What a great debate it was! And, in truth any of the four protagonists could have argued on either side. At the end of the session I think the conclusion was that “Place” still matters; work gets done somewhere; it can be phone calls, e-mail, blogging, from a video conversation at the kitchen table, to a formal presentation to the board of directors in a plush conference room!… work happens somewhere. The debate underlined the trend that people are spending less time at a traditional desk and much more time outside their office than before. Even companies like “LiquidSpace” all have an on-premises business model, however they extend the ability and options for people to get work done.
The big question we should be asking ourselves is… does the space that we use, really support what we do? Does space enhance work, or, does inhibit the ability to be effective and productive. Today’s knowledge worker has a very varied modus operandi on where, when, how and with whom they work with, couple this with geographical (time zone), technology (bandwidth & platforms) and generational diversities… there is no one size fits all! What works for you doesn’t necessarily work for me. There is no single place to get work done and (so let’s be realistic) we need to move away from a ‘standard way or place for doing things’. In the end we should be asking ourselves how can we be effective in what we (as Corporate Real Estate) provide our clients and customers a solution that meets their needs and helps them reach their potential.
Brian Collins
Microsoft Corporation