The Inspire Podcast

The New Realities of Remote Work Leaders need to Embrace with Wayne Berger

Written by Bart Egnal | May 29, 2023 3:30:00 PM

Description

What exactly is work today, and how should leaders manage and engage their teams in this unsettled new reality? In this episode of the Inspire Podcast Bart speaks with Wayne Berger, CEO of the Americas at IWG, the world's largest provider of flexible workspaces about these questions. Drawing on IWG's research, Wayne explains what the future of work looks like, why it's not the office but rather the commute workers want to avoid at all costs, and why being in the office can be a great thing if done right (hint: it's not about being on zoom).  Then he shares guidance for leaders who must reach, engage and motivate teams that are increasingly bound more by mission and culture than proximity. He wraps up with some longer-term thoughts on how these trends can not only lead to better workplaces but healthier cities. 

 

 

Show Notes

00:25 - Show intro

01:02 - Introducing Wayne and IWG

01:51 - Where they are recording

01:54 - We are neighbors

02:03 - Contrast in approach from Alan Richardson's interview

02:18 - What is IWG?

02:34 - World's largest provider of coworking spaces

03:38 - Record revenues

03:42 - 34 years in operation - 3.4 Billion

03:50 - Stats on remote work

04:12 - One long construction project

04:22 - Huge demand for their workspaces

04:57 - Different kinds of companies that use shared spaces

05:22 - What does the future of work look like - trends in the industry

05:47 - Big trends in the industry

06:38 - 82% of Fortune 500 clients use shared office space

07:03 - Looking to rationalize their real estate portfolio

07:37 - 90% of North American Workers demand flexibility

07:51 - Working from home is isolating

08:19 - Model the purpose of the day with the location

08:54 - What is real flexibility?

10:24 - Vacancy rates have gone up

10:38 - Leases and vacancies

11:30 - Fortune 500 companies using flexible workspaces

12:38 - Push/pull in the news headlines

13:20 - Fundamental shift in the workforce

13:26 - Coming soon - 75% of the workforce will be millennials and Gen Z

14:18 - All of my direct reports reside somewhere else

15:09 - Non-purposeful gatherings will diminish

15:28 - Bill Gates quote

15:58 - Bart summarizes trends

17:31 - Profitability is a huge cost

18:15 - Local hiring pool to global hiring pool

18:26 - Getting rid of the commute

18:44 - Environmental implications

19:16 - C-level position of: worker mobility!

19:44 - 15-min city concept

20:43 - Advice for leaders

21:34 - Invest in training on people managers to handle flexible workers

24:24 - What should people managers be able to do well?

24:41 - Align and communicate vision

25:49 - Support team members when you're not together?

26:25 - Find good gathering technology. For example, Microsoft Teams

29:28 - Replicate in-person with digital tools

35:51 - How to connect/find more

36:42 - Outro