03. Apple's HQ + remote work in '79

Welcome to my newsletter?#WRKPLC ?which will be published every 2 weeks. This is where I will share my thoughts on interesting headlines and emerging topics from the past two weeks, plus cool office designs and opinion pieces. If you don't get a lot of time to keep up with the news,?#WRKPLC ?will do the heavy lifting for you.

OFFICE DESIGN / Apple’s new HQ at Battersea Power Station?

With Battersea Power Station recently reopening following its impressive transformation, there’s more to see in the iconic industrial building than just the shops. Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared visuals of their new HQ, designed by Foster + Partners,?which is inside the Power Station.?Full article here on Dezeen

Image via Dezeen, Visuals by Foster + Partners

WORKPLACE CULTURE / Hope is an asset in the workplace?

For Greek mythology fans, 'hope' was the last remaining virtue in Pandora’s box. Now, with a little bit of creative license, of course, it could be the way forward to rebuilding culture at work. Culture has taken a bit of a hit in recent years and it’s one of those intangible workplace concepts which influences and shapes environments. While we tend to look for strategy and objectives when making workplace decisions, maybe it’s time to take a different approach.

HBR explain some of their research into the role of hope in an organisation. The main takeaway? “Hope cultures can boost organizations to achieve outcomes they never thought possible.” If that’s enough to draw you in, you can read the full article here on HBR

FUTURE OF WORK / Remote working in 1979 – expectation vs. reality

This appeared on my news feed recently and if you haven’t seen it, it makes for quite an incredible watch. The rise of distributed work forces and a heavy reliance on tech was perhaps not the prediction in full but this shows how the future was expected to pan out for remote workers back in 1979. Watch the full video below:

Here’s what stood out for me!

STAFF RETENTION / Is it time to forget the concept of the long-term employee??

The pandemic, The Great Resignation and quiet quitting are just some of the events responsible for a shift in attitudes to the work-life balance. With these events has come a renewed look at just how important is to aim for long-term retention.?

There is an argument for companies who are going through change and adaptive stages, having certain staff leave might not be so bad after all. Right now unity and collaboration are the order of the day and focusing on getting the best out of people, rather than worrying about securing their long-term commitment may be the best strategy. Read the full article here

OFFICE SPACE / Could this be a solution to empty offices??

The CEO of a facilities management company has decided to try and tackle the empty office space conundrum posed by hybrid working. Faced with reduced occupancy in their office, Jeff Dewling turned his company office into a recreational hub to make the most of the sofas, TVs and canteen in the office.?

Could it be an option to keep office doors open during the weekends to turn them into local facilities??Via HR Grapevine (subscription required for full article)?

***

If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to?#WRKPLC ?and turn on post notifications to make sure you never missed one of my LinkedIn posts. Follow me for more workplace updates and office design inspiration.

#workplace ?#futureofwork #returntooffice