The Melting Pot is Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation and one of the first coworking spaces to open its doors in Europe. Our new report Future of the Office summarises research into the impact of drastic changes to workspace use over the last year on Scotland’s social innovation community. It also presents some predictions for the future of the office.

To understand the many and varied needs of the social innovation community in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis The Melting Pot engaged people working in social innovation from a variety of backgrounds. Including entrepreneurs, employees, volunteers and freelancers.

This report shows a link between workspace and well-being, productivity and work satisfaction. There is an opportunity to use workspace infrastructure as a tool to drive the recovery through supporting individuals and social innovation.

Download the full report

Summary of Key Findings

The report shows a link between workspace and well-being, productivity and work satisfaction. It indicates there is an opportunity to use workspace infrastructure as a tool to drive the recovery through supporting individuals and social innovation. 

We show that the social innovation sector has been both crucial throughout the crisis and wounded by the last year.

We found that the key components of future workspace have been shaped by the pandemic and outline four of the most important practices as we go forward: COVID safety practices, flexible working, blended workspace use and the ideal commute.

The report suggests there are risks associated with such a dramatic shift in work practices that can only be negated by the combination of policy, ethical behaviour by employers and widespread access to person centred workspace infrastructure.

It also outlines opportunities to use changes to workspace infrastructure as a driver towards optimised remote working and increased localised economic prosperity. The opportunities include:

• Well-being
• Reduced isolation
• Collaboration
• Access to a wide network
• Professional development
• Informal interactions and social opportunities
• Increased social innovation

Enquire about coworking at Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation.