The Standard

Tricks used to lure WFH staff back to office


Listen Later

The entire 38th floor of the City’s ‘Cheesegrater’ skyscraper is set to be turned into an escape room game for stressed office workers to blow off steam.

The building’s owner, CC Land, says the idea is for co-workers to better collaborate and “have fun” together as they compete to win Crystal Maze-style tasks. 

Meanwhile at 22 Bishopsgate, the Square Mile’s newest tower, bosses are offering “puppy yoga” - stretches plus dog cuddles - to try and boost colleagues’ serotonin between IRL meetings and crunching spreadsheets.

They are among strategies to try and tempt working-from-home staff back to the Covid-era physical office.

That’s on top of street food stalls, ice cream deliveries, craft classes and massages in what’s the Times reports is the “hotelification” of workplaces, or “office 2.0”.

It’s no longer tech giants bringing high-end freebies to blur the lines between nine to five - now, many of traditional City firms are spending big on renting space with wellbeing extras.

But does these techniques actually improve productivity or job satisfaction, and does anyone really want boss-approved good times in a “vertical village”?

To find out more about stress-busting ideas being designed into offices of the near future, The Leader’s joined by workplace wellbeing consultant Emma James, chief operating officer at Kamwell, an employee wellbeing company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The StandardBy The Evening Standard

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

19 ratings


More shows like The Standard

View all
Political Fix by Financial Times

Political Fix

148 Listeners

Politics Weekly UK by The Guardian

Politics Weekly UK

263 Listeners

Sky News Daily by Sky News

Sky News Daily

99 Listeners

Politics Unpacked by Times Radio

Politics Unpacked

110 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

612 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

987 Listeners

Women Tech Charge by The Evening Standard

Women Tech Charge

1 Listeners

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government by Institute for Government

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

24 Listeners

The Story by The Times

The Story

254 Listeners

Tech and Science Daily | The Standard by The Evening Standard

Tech and Science Daily | The Standard

5 Listeners

The Fourcast by Channel 4 News

The Fourcast

26 Listeners

Sensemaker by The Observer

Sensemaker

24 Listeners

Evening Standard Rugby Podcast with Lawrence Dallaglio by Evening Standard

Evening Standard Rugby Podcast with Lawrence Dallaglio

0 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

957 Listeners

The State of It by The Times

The State of It

84 Listeners

Politics At Sam and Anne's by Sky News

Politics At Sam and Anne's

39 Listeners

The News Meeting by The Observer

The News Meeting

14 Listeners

Talking Politics by ITV News

Talking Politics

20 Listeners

London Love Stories with Katie Strick by Evening Standard

London Love Stories with Katie Strick

0 Listeners

Brave New World by Evening Standard

Brave New World

8 Listeners

How to be a CEO by Evening Standard

How to be a CEO

2 Listeners

The Standard Theatre Podcast by Evening Standard

The Standard Theatre Podcast

3 Listeners