Is the office dead? Quite the opposite - here's why

Cheltenham-based MSP Bamboo Technology recently moved into a new 9,500 sq ft HQ a stone's throw away from GCHQ, doubling its previous capacity. CEO Lorrin White explains why it opted to double down despite the pandemic

In October 2020 Bloomberg reported that over 50 per cent of large organisations were shrinking their offices. In complete contrast The Times reported in November 2020 that technology companies were expanding their offices in Britain.

For those that look to current affairs or big business for direction, I wonder, who do you listen to when deciding the right next step? Is big business backing office working for the future or not?

And, perhaps a more pertinent question is, should tech SMEs and their channel partners follow suit, or should they take this opportunity to differentiate and carve out their own futures?

As those large tech firms took to PR last year to announce their extended home working policies or remote worker options with statements like ‘employees can work from home forever' it was all too easy to take that as an indicator of imminent and radical change in the industry.

I did not and still do not see it like this at all. Moreover, by an unexpected opportunity to test the fortitude of mass home working, big tech firms are playing both sides of the coin. They are embracing the benefits that home working and a blended working approach brings to individuals for now and investing in the opportunity to shape the future of our office spaces for future talent acquisition and growth.

I did not see any company announce a huge shift in the culture of their business, which I believe a wholly office-less operation would inevitably encounter. I also failed to identify any companies ditching incubation, collaboration and workshop hubs that have been endorsed as the way forward for the last decade.

So, why when I mention that we at Bamboo Technology Group chose to double down on our office space, is it such a surprise to many?

Who knows! However, I can tell you that our decision is one of absolute clarity. We made the decision to invest in our lovingly crafted culture before the pandemic hit and we stood firm on that decision, even when challenged. When we heard many others wavering, we again stood strong. Why?

Perhaps it is the size of our company that makes the difference. The Bamboo team all know each other and whilst weekly online ‘lockdown' meetings for all provide a good flow of communications, they do not replace the added value achieved from personal interactions. Thus, flexible working options are the way forward. An inviting office for when it is needed and home working for when it is not.

And here is what makes it work - wanting to be in each other's company in the office and trust when you need or want to be at home. Yes, it is out there, we like being with each other and work well together!

Maybe that is not so easy to say when you have a workforce of hundreds or thousands, but something is making large tech firms invest in, and not cull their office spaces - and I would put money on it being that digital-only business is not sustainable if you want to have a happy, engaged, inclusive and productive workforce.

I have been through the ranks of the business and always seen it as part of my job to make working at and for Bamboo enjoyable. Technology is what we do, not who we are.

Technology provides us with the option to go fully digital, but it is only one of many options.

We are in the business of offering better experiences for people, by virtue of the technology we provide and not replacing those experiences wholly with technology.

Personal interactions matter and the pandemic has reminded us of how important that is.

There is no easier way to understand what people mean by "better", than sitting in a room with them, listening, talking, and watching their physical and emotional reactions. The nuances of a person's body language in response to a debated query, the ability to see a foot tapping under the table, a hand tremor, or a flush of pride. We all need to see these things and many of us want to express them in physical company.

In addition to being able to truly learn about the person in front of you, the benefits of personal interactions to individuals and team are, in my opinion, clear.

• Inclusivity
• Mental health
• Physical health
• On the spot learning
• Authenticity
• Presence

And when 90 per cent of your team consistently tell you they want to have a workplace to come to some of the time, the office cannot be dead.

I believe that inclusiveness, trust, acknowledgement, and appreciation form the basis of a sense of belonging. As we continue to shape a culture that drives thought leadership, ambition, ownership, accountability, innovation, and a sense of enabling self and others to progress we need to be present with like-minded people.

You do not have to look far to find young digital-native business leaders choosing that road too. Their businesses that have been borne out of the very technology we provide, are recognising the need for and investing in ‘a place to go to work'. They are not opting for home-based employment on a full-time basis as they are fully recognising the need for interaction and options. If I am going to take my lead from anyone, I would prefer to watch them for indications of radical change.

Lorrin White is CEO of Bamboo Technology