An idea for the Time being or an Idea whose time has come?
Hardly a conversation these days goes by without referencing the 'new
normal’ and some mandatory crystal ball gazing on the ‘post corona world’. Combined,
these two terms had more than 3 million mentions on social media over last
month of Lockdown. Thomas Friedman has even given the new time acronyms
AC for ‘After corona’ and BC ‘Before Corona’. Indeed, it is an epochal event
that is expected to exponentially accelerate the changes that were already
underway, and might even bring some more. Among the most talked about subject
of change is the future of work. Ever since the offices were shut across the
world, employee homes have doubled up as the bastions of the businesses,
resolutely holding the fort laid besieged by a tiny organism. Until now,
remote working was always a half measure HR practice, largely followed by
IT & ITeS. Despite occasional affirmative nods from Senior Executives in PR
articles, it was never committed to whole-heartedly. Cut to the lockdown
and it suddenly became the only possible way to work for a vast majority of
global workforce, turning it into a global experiment of sorts on remote
working. And the results so far are quite exciting. Buoyed by its success,
organizations like TCS are planning mandatory Work from Home for 75% of
workforce by 2024, whilst Twitter is planning to allow its employees to Work
remotely forever.
Internet is inundated with WFH memes. It is the new proverbial Poster boy of Pop Culture and darling of tech fraternity.
An early infatuation or a long term alliance?
Yet to go through the test of time, it would be too early to declare this sudden build –up of Romance with remote working as a sign of strong bond
The early signs are encouraging for codified Jobs, set upon the linear processes, with streamlined individual deliverables. But same may not be true of many other disciplines. For instance, advertising, It has its own distinct pace and process. Creative ideas are at the heart of our work. They feed on the unexpected, the unusual, everyday randomness of life. Ideas may be discussed in the boardrooms but are more often than not conceived in a different place and time. Borne out of the experiences and emotions of the creative beings, creative ideas have a life that thrives on social experiences, exchanges and interactions. An idea grows through the Countless debates around the Coffee Machines (avoiding the mention of smoke breaks); leisurely Observations of a busy street, hushed conversations overheard on metro ride to office, Story of a cab driver on a ride to a meeting; random anecdote from a colleague, a Joke; a gossip , a wink, and even an argument. Office is not just a physical workspace but along with the external world it provides a much needed stimulus for creative work. It lays the foundation of imagination
World is a canvas
The word creative may conjure up the romantic image of carelessly attired genius with long tresses perched on a quite corner of a dimly lit room with a ciggerrate in one hand a pen on another. But in reality, the creative mind is constantly travelling outside for inspiration. This journey traverses through the labyrinth of own past experiences Working from Home can deprive the Creative mind of that stimulus. It may deprive the creative folks of those unexpected encounters, unusual observations, the extraordinariness of an ordinary day. It may keep them from the variety and colour of everyday life. It may starve the fertile creative mind off the rich Fodder of ideas.
Work from Home may be the need of the time, but should not be the new normal for the Future of creative industry. I hope its not an idea whose time has come!
Internet is inundated with WFH memes. It is the new proverbial Poster boy of Pop Culture and darling of tech fraternity.
An early infatuation or a long term alliance?
Yet to go through the test of time, it would be too early to declare this sudden build –up of Romance with remote working as a sign of strong bond
The early signs are encouraging for codified Jobs, set upon the linear processes, with streamlined individual deliverables. But same may not be true of many other disciplines. For instance, advertising, It has its own distinct pace and process. Creative ideas are at the heart of our work. They feed on the unexpected, the unusual, everyday randomness of life. Ideas may be discussed in the boardrooms but are more often than not conceived in a different place and time. Borne out of the experiences and emotions of the creative beings, creative ideas have a life that thrives on social experiences, exchanges and interactions. An idea grows through the Countless debates around the Coffee Machines (avoiding the mention of smoke breaks); leisurely Observations of a busy street, hushed conversations overheard on metro ride to office, Story of a cab driver on a ride to a meeting; random anecdote from a colleague, a Joke; a gossip , a wink, and even an argument. Office is not just a physical workspace but along with the external world it provides a much needed stimulus for creative work. It lays the foundation of imagination
World is a canvas
The word creative may conjure up the romantic image of carelessly attired genius with long tresses perched on a quite corner of a dimly lit room with a ciggerrate in one hand a pen on another. But in reality, the creative mind is constantly travelling outside for inspiration. This journey traverses through the labyrinth of own past experiences Working from Home can deprive the Creative mind of that stimulus. It may deprive the creative folks of those unexpected encounters, unusual observations, the extraordinariness of an ordinary day. It may keep them from the variety and colour of everyday life. It may starve the fertile creative mind off the rich Fodder of ideas.
Work from Home may be the need of the time, but should not be the new normal for the Future of creative industry. I hope its not an idea whose time has come!
