IDEO’s CEO, Sandy Speicher, Asks: What Is an Office Even For Now?

Marketers are increasingly voicing concerns over ineffective advertising spending, coining the term "bullspend" to describe campaigns that generate impressive metrics like impressions but fail to drive actual revenue. This discussion highlights the need for businesses to focus on tangible outcomes rather than superficial metrics, with LinkedIn being cited as a platform that delivers high returns on ad spend.

Sandy Spiker, CEO of IDEO, emphasizes the importance of design thinking in shaping the future of work environments. She discusses how the physical office is evolving, with a shift towards creating spaces that foster collaboration and innovation rather than merely serving as places for routine tasks. Spiker notes that the pandemic has prompted a reevaluation of workplace dynamics, leading to increased experimentation with hybrid work models that prioritize meaningful interactions over traditional attendance.

The conversation also touches on the role of empathy in leadership, urging leaders to listen to the needs of their teams and adapt workplace policies accordingly. Spiker advocates for a flexible approach to work that accommodates diverse employee preferences, suggesting that the future of work will involve a variety of environments designed for specific purposes, from collaborative spaces to individual workstations.

Finally, Spiker reflects on the concept of disequilibrium in learning and innovation, arguing that discomfort can lead to growth and new understanding. She believes that the ongoing changes in workplace culture and societal expectations present an opportunity for businesses to rethink their roles in addressing social issues, fostering inclusivity, and creating environments that support both individual agency and collective well-being.

IDEO’s CEO, Sandy Speicher, Asks: What Is an Office Even For Now?Uploaded 15-12-2115 Dec 2021---Speicher explains how design thinking can help guide us to new ways of collaborating as we rethink work and the workplace in a post-Covid world.This interview part of a series called “The New World of Work,” which explores how top-tier executives see the future and how their companies are trying to set themselves up for success. Each week, Adi will interview a leader on LinkedIn Live — and then share an inside look at those conversations and solicit questions for future discussions in a newsletter just for HBR subscribers. If you’re a subscriber, you can sign up for the newsletter here: https://hbr.org/my-library/preferences?movetile=newworldofwork.Follow us:https://hbr.org/https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/https://www.facebook.com/HBR/https://twitter.com/HarvardBizhttps://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_reviewSign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters#HarvardBusinessReview #FutureofWork #SandySpeicher Copyright © 2021 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices