LAURA REFLECTS ON MATERIAL SOURCE FORUM
26.09.24 I Laura McCrossan
I attended the Workplace Seminar at Material Source Manchester with the aim of understanding where both Aitken Turnbull and our industry stand on topics such as workspace, hybrid working, and how AI technology may (or may not) impact our operations moving forward. Listening to Andrew McMillan from the Government Property Agency and Keith Feeny from Hill Dickinson LLP, I realized that we are all in the same boat. Whether you’re a large business that was already ahead in terms of technology and hybrid working before COVID, or one that firmly believed in the traditional 9-to-5 office setup, it seems COVID has been the catalyst for levelling the playing field—whether we wanted it or not.
Key themes from the seminar included the dominant role of Teams in how we work, collaborate, and communicate online, and the ongoing debate around office politics, particularly regarding the logistics of meetings—how, where, and when to hold them. A significant takeaway from the event was the evolving use of workspace, which still needs to be communicated, discussed, and, in a sense, “taught” to us all. As humans, we’ve adapted well to working at desks, but what we need to learn is how to use space in ways that allow us to collaborate effectively, enjoy our work, and thrive in environments that support and motivate us.
