The future of work[space]

Tom Davenport is spot on, with this post:

Here’s a next big thing: companies will need to redesign their workplaces to better fit the needs of knowledge workers. The idea that we should spend our workdays in boring cubicles — either in big downtown buildings or suburban office parks — is increasingly out of kilter with the way people actually work and how they want to spend their lives. It doesn’t take into account our needs and abilities involving mobility, social networking, stimulation, and fun. I’ll bet that the best knowledge workers will be seeking out companies with workplaces that offer more to them.

Anyone who reads my blog knows how passionate I am on this topic and over the years me and my teams have done lots of experiments in workspace design that have proved just how much untapped business and personal improvement is available for companies willing to innovate and allow their teams to design their own working environments.  Tom points to a good case study that seems to address at least the first tier benefits:

Of course, companies frequently undertake initiatives involving new work environments, but none is as visionary, well-planned, and well-executed as Capital One’s “Future of Work” (FOW) program. This program was implemented on a pilot (but substantial) basis in the company’s Richmond and McLean, VA, campuses. The FOW program combines a variety of different office environments with a strong emphasis on mobility and mobile technologies. There are quiet sites, coffee bars, team rooms, and accommodations for working at home. The program has already yielded substantial increases in employee satisfaction and self-rated productivity, and Capital One has lowered its costs at the same time