Hello Friends,

In this freshly brewed episode of FIKA Friday At the Office, I catch up with Ashwini K.T, General Manager of Research and Design at Vestian. She brings a unique perspective to workplace design. With her background in architecture and over twelve years of experience, she has witnessed the evolution of office spaces from traditional hierarchical structures to modern, people-centric environments. Her expertise in sustainable design and focus on human-centered spaces makes her a valuable voice in the conversation about the future of work.

In this engaging discussion, Ashwini shares her insights on the dramatic transformation of workplace design, particularly emphasizing the shift from purely functional spaces to environments that prioritize human well-being and community building.

"The future is all about this war for talent. Special skilled labor is hard to find. So everybody is looking at attracting the best talent and retaining it. Attracting is easy, even with diversity. It's difficult and retention is even more difficult."

She emphasizes that the pandemic has accelerated the focus on employee well-being, forcing organizations to reconsider their approach to workplace design and flexibility.

"People are no longer questioning investments on the real estate side, but they're questioning value. They're questioning healthier environments. They're demanding healthier quality spaces."

The insights you’ll get from the conversation & key take aways:

* People-Centric design is essential

* Understanding multi-generational workforce needs & the cultural aspects attached to it

* Community based design principles

* Hi-Tech vs Hi-Touch office environments

* Hybrid working is here to stay

Take a listen of this podcast episode for all of these & more.

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Let’s go 🚀

Ciao, Ram

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ramtherocket.substack.com