05.Twitter, emojis + too much space!

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.

WORKPLACE/ Twitter staff set for “long hours at high intensity”

It would be impossible to release this newsletter this week without mentioning Mr Musk and the seemingly endless outrage tumbling out of Twitter. Following his $44B takeover, Musk has cut 50% of the 7,500 Twitter workforce in a move towards something he is calling ‘Twitter 2.0’.

The latest announcement to spark debate is the release of the email which asks staff to ‘click yes’ if they want to be part of the new Twitter which will require “long hours at high intensity” as they want to be “extremely hardcore.” For some, the debate is nonsensical as it’s his company, he can do what he wants. He’s asking them to work hard and be in the office. On the other hand, what was once a landmark move towards becoming a super flexible organisation, the harsh measures on employees seem to have caused outrage.

Check out the article here

OFFICE COMMUNICATION / Emojis? In the workplace??Never! ????

Not only has hybrid working changed the way we work, but it’s also changing how we communicate!

What would have once seemed inappropriate or unprofessional, is now emerging as an effective way to better display our emotions and personalities with our colleagues. Emojis and gifs are ways of communicating feelings quickly and effectively – and we can all relate to them.

Since the pandemic, the day to day communications with our colleagues is now either partly or fully reliant on instant messaging. With this change in the way we speak to one another at work, be it on projects or in team catch ups, our workplace language is evolving. Read the full article below:

OFFICE SPACE / Companies have too much space and can’t sell it!

With the increase in interest rates and the preferences of working from home, businesses are having to rethink their property strategies. Most of that thinking keeps coming back to the fact that many companies have taken too much space, grew too quickly in the pandemic and are now facing the challenge of trying to sublet or move it on entirely.

All companies are looking at cost-cutting measures and the general commentary is that now is not the time to have surplus space as an asset. As companies move to sell, the scarcity of buyers potentially has a negative effect on more than just the commercial real estate sector.

So could this be an opportunity for companies to take advantage of this situation? CNBC’s write up on the matter is here.

OFFICE SPACE / Coventry space on the rise?

As cities like Birmingham, Manchester and Reading continue to grow as business hubs, companies are seeing great value in regional space. The trend of operating outside of large cities has continued since the pandemic and it was interesting to see this piece about the growth happening in Coventry. In fact, several deals have taken place in Coventry in recent months and shows a trend of sourcing potential in cities across the UK.

Hybrid working and increased flexibility has increased the search radius for companies looking to set up a physical HQ and cities are set to benefit from it. The need for high-quality office space in locations with good transport links and amenities means that places like Coventry are proving ideal. For the companies priced out of the more established business hubs or indeed are looking to take advantage of exceptional space, this is a trend we may continue to see.

Will Kinnear I have to credit you here for a post you shared this week - I enjoyed our conversation and the others that happened in the comments. I know this is slightly different but I think there are some similarities for me.

Full article below:

***

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