Reflection. My teams seems far more productive working from home. I am much MUCH productive working from home.

I am looking at our P&L and thinking a call with my CFO may be overdue. Those rentals need a relook, me thinks.

Anyone else thinking about this?

VT

If I am honest, the idea of the conventional office is more for command & control businesses, and even then, you can automate & then make remote some of the support services.

The truth about it is that we invest in office for our own "sense of control" over your team.

We ask questions like, "how will I know they are working if they are not at the office?"

Frankly, you have to hire right.

This is why I have maintained that conventional recruitment approaches no-longer work. Read https://medium.com/@vusispeaker/date-your-future-employees-c9afe606d73a for reference.

Of course, some businesses need a physical office & labour scheduling. Hair salons, retailers, factories, media houses ... but most of us in the "knowledge economy" are most productive & happier not having to brave the morning traffic or suck-up to Susan in Finance.

I opened our New York office last year Jan. Over the past 15months, I have seen that team working from our WeWork space with so much ease. I am physically with them every month & the no-frills office is so much more fun.

Its less fluff & more outcomes-focused.

Then there is the other side effect:

No opportunity for office gossip;
Fewer personality clashes;
More time to be reflective;

Perhaps the silver lining of this lockdown is this question, " do you really need an office"?