Every organization needs the right balance of caves and commons. What that precise balance is depends on what the organization’s particular goals and challenges are, and more granularly, what the immediate situation of a work team is. —Leigh Thompson, Harvard Business Review
This week, the TalentCulture community took on “The Office ” as our primary topic. No, we didn’t talk about today’s finale of the long-running TV show. Instead, we focused on real-world workspace — what our physical environment means to us, how it influences our mood and behavior, and the role it plays in our creativity and productivity as individuals, teams and organizations. (
Special Guests: Workspace Wizards
Perhaps no other company understands the concept of workspace better than Steelcase. That’s why we invited experts from that company to share their insights at this week’s #TChat events . If you think of Steelcase as a file cabinet manufacturer, think again. It’s now a global leader in design and furnishings for business, healthcare and education markets. I’m familiar with Steelcase from its work with schools. Just as office space shapes business behavior, classroom configuration has an impact on student learning.
This brief video of the Steelcase “Learning Lab” is a great way to see how Steelcase views workspace:
VIDEO
Key Takeaway: “Place” Matters
Yesterday’s #TChat Twitter conversation was the live-action conclusion to our deep dive into workspace issues and ideas. We seemed to agree on one key point: These days, “workspace” is often determined by our location at any given moment. Many of us are in constant motion, and we take our work along for the ride — for better or worse. That means flexibility and choice are essential.
But all of us have a primary spot that we call “ours” — even if it’s in a bedroom corner. So, throughout the Twitter chat, many participants (including me ) shared pictures of our workspace, or our vision of the ideal setting. Not surprisingly, those images are as diverse as the hundreds of #TChat participants who join us each week! One of my favorites is the Pons Huot Office , shared by Katja Matosevic . (Check out the #TChat Highlights Slideshow below for more, or look at this Forbes gallery of 10 Cool Office Spaces .)
#TChat Week-in-Review
SAT 5/11
Sneak Peek: Organizational Pyschologist and #TChat Ambassador, Dr. Marla Gottschalk , helped us frame the week’s theme in her TalentCulture blog post, “Your Workspace: How’s It Working For You?”
SUN 5/12
Forbes.com Post: TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro identified “5 Habits Of Leaders Who Create Workspace Culture” in her weekly Forbes column.
MON 5/13
Listen to the #TChat Radio recording now #TChat Preview: Our community manager, Tim McDonald , posted a detailed the week’s theme and key questions in a preview post: “If These Workspace Walls Could Talk.”
TUE 5/14
#TChat Radio :Steelcase , offered fascinating perspectives about the human psychological and physical factors that influence workspace design. In particular, she focused on the importance of choice in satisfying diverse preferences and multiple work modes.
WED 5/15
Related Post: Sourcing specialist and #TChat Ambassador, Ashley Lauren Pere , offered another spin on workspace design — specifically its role in supporting talent acquisition and retention. Read her post, “Employer Brands: Big-Company Ideas for the Rest of Us.”
#TChat Twitter:
#TChat Twitter Highlights Slideshow: “If These Workspace Walls Could Talk”
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Closing Notes & What’s Ahead
SPECIAL THANKS: Again, thanks to Chris Congdon and Steelcase for sharing your perspectives on workspace design and organizational culture. It feels like this discussion has only just begun!
NOTE TO BLOGGERS : Did this week’s events prompt you to write about workspace issues? We’re happy to share your thoughts. Just post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture ), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.
WHAT’S AHEAD : Next week — reward yourself! Join us for events focused on recognition and employee engagement, with special guests, Stan Phelps founder of 9 Inch Marketing , and S. Max Brown, Principal of Leadership Directives at Rideau Recognition Management Institute .
Until then, as always, the World of Work conversation continues each day. So join us on the #TChat Twitter stream, or on our new LinkedIn discussion group. And feel free to explore other areas of our redesigned website. The lights are always on at TalentCulture, and your ideas and opinions are always welcome.
We’ll see you on the stream!
Photo: Thanks to Tom Bolt for the Einstein inspiration
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