In a bid to conserve space and improve employee communication, many companies have redesigned their offices to open-plans over recent years. But now a backlash has begun, and while some companies are rethinking open-plans altogether, most are looking for a middle ground.

The office is changing. New technology means employees are more mobile, affecting the physical and cultural dynamics. By 2020, freelancers will make up 40% of the workforce, and rent-an-office spaces and cafés are meeting this new need. So what will the office of the future look like?

Email is dead – that’s what the tech industry has been saying for the last decade. Yet hundreds of unread messages clutter workers’ inboxes every day. Slack aims to increase productivity by improving communication and transparency across entire businesses. Could this really be the end for email?

Dissatisfied with rigid corporate structure, a growing number of people are opting to be self-employed; freelancers are set to make up 40% of the US workforce by 2020. Many independent workers are being drawn to coworking spaces in cities, but what’s the appeal of these communal offices?