A topic that still surfaces regularly in conversations about work is the need or purpose of a dedicated
office space and how much time employees should spend working in person with colleagues. A
valuable perspective emerges when we ask a different question: What should the purpose of
working in person with colleagues be?

Through my work with various clients and their approaches to work—ranging from fully remote to
hybrid to full-time in the office—I’ve found it valuable to consider the purpose of co-located work in
order to answer the question of how much time we need to spend together. The key is to determine
the value that can only be derived, or is significantly enhanced, by working together in person. Often,
this reframing negates the need to fixate on the exact amount of time in the office.

Viewing the office as a thinking space

Offices or areas of work should be viewed as thinking spaces. Leaders who are strategic about
creating excellent thinking environments are on the right track to optimise not only employee
experience but also creative and deep-level problem-solving. A core question for leaders is: What do
people need to do really great thinking, and when does in-person contact support this?
We’re aware of the differences in thought processes between introverts and extraverts, and there are
often strong opinions on these differences. Both ways of thinking are valuable and should be
leveraged to complement one another for comprehensive solutions or innovations. Introverts excel at
deep, independent thinking but can risk inferior decision-making if they don’t share or test their ideas.
Extraverts thrive in sharing and stimulating ideas but can lose focus or over-discuss without making
decisions.

When team thinking sessions are intentionally designed to accommodate these differences,
contributions are optimised, and most people find the process valuable and necessary.

The role of in-person collaboration in building resilience

Another important aspect of in-person collaboration is its impact on individual resilience. A core driver
of personal resilience is connection. Our ability to build meaningful relationships and experience a
sense of belonging is crucial to optimising workspaces. People need to feel they belong, and in a
work context, being part of something bigger than oneself drives collective achievement.
While online meetings are highly effective for sharing information and even solving certain problems,
they often fall short in fostering deep, trusting relationships. Humans need physical interaction to
stimulate all their senses and engage the limbic system, which regulates our interactions and
experiences of others.

Leaders who thoughtfully design in-person team interactions and hone their skills in facilitating
relationships benefit from teams that are more resilient and positively engaged with their colleagues.
This in turn increases the value and satisfaction of co-located time.

Answering the office time question

Defining the ideal model for your team and organisation will involve considering many factors.
However, focusing on the two aspects shared here—creating excellent thinking spaces and fostering
connection—will guide you to a more appropriate answer to the question: “How much time should we
be in the office together?” It will also help optimise the time spent co-located.
I invite you to share your thoughts and successes. What has been working well for your team?
Feel free to contact me to define a co-located strategy and rhythms tailored for your team.

Remember: Work significantly!
Wickus