for W3c validation

Each week we’ve been building on themes and topics, sharing experiences and attempting to understand ways we can learn from our recent ways of remote working and how these learnings may inform new ways of working.

We picked up on last week’s theme of the collective mindset and looked at how this can impact company culture, which in turn may determine ways the company is preparing to return to the workplace. An article from Forbes Magazine about Jack Dorsey (Founder and CEO of Twitter) providing some stimulus for discussions. The key points (and claims – somewhat unsubstantiated by the author) include:

• The office will be different (everything will be different);
• Employees are happier (working from home and not commuting to the office);
• Staff have operated relatively effectively from home (unsubstantiated claim);
• Savings – based on office rent;
• Legal concerns – based on the liability the organisation has when people are in the office (no mention of the liability/responsibility for home working environments); and
• Sources of employees – opportunities to expand recruitment base beyond physical location of offices.

Jakkii wrote a significant review of the final point in our Friday Fave blog post last week. The concerns associated with this type of approach as a business opportunity to reduce costs versus diversity in the workplace.

The other points were discussed through a scenario-style discussion. What would it look like in the office now? How would things have to change? And how much input from employees was being used to inform these changes? How many people can fit into a lift safely?

While we acknowledged that it was too early for solutions and answers, we also agreed that there were concerns that might not be easily addressed.

Meanwhile, there was an awareness that aside from office/knowledge workers who have been able to work reasonably effectively from home (technology and connectivity and other distractions permitting), there was a significant proportion of people who had roles and jobs that didn’t fit within our discussions. How their world of work was going to changing was particularly challenging for us to imagine. Perhaps digital workplaces are more polarising than they are encompassing.

Join us this week, Friday 22 May, to continue the conversations. RSVP here.