2.11.15 | Kingston upon Thames, UK | WORKTECH will be returning to Melbourne once again in 2015, with another insightful future of work conference. On 4th March 2015, industry business leaders will be gathering at the Deakin Edge Theatre, in Federation Square, Melbourne to share expertise and further knowledge on business strategy, technology and property. We will be welcoming renowned international and local thought leaders to the audience and stage.

WORKTECH, a previous sell out event in Melbourne, New York and San Francisco, focuses on technology, innovation and new ways of working and will bring global best-practice, thought-leadership and case-studies to share ideas that are shaping the future of work and the workplace.

Harald Becker, Senior Design Strategist at Microsoft Envisioning has shared some of his thoughts with us about how he envisions the Australian workplace to look like in 2030. Based on research, Harald says “we should expect to see more people and businesses moving to large cities, resulting in new developments and re-developments increasing overall density.”

The workplace has been moving away from rigid and costly models, to more fluid, agile and activity based working styles. Harald suggests that, workplace models will continue to evolve to meet the needs of an expanding and diversifying ecosystem. He says, “work environments will move from a basic model (open plan/single offices/ Activity Based Working) to a more nuanced design supporting broader variety of workplace activities.”

Lastly, Harald sees workplaces of larger corporations starting to “open up to urban communities and innovation clusters, allowing an increase in office buildings with shared public and communal spaces” With a number of cities around the globe, including Melbourne and Sydney, witnessing an explosion of shared and co-working spaces, Harald believes this is a phenomenon that is only going to boom over the coming years. Harald predicts that “co-working spaces will continue to grow, but we’ll see a shift from horizontal to more vertical models.”  We have already seen a shift in the co-working movement from small creative freelancers to, in more recent times, small businesses and even larger companies getting involved. It’s time to watch this (co)space...

Other speakers at this unique industry must-attend event include:
Kylie Bishop, Executive General Manager, People & Culture Medibank
John Romano, Executive Director, Telstra Property
Kelly Robinson, Expert in Future of Workplace Design, Soundcloud/airbnb
David Rolls, Group Executive, Commercial Development, Mirvac
Philip Ross, Futurologist & CEO, UNGROUP

Join us at WORKTECH15 Melbourne to hear more from Harald Becker and the other industry leaders.   An audience of 350+ business and thought-leaders will debate, discuss and divulge the latest thinking on the future of work and the workplace.

Located in Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD), Deakin Edge is a stunning glass theatre offering views across the Yarra River to the Arts Centre Spire, the MCG and Alexandra Gardens. Since opening in 2002, the venue has welcomed a wide range of organisations to host seminars, corporate functions, product launches and presentations, with some of Australia’s most prominent orators, finest thinkers and eminent performers taking to the stage.

The event website: www.unwired.eu.com/WORKTECH15/melbourne

The first WORKTECH conference was produced in London in 2004, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art. Since then, successful WORKTECHs have been held in New York, Amsterdam, Manchester, Melbourne, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore.
 
WORKTECH Melbourne is organised by UNWIRED, a leading research and events company, looking at the impact that emerging technologies will have on work and the work place, the retail sector, and the property sector. UNWIRED organises cutting-edge conferences, executive briefings, symposia and exhibitions. From WORKTECH to practical briefings on workplace sustainability, the future of wireless, and agile working, UNWIRED brings together senior professionals and thought-leaders for unsurpassed learning and networking opportunities.