Since pandemic-imposed restrictions eased, employees globally have been experiencing an experimental stepping-stone of hybrid working, towards a future workplace model which is yet to crystalise. Meanwhile our needs and experiences of connection, belonging and deeper purpose in work are increasingly driving our decisions of who we work for, with and where from, directly affecting the social capital within organisations and teams.

This case study reports findings from Mirvac’s Adaptive Workplace Pilot, an experimental work floor within the company’s Sydney CBD office designed to test spaces and tools most effective in supporting seamless hybrid work. The pilot targeted challenges of human connection, knowledge exchange, and community in a hybrid workforce, with observations, focus groups and utilisation measurements conducted from May to September 2022.

The research highlights the importance of responsive and dynamic environments for enabling high-performing teams confirming the absence of a single solution. Ambiguous spaces were found to be least successful, highlighting need for clear purpose in design. Strong leadership proved crucial in managing permissions and empowering employees to make conscious decisions about their workstyle, while successful guidance frameworks enabled self-organization and the sustainable evolution of hybrid ways of working. Allowing teams time to find their tools and develop new working habits driven by intrinsic motivations was key to success. This not only built trust through face-to-face interactions and relational connections, but fostered deeper connection, a sense of ownership, and fulfilment of basic psychological needs in work – all critical factors of the sustaining social contract that is social capital.