Reports of the death of the office have been greatly exaggerated

So much has been written about how the pandemic is going to see the death of the office.  Office space is, after all, one of the biggest expenses of any business. Surely, the move to mass home working means that businesses no longer need these large, expensive offices?  But, this is unlikely to be the case.  The office has been written off before and come back stronger than ever. The same looks like its being repeated now. 

If Google, a company more than capable of utilising technology to avoid the use of offices, is again signalling its commitment to bricks and mortar, then it is clear that the traditional office is still needed. What will almost certainly change though is how those offices are used. There will no longer be the need to traipse into the office if all you are going to do is work quietly at your allocated desk. However, the office will still be important for that sense of community, for collective problem solving, for collaborative working, for mentoring and inspiring and a whole raft of other things. 

There is plenty of life left in the office block!