Book Review — The radically changing nature of WORK, WORKERS & WORKPLACES
The radically changing nature of WORK, WORKERS & WORKPLACES — Parthajeet Sarma
Publisher: Becomeshakespeare.com
Pages:110
Price: Rs. 149 INR(Paperback), Rs. 104 INR(Kindle Edition)
ISBN: 978–9387649972
Buy here: https://amzn.to/2RCqdX3
Humans are wired to follow the path of least resistance. If one doesn’t have to do something, he or she will not do it. Technology has enabled humans to work from coffee shops and from home, reducing the need to go to work. The very meaning of work has changed for modern day workers where the workplace is no more a physical space. The new workplace is a blended space of the physical and the digital.
The subconscious mind is like cruise control for humans and shapes behavior. The environment that one is in conditions the mind. At work, the workplace environment conditions quality of thinking. For organizations in a collaboration economy today, productivity depends on the quality of thinking, and not so much on efficiency. The blended workplace is the starting point of innovation for organizations that believe in innovation.
Parthajeet Sarma delves into psychology, human evolution and science to draw connections with greatly changed expectations from work. In his third book, Parthajeet espouses the need for management to get out of codified theories. This facilitates a macro view, leading to a radical new meaning of work, workers and workplaces that is aligned with the organization’s vision for the future.
About the author
Parthajeet Sarma is a Chevening scholar(University of Oxford), award-winning innovator and entrepreneur. With over two decades of professional experience in design and management, he has been running a strategic consulting practice called iDream since 2003. He is a winner of The Economic Times ‘Power of Ideas’ 2012, Sankalp awards for social innovation and others. He has been featured across various electronic and print media including CNBC TV-18’s ‘Young Turks’.
My take on this book
If you have walked into a new age start up or technology company and wondered about the office setup, this is the book to turn to as it gives great insight into what goes into modern workplace design.
The book explains how office space can influence its workers productivity, help in innovation and in working better. While the basic idea of work space improving workers efficiency sounds ambitious, the author with his vast experience in business transformation explains how this can be brought to reality.
The book is divided into three parts — Part1 briefing the changing nature of work and Part2 — why it is important for workspaces to change inline and Part3 — how this change can be implemented seamlessly.
The author explains the evolution of work places over the years and how factories and rows of workstations gave way to workers working from even coffee shops. The author provides examples and case studies that support the new age design changes in workplaces. The book also explains how replacing conventional workplaces helped employees of various industries to indulge in innovative work, leaving the redundant tasks to machines.
The book further delves on how HR policies have been changing around the world, and what that means to workplace design. The book explains how the five senses are connected to worker productivity and how a workplace influences these indirectly impacting their performance. There are play areas, fitness stations, creative zones created in these new-age workplaces which boost worker’s health and entertainment.
The book in the final part explains on social and technology influencers and how they play a major role in workplace design. The author also proposes the tried-and-tested three step method comprising exploratory lab, concept development and design development and how organizations generally miss the first two steps, and hence falter in arriving at the best design for their workplace.
Overall, the book has good insights on the topic backed by scientific research. A must read for entrepreneurs, especially organizations which are looking forward to making their workplaces more engaging and attractive for their workers.
This book review is a part of “The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program and Blog Tours, for details log on to http://www.thereaderscosmos.com/"
My rating
4/5.