And now the time has come to analyze my current working environment. The social media features (or even buzzier: Web 2.0 features) are throughly present where I work. We have company wiki's, company blogs, IM (Jabber) routines, feeds are partly shared among employees, and connections via social network sites are well-established.
With all the focus on the virtual presence in my working environment, I have somewhat forgotten my physical surroundings.
This is where I work, more specifically my work bench (Friday 18pm, Berlin):
This is my work bench again, set in the context of the room:
The slogan from a Swedish crispbread commercial comes to mind: "You are what you eat"
You are where you work?
What impact does an Enterprise 2.0 business have on the physical working environment?
With all people connected digitally, have the physical sphere been down-graded?
Holm Friebe writes in his book 'We call it work' (Wir nennen es Arbeit) about the Digital Boheme. The current reality of loose organizations of people connected to a shared goal, however, they are working towards it at uneven hours, spatially dis-connected.
That makes me think of B-Productive. An organization that certifies companies which allows for dynamic working hours, to accommodate B-persons, as well as A-persons, believing we are productive at different times during the 24 h cycle.
And with the emergence of web 2.0 technology there is no longer a direct need to be present at a desk between 9 and 5. The importance lies in defining concrete goals, delivering on time & sticking to dead lines. The definite connection between space/place and an organization, be it a business, an agency or association, has weakened to the point of being non-existing.
Back to my work bench.
And its features: Rather minimalistic, non-organic, open, quiet.
How does it inspire me?
What associations do you get?
What do you need to be present around you, to do the best possible work?
//M/E
