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5 ancient orthodoxies that still shape the way we work today

Alain Thys
Alain Thys

Ive always been fascinated by orthodoxies. The things we take for granted without knowing where they come from. When I recently worked on a new office experience, they were a topic of daily conversation. So I compiled a few of the main ones we encountered in this mini-presentation. They're fun to know about, and I leave it up to you to decide which ones are still valid today.

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際際滷 for more www.alainthys.com @alainthys Ancient habits that still shape work today Do you know where your work practices come from?
Many of the work practices we take for granted date back centuries As we prepare for the next normal, we need to check if they still make sense. The first step in this process is to understand their origins. Heres five to get you started. You can draw your own conclusions. www.alainthys.com @alainthys
www.alainthys.com @alainthys Contrary to popular belief, the 8 hour work day is a lot older than the Industrial Revolution. It dates back to 1593, when Philip II of Spain wanted to ensure the health and conservation of his workers. There were even provisions for some flex-work and dangerous professions. Thank you Spain! Where does the 8 hours work day come from? ORIGIN STORY #1
The Romans already had a version of them. But things only got serious in 1726, when the Royal Navy needed a place to handle its growing amount of paperwork. They created a dedicated building which you can still find in London today. Where do office buildings come from? ORIGIN STORY #2 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
In the early 20th century, Taylorism saw this as a way to maximise productivity for repetitive desk work. It also made it easier for managers - often sitting on a raised platform to keep an eye on workers. After all, when everyone sits in rows to do the same type of work, talkers and slackers are easy to spot. Why are open plan desks placed in rows? ORIGIN STORY #3 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
To be fair, its inventor, Robert Prost, had good intentions. He wanted to give open plan workers some privacy and the chance to personalise their workspace. But then the corporate efficiency experts got carried away and tried to put ever more people in the same space. In Roberts words, they turned his invention into Barren, rat-hole places. Which genius created the cubicle? ORIGIN STORY #4 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
17th century traders and legal professionals occasionally had a separate office. But for most of human history, work happened at home. Things only changed when the industrial revolution brought factories and time-clocks. The tension between work and life became our new normal. We adapted, though we still struggle to make it work. Why do we separate work & life? ORIGIN STORY #5 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
Do you want to update your employee and/or office experience?. Then lets have a virtual coffee . Ill gladly show how we reimagined a landmark London office space and an intl employee experience for the 2022 reality. Perhaps it offers some inspiration. www.alainthys.com @alainthys Subscribe at: http://newsletter.alainthys.com www.customerfit.eu @customerfit

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5 ancient orthodoxies that still shape the way we work today

  • 1. 際際滷 for more www.alainthys.com @alainthys Ancient habits that still shape work today Do you know where your work practices come from?
  • 2. Many of the work practices we take for granted date back centuries As we prepare for the next normal, we need to check if they still make sense. The first step in this process is to understand their origins. Heres five to get you started. You can draw your own conclusions. www.alainthys.com @alainthys
  • 3. www.alainthys.com @alainthys Contrary to popular belief, the 8 hour work day is a lot older than the Industrial Revolution. It dates back to 1593, when Philip II of Spain wanted to ensure the health and conservation of his workers. There were even provisions for some flex-work and dangerous professions. Thank you Spain! Where does the 8 hours work day come from? ORIGIN STORY #1
  • 4. The Romans already had a version of them. But things only got serious in 1726, when the Royal Navy needed a place to handle its growing amount of paperwork. They created a dedicated building which you can still find in London today. Where do office buildings come from? ORIGIN STORY #2 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
  • 5. In the early 20th century, Taylorism saw this as a way to maximise productivity for repetitive desk work. It also made it easier for managers - often sitting on a raised platform to keep an eye on workers. After all, when everyone sits in rows to do the same type of work, talkers and slackers are easy to spot. Why are open plan desks placed in rows? ORIGIN STORY #3 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
  • 6. To be fair, its inventor, Robert Prost, had good intentions. He wanted to give open plan workers some privacy and the chance to personalise their workspace. But then the corporate efficiency experts got carried away and tried to put ever more people in the same space. In Roberts words, they turned his invention into Barren, rat-hole places. Which genius created the cubicle? ORIGIN STORY #4 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
  • 7. 17th century traders and legal professionals occasionally had a separate office. But for most of human history, work happened at home. Things only changed when the industrial revolution brought factories and time-clocks. The tension between work and life became our new normal. We adapted, though we still struggle to make it work. Why do we separate work & life? ORIGIN STORY #5 www.alainthys.com @alainthys
  • 8. Do you want to update your employee and/or office experience?. Then lets have a virtual coffee . Ill gladly show how we reimagined a landmark London office space and an intl employee experience for the 2022 reality. Perhaps it offers some inspiration. www.alainthys.com @alainthys Subscribe at: http://newsletter.alainthys.com www.customerfit.eu @customerfit