Back when I was working for Wilkhahn, some makers of office furniture already offered "trolleys" that one could stuff with ones tools for the job. Forward looking companies would offer staff the possibility to just come in and pick a table wherever they felt like working that day. Sometimes one would need a quiet place, other days a view out the window inspires. (I left Wilkhahn in 2001, so this idea of hot desking and remote working is not an idea that the pandemic brought about).
I was recently asked if we still need an office. The short answer is "yes". And here are some thoughts about that.
Asian Trucker does a few different things. We need to store our magazines for a few days when they come out. Offering merchandise, we have to store that someplace too. Then there are assets such as the A-Boards and pull-up banners, backdrops and signage that we use all the time. As we are legally obliged to store company records for several years, those get parked there too. One could say that all that could be done in a self-storage. That is true. However, that also costs money. And if one needs something, then it needs to be coordinated. One thing good about an office: After an event on a weekend one just dumbs everything and tidies up on Monday.
Then there is the issue of internet access and scanners, copy machines (Photostat / Xerox by other names). Again, there are service providers or one can have a small 3-in-1 unit. Which means that everyone needing to print / scan would have to have one. And maintain it. During the lockdowns, I could not go to the office to scan documents. Using third parties proved to be a nightmare. Go there, park, drag myself through the entire mall: place closed, gone or machine broken. Repeat with next place.
Well, HELLO!!!! We got meetings. Often. Yes, you can have a virtual office and then have meetings there. Which you need to schedule and then pay for the space. And the coffee (most likely). If scheduling a meeting with multiple parties is not difficult enough, juggling the schedule of the meeting room on top makes things just much more fun. Deliveries are another aspect. If we receive something in the office, then it has just arrived. Receiving goodies in a virtual office still means a drive, parking, planning etc. Yes yes.. you CAN plan to just go once a week or so, but still. Recently we had a delivery that needed to be returned and after that received again.
Being the crafty operators we are, we also offer our space as advertising space. As seen in these pics. Not only does this give us context, but revenue. Looking good, the latest MAN wall feature has been photographed a dozen times already and it is a big hit among those that come to the office. There are some sponsored oil drums and other items that we use to promote brands (For a fee). I believe that an own office also adds to the credibility of a company. Having decorated it with content related to the business, it looks the part.
Lastly, and I am only going to touch upon this briefly: It is soooooooo much easier to get things done with colleagues when everyone is on one place instead of remote. Just shout over and done. No need to have a Zoom session scheduled to get the smallest things sorted.
I KNOW! that there are also many benefits that speak for working remotely. I have had a home office for the past 20 years and been talking to my parents using all sorts of "Apps" for more than 24. As I have just spent 70 minutes driving 16 Km in rush hour traffic on Thursday, I am with you. However, I think that overall, having an office is still awesome and it adds layer upon layer of possibilities.
Just having a coffeeeeeee. Sitting outside the office. As one would.
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