Interesting McKinsey article attached (How COVID-19 is redefining the next-normal operating model) highlighting four key observations on pandemic driven changes to the corporate operating model -

1. Purpose sets priorities  (enables rapid change in focus from multiple competing priorities to most critical objectives)

2. A flattened cross-functional structure focused on outcomes  (moving from traditional hierarchies to decentralising cross-functional teams organised around outcomes / specific tasks)

3. People are reallocated, reskilled, and reenergized  (coupling new virtual training programs with new technology and tools to empower employees and make organization more nimble)

4. Propel technology to the front lines (providing greater latitude whilst also creating new dashboard of leading indicators)

 

Favourite quote - "Remote work itself is the tip of the iceberg. Spurred by their experience during the COVID-19 crisis, more and more companies are shifting their people model to one that values skills-based mobility and contributions instead of location-based work and standard functional expectations."

 

Expect corporate real estate executives could re-write above observations as follows - 

 

1. Purpose makes space.

2. Decentralising can improve cross-functional service collaboration.

3. Build transferrable skills within support service teams.

4. Invest in tomorrow's proptech and performance metrics today.

 

 

How COVID-19 is redefining the next-normal operating model (McKinsey Article published December 2020).pdf

Link below to a fascinating paper written by Julia Hobsbawm entitled ' The Nowhere Office'.

The Nowhere Office

Julia's paper highlights many of the challenges ahead as well as opportunities to reimagine an entirely new approach to work and contains many fascinating references.

Julia has long be advocating "more creativity, disorganisation and entrepreneurship as the routes to innovation and human centric service design".

In The Nowhere Office she highlights some of the psychological challenges arising from a world of digital interactions as well as opportunities to build society back better.

 

Three interconnected issues championed in this article are;  

Place - individual agency v's collective endeavour

Time - how should it be allocated / measured ?

Social Health - how to maintain trust and productivity whilst also protecting mental health.

 

Key takeaways - 

 

Interaction is an essential source of learning and essential ... especially true for successful brainstorming and intergenerational learning.

The office should feel like a university  (fully agree!) ... designed around creativity, collaboration and personal productivity.

Corporations should focus on creating a 'network of teams' .. and carefully balancing remote digital and in-person physical connections and time ....  80/20 rule ?

 

Will be fascinating to see how office time is allocated in the future .. the great reset ahead will reshape the meaning of work as we know it as well as our future work-life balance.

 

What do you think ?