Some firms have nixed the office; others are doubling down

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5 thoughts on “Some firms have nixed the office; others are doubling down

  1. Greenlight Guru’s DeRam is spot on in his belief that “face-to-face collaboration is still the best.” It is not just the ability to jump in and add to the discussion, but also the ability to observe the body language of others who may be advocating for a against different ideas – something you cannot see with the head-and-shoulder images in a Zoom meeting. As someone who coached others in public speaking (in the political arena), I have seen that body language is a powerful persuading force in building – or destroying – the credibility of the spoken work.

  2. Being able to get work done is still the best. Only the best can do 100% of their work remotely. Many simply aren’t the best—so they NEED to be in the office because they simply can’t be 100% while working from home. Those folks have hit their “wall” and need to be in the office—the best can work remotely and not mss a beat.

  3. As an architect, I can say I don’t want to see the need for “bricks and mortar” go away as we design these spaces but it the article above shows what is good for one business or industry isn’t necessarily good for another. Larger businesses and those that require more control of either processes or the inner workings of that business still need facilities they either own or lease or control.
    As business evolves though, what was thought of as typical business is disappearing or changing. Maintaining office space, which can be quite a large overhead expense just isn’t justified by the type of business or profit margin.
    Architects, Designers and Engineers are the perfect example. We can have what is essentially a “Virtual Office” that consists of each part of a project connect only via the phone and internet. We only have to meet from time to time or have meetings that can be held anywhere. To maintain offices and all the cost they require would certainly make the business very precarious.
    So I would say “to each his (or her) own.

  4. As humanity continues to venture down the path of digital reliance, this movement seemed inevitable. However, what wakeup call is needed to realize we are becoming more disconnected with each other? Social engagement (the kind that doesn’t require a camera or screen) is a fundamental aspect of our development as a species. One can’t capture the true nature of a peer’s message without the ability to interpret body language. Mental health issues continue to spread like the plague as we look down at our phone screens for tailored news feeds while on the crosswalk instead of looking up for a friendly greeting from our neighbor. Organizations are attempting to understand the new meaning of “culture” with the ever-increasing implementation of video conferencing platforms for interaction internally and externally. In fact, how can an organization create or maintain culture without in-person engagement? Having a few minutes of windshield time to decompress from a meeting is no longer as important as managing a schedule wherein cramming additional video conference meetings can be accomplished due to decreased travel time. Perhaps this period will be viewed by future generations as a pivotal moment when we began to understand the importance of co-existing with technology, which may be regarded as critical to our evolution. They may also look back in disbelief knowing we allowed ourselves to become more dependent on our screens rather than putting greater emphasis on the importance of human interaction. Only time will tell.

  5. Adam makes great points and I couldn’t agree more. In addition to his thoughts, another interesting aspect of all of this is that many of the companies headquartered in downtown Indianapolis did so because it was a vibrant location with an environment that offered their employees everything from dining, professional sports, theatre, museums, and entertainment. When you have 100,000 employees that are no longer coming downtown it is pretty easy to see why restaurants and other establishments can’t afford to be open seven days a week. So the very thing that attracted employers and their headquarters to downtown Indianapolis is inadvertently being destroyed or comprimised by the new work environment dictated by the employers headquartered downtown. This seems to be a 180 degree change from the major employers’ mentality and contributions that made Indianapolis a world-class city in the past.

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