Are We Being “Fashioned”?
The shift from traditional, cubicle-bound office spaces to dynamic, community-centric environments raises a pertinent question: Are we genuinely choosing this modern office culture, or are we subtly being styled into it, much like the latest trends from the fashion industry.
A partner office to rent in Edgware Road.
Today's office designs emphasise collaboration and community—concepts that resonate strongly within coworking spaces, purported as the very heartbeats of productivity. Adam Neumann, with his concept of WeWork, pushed this idea further, advocating for a lifestyle around a community so integrated that it necessitated its own economic metric—the "community-adjusted EBITDA." This was not just about the financials; it was a bold statement on the intrinsic value of community in the business sphere.
As we consider these shifts, it’s essential to examine the broader impacts, particularly against the digital transformation sweeping through our work lives. Consider the decline in business travel, often hastily blamed on the rise of remote working. This argument is flawed—akin to blaming your trainers for not winning a marathon. The true cause is likely not the comfort of home offices but the advancements in technology. With video conferencing now offering clarity that surpasses many in-person meetings, the need to spend excessively on air travel is waning. It's not just the physical comfort of home that detains us; it's the eye-watering costs of travel and the seamless simplicity of clicking 'Join Meeting'.
British Airways and similar companies are feeling this shift acutely. They must face the reality: it’s not home desks that are grounding potential travellers, but the sticker shock of exorbitant travel expenses combined with the convenience of digital meetings. This is a strategic revelation that even the most frugal budget directors can appreciate.
As modern workplaces become the norm, it is vital to ask ourselves if we are moving toward this model because it truly suits our needs or because we are being steered by a higher commercial narrative dressed up as autonomy and innovation. Just as in fashion, where consumers must discern between personal choice and industry influence, office workers and companies must recognise whether they are genuinely opting for modern work environments or if they are being influenced by broader market trends.
Understanding this distinction will be crucial in determining whether we are truly masters of our professional destinies or merely being "fashioned" into the next trend of the work culture.
Written by Sanj Mahal, CEO of NOHQ.