It’s back-to-school time—and for some, a final bid for back to the office

Where should we work now? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

TODAY'S NEWS. TOMORROW'S INSIGHTS. A daily newsletter from McKinsey & Company   Edited by Katy McLaughlin   Senior Editor, Southern California Revisiting the office In the news • Freaky Friday. In some industries, particularly in the summer, the boss—along with the upper echelon of office workers—used to get a jump on the weekend by absconding to their beach or lake houses on Thursday nights. How times have changed. This summer, it's the rank and file who blithely videoconference poolside or from the beach, while managers model returning to the office. The result? Lots of important executives rattling around near-empty offices while their staff soak up rays. [WSJ] • Labor Day deadline. It's almost fall. Do you know where your workers are? Many companies sense they have lost control of where their employees work; one firm was surprised to learn of staffers living in far-flung spots around the world. Some companies view this fall as a final chance to reassert an employer's prerogative over whether employees come into the office before remote becomes too culturally entrenched. Many workers, however, continue to appear uninterested. [NYT] "The hard work is ahead, to capitalize on what is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink the future of work, the workplace, and the workforce." On McKinsey.com • Rewriting history. A popular trope suggests that offices used to be densely packed hives of activity. But prior to COVID-19, between 10% and 20% of desks in most traditional offices went unassigned, with another 20% or more of assigned desks sitting empty, McKinsey partners Naomi Hudson, Martin Rosendahl, and colleagues share. Instead of getting everyone "back to the office," leaders should focus on their offices' purpose and accept that many companies no longer need so much space. • No turning back. Companies can best prepare for the next workplace era not by harking back to some imaginary past, but by making a deep study of their use of space, tech investments, and the optimal setup for specific teams. This will enable them to rethink their real-estate needs—which may involve reducing portfolios—and derive the most productivity from remote work, on-site work, and shared service centers. See how the workplace could evolve, particularly for SG&A functions. Rethink the workplace Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here. Or send us feedback—we'd love to hear from you. Follow our thinking This email contains information about McKinsey's research, insights, services, or events. By opening our emails or clicking on links, you agree to our use of cookies and web tracking technology. For more information on how we use and protect your information, please review our privacy policy. You received this email because you subscribed to the On Point newsletter. Manage subscriptions | Unsubscribe Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007