I’m firmly committed to the view that the coronavirus pandemic has permanently changed the way we relate to one another and connect with one another.  To reflect on my own business experience, if I may.  We grew from an office at the back of my garage to offices in two cities in the north of England, one in Hull and another in Leeds and plans for expansion based on physical presence in localities.  As with so many businesses, Lockdown came along and whilst we’ve retained our offices, I’m back working in the office at the back of my garage and seem to spend my days in perpetual Zoom meetings.   I know very many people have similar experiences to my own, but often without the benefit of a dedicated office.  For example, my own son now works from home, in his case juggling the home schooling of three children and a busy household with the requirement to work from his sitting room.  Someone I know of went on maternity leave before lockdown and has just returned but instead of going to the office works from home and juggling childcare.  Our business insurance broker managed work from home, whilst home-schooling three growing children.  I’m certain so many people could list many an example of folks balancing the demands of work, home and family.  They might also speak of isolation, the challenges of increased pressures on their mental health.  It’s certain, the list could go on.

So, let me offer you something to help out?

 I began talking about the increase in remote working back in 2013.  Back then I was encouraging people to consider emerging technologies that would support people to connect with one another and through which their development might be resourced and their increased performance enabled.  Back then, we worked with colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University on a vision for simple, gamified and graphics-based resources that could be accessed from anywhere on a mobile phone or, in fact any web-enabled device.  Roll on seven years or so and these resources have been developed, even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that has changed all our lives and forced remote working is becoming commonplace.  Whilst coronavirus has changed our world, we are now able to offer the resources we began planning all those years ago.  Briefly, this is what we’ve created.

 In simple, graphics-based tools on a mobile phone, you are able to set up workspaces to connect people in teams and as individuals.  You can set performance or development-based activities; you can cheaply and efficiently deliver all kinds of learning and development resources directly to your people’s devices; you can evaluate the impact of learning and development through our unique questioning tools and you can assess their impact on performance.

 We maintain that what has been created puts into the hands of businesses, tools that connect people to each other and to their performance in a single, simple, accessible environment.  We are offering any business 28 days FREE use on the tools.  You just need to click this link to find out more: https://tinyurl.com/y2unpspv  I’d love you to get hold of our SPICE Tools as a practical gift to support you in these challenging times.  Let me also say a little more about the way I think work and working practices will emerge.

As I’ve already made clear, I first started talking about the development of remote working back in 2013.  Back then my reflections were built upon twenty or so years experience working on a range of projects to promote sustainable innovation and business development.  So hopefully in what I am about to say, I am building on sure foundations. 

 I’ve recently written a proposal for a new form of business environment based on an integration of our SPICE Tools with the reinvention of spaces to meet and work based on networks made up a combination of locations close to where people live and close to key transport infrastructure.  To expand on this:

·      Many of the changes we are seeing through the growth of remote working will become permanent parts of working practice.  I think this is now widely accepted.

·      I think we will also see the emergence of new forms of business meeting space developed close to where people live, perhaps re-purposing existing buildings in communities and equipping them with best possible connectivity.

·      I think we will also see the refinement and development of business meeting spaces adjacent to the transport infrastructure (especially public transport), again with the best possible connectivity.

So why might we need these meeting spaces, if remote working becomes the norm?  I think there are three reasons.

·      Where remote working becomes the norm (it will for many), there will be a need for tools to connect people to performance, for which our SPICE Tools are ideal.  With the best will in the world the fibre/broadband infrastructure is simply not up to the task of completely servicing the needs of a remote workforce.

·      Aside from the changes brought about by coronavirus, there were already pressures to increase remote working practices arising from environmental factors such as the need to reduce a business’s carbon footprint caused by travel, reduce traveling time and reduce office occupancy generally.  However there is still a need to develop work as a social environment, allowing colleagues to meet and connect.  I think localised community-based environments are one potential contribution to this.

·    And finally, the increase in remote working and the drive to reduce travel time, carbon footprint, etc, will lead to an increase in the requirement for carefully managed business lounge and hot desking space that is flexible in its terms of use and accessible close to major transport infrastructure.

 It is my own view that what ties all three together is a need to connect people.  This has always been at the heart of the SPICE Framework and the SPICE Tools we have created.   We’ve wanted to create a resource any business could make use of from anywhere that would enable people to be connected and that would enabled businesses to assess their return on investment from people, simple and efficiently.

 I hope very much that you will want to access our gift of the use of the SPICE Tools.  You might also like to refer to these sites to promote your own thinking about the future of work.

·       www.spiceframework.com

·       https://sirolli.com

·       https://www.iwi.center

·       https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/smart-and-competitive-rural-areas/smart-villages/smart-villages-portal_en

·       https://www.smartvillage.scot

·       https://www.smart-village-network.eu

·       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful

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Written by Michael Croft

January 28, 2021