The Office

"Sometimes I get so bored I want to scream. And then sometimes I actually do scream."

It's one of the most relatable and ingenuous lines of The Office delivered by Mindy Kaling's character, Kelly Kapoor. That episode aired more than 12 years ago yet many could employ the line today and it wouldn't be leaning on hyperbole too greatly.

That's because the purpose of the (actual) office is evolving in a post-pandemic working environment. Therefore the value these spaces create must change with it, that's according to recent insights from design leaders MillerKnoll who will be appearing at next week's London Design Festival .

It says the value of the modern workplace is less about how many activities people complete while they’re there. And becoming more about how well the physical space supports the relationships that enable great work while employees are there.

White collar workers can fulfil the majority of their output from just about anywhere. So where does that leave the now seemingly humble and often lacklustre office? The recent Enticing Workplace Report found the three top reasons an employee is drawn to the office these days is; to find connection with colleagues, teamwork and socialising.

Therefore supporting relationship based work better reflects the value people and organisations get from the office in 2024.

As teams come back online this month after a well earned summer break, it's an important time to check back in with how company purpose aligns with all areas of work-life whether it be; the office space, the workload, communications, and downtime. You'll find all of that reflected in this week's Friday Five.

Let's go...

1. Offices of the future

Here is a breakdown on MillerKnoll's thinking on workplace planning for valuable relationship based work. And if you're in London later this month, here is where to catch them at the London Design Festival.

2. Purpose before AI

History has shown that technological innovation can profoundly change how business is conducted; the steam engine, the car, computers, laptops for the matter and the iPhone. All of which unearthed enormous game changing value.

But as this piece in the Harvard Business Review points out, few of these life changing technologies went on to become direct sources of sustained competitive advantage because their effects were so proud that virtually every person and enterprise had access (and were compelled) to adopt them. One must first identify their unique purpose and understand the value they can create, then use AI to gain compeditive advantage. To merely utilise AI will not be enough. Read more on their research and insights here.

3. Walk the walk, talk the talk

Patagonia continues to live out its purpose in action by joining non-profit Canopy’s Pack4Good initiative which will switch to progressive packaging solutions that source sustainable materials from areas such as agricultural waste rather than trees.

Research found that paper packaging such as delivery boxes and hang tags, accounts for 3.1 billion logged trees annually, with many coming from endangered or ancient forests.

Read more about the "next gen" shipping alternatives, and Patagonia's involvement here.

4. Meaningful work

Marc Randolph , co-founder of Netflix , is an excellent follow on LinkedIn. Short motivational musing, or long winded but insightful posts on business. Recently he was taken by similar thoughts a fellow member of the digitally avant-garde fraternity, Sam Altman of OpenAI , who said;

“It is easier for a team to do a hard thing that really matters than to do an easy thing that doesn’t really matter; audacious ideas motivate people.”

Here's what Randolf wrote in reply about the importance of giving people meaningful work

5. The value of time

We try to use our time wisely whether it work or play. But it's often wasted frivolously. We may blame work for robbing us of recreation, but when valuable free time comes around, we can often revert back to more work.

This podcast by the The Atlantic looks into our relationship with time and how to prioritise time around what we value.?Listen here.

On that note, we'll sign off until next time,

The Bright Space Team