Forget Everything You Know About Castles
Picture a castle – a stronghold with towering walls, a deep moat, and a formidable drawbridge. Now, let your imagination wander. What if we removed the moat and replaced it with a garden? Transformed the tower from stone built to curved glazing, containing a unique house in each corner? Would you still be able to call it a castle? How would it be perceived ? It’s no longer conceptually a castle. How many parts of the castle can you remove or change so that it can still be called a castle. This exercise isn't just fanciful thinking; it's an exploration of change and perception.
REIMAGINING OUR WORKSPACES
Similarly, envision our traditional approach to office spaces. What if we cleared out the desks, replacing them with mobile bar height units on wheels with chairs and stools attached to them, powered by batteries, connected to Wifi ? What if you eliminated meeting rooms for adaptable sized, tensile pods, suspended off the ground, allowing us to meet and collaborate up high, with no glass enclosing us. Or if you removed the kitchen or tea point, replacing it with a gym ? Would we still call it an office, or would it morph into something unrecognizable? Such transformations could initially sow confusion as the orthodoxy of the space and traditional routines are challenged. Physical change can create opportunities through changing this orthodoxy and in doing so will challenge the way you work, opening the doors to genuine innovation and adaptability.
THE ACCELERATING PACE OF CHANGE
Our world is changing rapidly, accelerated by AI and a deeper understanding of working patterns. The emphasis on wellness, flexibility, and employee-centric approaches is reshaping our workplaces. No longer are they mere offices; they're evolving into spaces that hardly resemble their predecessors, a place where the employee is at the forefront, inclusivity is key, and a sense of being heard is paramount.
THE BARLESS PUB: A PLACE OF DISCOMFORT AND ADAPTATION
Now, imagine a pub without a bar. Would you know what to do upon entering? Would you feel lost, or perhaps even leave? It would create a scenario that could be particularly disconcerting for individuals who are neurodiverse, introverted, or extroverted. Now imagine you must go to this disorienting pub each day where it changes every time you enter, until you learn the new way of buying yourself a drink. For some, change is exciting, liberating and full of opportunities, for others, change can be threatening, challenging and simply hard work.
MANAGING CHANGE IN OUR CASTLES
As we reimagine our castles, pubs and offices, it's crucial to consider the impact of these changes on each individual, from a day to day, practical, subjective, empathetic perspective. Transformation can be exciting, but without proper change management, it can lead to chaos. Managing change effectively involves:
Engaging with Your Team: Have conversations with your employees. Understand their concerns, what they would like to change, what they think works and doesn’t work.
Transparent Communication: Keep everyone informed about the upcoming changes. Clarity can significantly reduce anxiety and confusion.
Feedback and Adaptation: After the transition, actively seek feedback but only action any changes until the honeymoon period is over, usually around 6 months. It's essential to understand how the new space works for everyone as they get used to the new environments then make adjustments based on this feedback.
Guidance and Support: Provide clear guidance on how to navigate and make the best use of the new workspace. Welcome packs, orientation sessions, and reminders can be invaluable.
EMBRACING CHANGE WITH THOUGHTFULNESS
The journey from traditional castles and offices to these reimagined spaces is not just about physical transformation. It's about redefining our understanding of these environments and ensuring that the path of change is navigated thoughtfully and inclusively. By engaging with and supporting our teams, we can turn these new, uncharted territories into spaces of creativity, comfort, and growth.