The Workplace You Need Now. Sanjay Rishi

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PREFACE

      From climate change to the COVID-19 pandemic, crises, and mass disruption – the likes of which we have experienced in past eras – we have seen devastating and yet fundamentally transformative consequences emerge. Across history, crises have catalyzed innovation and business model transformation, and have been followed by a sense of optimism. The idea for this book first emerged just as the world had been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic and hopes of a quick recovery had been lost. For months, humanity reeled with uncertainty, fears, grief, and loss, and socioeconomic challenges that, combined, more closely resembled a gripping science fiction movie than real life. From dining with friends or cheering at a baseball game to taking a child to school and heading to the office, normalcy was displaced.

      In the aftermath of all that despair, however, optimism, innovation, and an acceleration of lasting changes have emerged. CEOs of world-leading organizations have been on the news talking about their workplaces. The evolution of work – a perpetual journey – has become front and center as organizations begin to reconcile priorities of collaboration and culture with the learnings and implications of mass remote working. The idea of “workplace” as we knew it has undergone unprecedented and unplanned transformation.

Traditionally, of course, the office has had a central role in the business of work. “Going to work” meant going to a downtown high-rise office building or a suburban corporate campus, not your guest bedroom or kitchen table or, if you are fortunate, an actual home office. The pandemic shattered these conventional views of work and the office, and upended many other societal norms along the way.

      Employee expectations shifted significantly during the pandemic, as many continued to be just as productive from home as in the office – and they didn’t miss the commute. Many organizations are now shifting their expectations, examining their workplaces and real estate portfolios as they ponder the evolving purpose their workplaces should serve.

      The value of the workplace is being redefined, with the recognition that brand, talent, culture, and creativity are inherently intertwined. Enterprises large and small, public and private, along with communities, are assessing whether the current shifts we are seeing in how people live and work are cyclical or structural. Consumers are adopting new lifestyles and rethinking their value systems. Health and safety, social justice, and environmental impact are at the top of the agenda for many workers and, likewise, for many employees, customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. And yet, at the same time, there is broad recognition that offices and workplaces are at the heart of organizational culture, creativity, and talent attraction – fundamental keys to individual and organizational success.

      The opportunity to write a book about this pivotal moment was too compelling an opportunity to pass up. Across diverse cultures and societies, work and workplace are evolving through multiple dimensions. The best thing I did was to enlist my colleagues Ben Breslau and Peter Miscovich – both prolific thinkers, researchers, and writers in their own right. To no one’s surprise, the response was an immediate and enthusiastic yes. Over many months, through holidays and long weekends, they juggled work, home, and family priorities, yet nonetheless were able to devote precious time to this endeavor.

Our understanding of what constitutes a workplace has been fundamentally redefined as it becomes increasingly clear that work is not a place you go to but something you do – a phrase you will encounter again.

      In our daily work lives, we collaborate every day with organizations that are pioneering new approaches to their workplaces, buildings, and real estate portfolios. These owners, occupiers, and operators of corporate real estate represent a rich repository of experiences and knowledge that we have drawn from throughout the book. We were fortunate – and grateful – for the unanimous support we received from our clients so willing to share their workplace innovation stories.

      In the pages ahead, we seek to navigate these combined experiences to provide a window into the probable and a glimpse into the possible – personal, responsible, and experiential workplace for the future of work. We hope you find the book thought-provoking and worthy of sparking debate. Most important, we trust you will uncover trends and ideas to inspire the future of work and workplace in your organization and in your personal lives.

      Sanjay Rishi