This is a most timely book. If there was ever a time to radically rethink what we use the office for, it is right now. Many of those employees for whom the office was so central to their working lives haven’t now been near one for months, and current forecasts indicate that there are many months of homeworking to come. This of course brings with it a multitude of potential implications – as well as opportunities for the open minded organisation.

Although the majority of this book was written before the global pandemic it poses the key questions that HR professionals and leaders need to ask today when considering the future of their workplaces and work spaces. The book highlights the challenges of the traditional office and the way we use it, calling out how it has failed to adapt with changing working practices and employee preferences.  It also provides a comprehensive argument for change, not just as a result of the pandemic but to also reflect the now and future of work. As well as being grounded in evidence and research, there is also plenty of useful, practical information from case studies to actions and suggestions for a changed approach. There is a real blue –print for what the author describes as harnessing ‘the power of people and place’.  There will be many organisations who are currently thinking about their future across many dimensions – for those who have recognised they can come back differently but still work effectively, this book is highly recommended.  It will support both big picture thinking and working out the detail. 

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing

Gemma Dale, Founder, The Work Consultancy