns closely with the MK City Plan 2050, which aims to establish the city as an innovative and economically thriving hub with well-planned growth in flexible and inclusive work environments.
Equally critical is safeguarding a legacy that goes beyond aesthetics or convenience. The skills crisis brewing in the wake of remote work spotlights the greater stakes in this transition.
The move to remote work inadvertently created a ‘soft skills gap’. While digital tools enable efficient work processes, they do not replicate nuances such as empathy, creativity or problem-solving embedded in face-to-face interactions. Humans are innately social creatures and, without consistent in-person communication, we risk losing the fundamental skills that make businesses resilient.
Recent graduates, apprentices and young people in the early days of their careers are especially vulnerable. For them, the first years in an office are a quiet masterclass in human nature.
These formative experiences teach critical lessons – adapting to setbacks, interpreting body language, fostering teamwork – that few textbooks or virtual meetings can replicate. They develop an intuitive grasp of communication nuances, whether through participating in group brainstorming sessions or navigating interdepartmental collaboration.
Without close role models and mentorship opportunities, young employees may struggle to refine crucial leadership traits such as resilience or quick decision-making under pressure. The ripple effect threatens not only individual careers but also collective goals of productivity and innovation.
The responsibility lies with us – seasoned professionals, mentors and leaders – to not only design workplaces which appeal to employees but also to create learning cultures where these skills can flourish. Each coffee machine conversation, collaborative project or constructive feedback session becomes an opportunity to shape a generation ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Known for its reputation as one of the UK’s most productive cities, Milton Keynes is uniquely positioned to pioneer an approach that blends human-centred design principles with skills-focused development.
Employers here have the power to redefine what office culture looks like, making it not an obligation but a privilege… a space where employees not only work but also grow.
Encouragingly, the city’s draft plan already envisions transformational growth rooted in business investment and office spaces. But this alone will not carry us forward. Practical implementation – mentorship programmes, inclusivity in workplace practices and opportunities for shared learning – will make all the difference.
‘Being in a physical workplace really supports these key skills to be developed.’
AS WE mark Apprenticeship Week this month, it is fitting to reflect on the role businesses play in shaping the future workforce. Apprenticeships are pivotal for equipping young professionals with technical knowledge and workplace experience but they must be paired with opportunities for in-person collaboration to truly bridge the skills gap.
Sally Alexander, chief executive and group principal of Milton Keynes College Group, has added to the conversation. ”While working from home offers flexibility to employees, we think it is important for young people to understand the wider benefits of being in the workplace.
“Our learners spend a lot of time in our industry-leading facilities on campus as well as with employers in their offices or other workspaces to learn the values and skills that employers are looking for. Whether it is punctuality, communication skills, technical abilities, being a strong team player or working independently, being in a physical workplace with the support of peers, colleagues and managers really supports these key skills to be developed.”
HR expert Susan Popoola, chief executive of human value optimisation specialist Mosaic Fusions, offers a slightly different perspective. ”Rather than asking if it is time to force employees back into the office, businesses should focus on understanding what they are trying to achieve and how each individual’s role contributes to the overall goals. Milton Keynes offers flexible office spaces and employers have the opportunity to offer tailored solutions that optimise both productivity and employee satisfaction, ensuring a balance that supports long-term success.”
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