What Mindset Is Needed To Create Dynamic Workplaces for a #WFA World?

Sep 4, 2021

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Darren Graver, Global Workplace Lead at Wise, joins Bold Founder Caleb Parker, to share how his team has recently repurposed their offices for post-pandemic working. We learn about Wise’s flexible working policy, and why companies should embrace working from anywhere, including some tips for those leaning in this direction.

We also hear why Darren still believes in the workplace, but how he expects work from anywhere to impact corporate real estate portfolios.

Darren gives us a peek inside his mindset for creating dynamic workplaces, including his "scientific process" as well as what tech is needed to get it right.

Connect with Darren Graver on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-graver/

Connect with Caleb Parker on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/

If you have any questions or feedback on this episode, email podcast@workbold.co

Value Bombs

80% of our employees want to come into the office zero to three days a week – Darren Graver
I call it “workplace without borders” – Darren Graver
Since launching our hybrid working model in November last year, we've seen over 21,800 remote working days of employees working from anywhere in the world outside of their home office country – Darren Graver
Many of our employees are living in countries where their families aren't based and allowing them to work from anywhere means they can go home and spend really valuable time with family members – Darren Graver
Workplace without borders, letting people work anywhere and empowering your people is a massive cultural shift – Caleb Parker
We work with a philosophy of autonomous teams. So we empower our teams to make decisions, we empower them to decide what problems to solve – Darren Graver
When you are younger member of staff living in larger cities, actually having access to space at home can be quite difficult – Darren Graver
Every organization is at different maturity levels, is at different places in its growth. What's right for a start-up is going to be very different to what's right for a publicly listed company – Darren Graver
We need to be changing the way we think about the workplace and putting the customer at the centre of the universe – Caleb Parker
We need to be able to be comfortable with that mentality of failing fast and learning from those mistakes, and then adjusting and going again – Darren Graver
I'm really excited about how you can use technology and modular furniture solutions to create this demand-lead space. I think that's the future - Darren Graver
In terms of proper hardware for supporting dynamic workplaces, I think sensors are really the future here – Darren Graver
What happens if some people don't want to work from home? And my answer is, talk to your people, talk to your employees, ask them questions – Caleb Parker
When we think about space needs, I think it's just about reshaping the spaces that teams have within the building – Darren Graver
I read this stat that we are adding the equivalent of New York City to the planet every 34 days – Darren Graver

In terms of landlords and looking at it more holistically from a real estate perspective, I do think we'll see more like amenity rich offerings without doubt – Darren Graver

Resources

Why we introduced a hybrid model of flexible working at Wise
Ed Catmull’s book that Darren references, “Creativity Inc: Overcoming Unseen Inspiration”

Shout Outs

About Darren Graver

https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-graver/

Darren Graver is Global Workplace Lead at Wise, a publicly held fintech company listed on the London Stock Exchange (formerly TransferWise). Since their founding in 2011, The London based fintech company is a fast growing customer for the office industry. Darren is responsible for designing and executing the company's global workplace strategy across 21 offices. On a day-to-day basis, Darren incorporates industry-leading practices including the design of future workplace environments, introduction of workplace technology, programme and change management.

Prior to his role at Wise, Darren managed the end to end real estate process for global life sciences company, Abcam, while executing on their global corporate real estate strategy to support organic and acquisition growth. Darren is regularly engaged in the future of work conversation and recently reopened the 6th floor of the Wise #london office following a full refurbishment that focused on inclusivity, ergonomics, sustainability, wellbeing and flexibility

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