How Office Space Remains Essential

There are lots of opinions on how office space will evolve as a result of the Covid-19 crisis (which is probably an accelerator of trends more than a trigger). In this interesting post ‘The Case For Space (Office Space, That Is)…‘ Mich Joel, who worked mainly in the advertising industry, explains why office space is definitely not obsolete.

In creative endeavors that require creative teamwork, nothing will replace working together physically. And moreover, “In the agency world, your office is your culture.” Building a strong, differentiated culture requires physical contact.

“Offices are where innovation happens. Offices are where we socialize to build better work. Offices are where new ideas get sparked. Offices are where we learn more about ourselves by watching others. Office are where culture is born and thrives.”

Future offices may be different, and some professions may more decidedly into more virtual offices, but nothing will replace physical offices for many professions in particular for creativity or where teamwork is essential (engineering, projects for example). Virtual work cannot emulate the informal interactions of the physical office and it will remain essential several days a week. It is extremely visible when it comes to the difficulty of onboarding newcomers since the start of confinement.

The office space is not obsolete or dead. It may need to evolve, but remains essential to value and culture creation.

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