The daily desk hunt

I remember the good old days where everyone had their own desks. It was our tiny kingdom in the corporate jungle. One could optimally angle the monitor to avoid neck strain, and the exact spot where that rogue coffee stain stubbornly refused to budge. It was yours.

Then came the revolution. Flexi seating! The promise of dynamic collaboration, promise of cohesiveness despite of being in office only half the days in the week of… well, saving the company some serious real estate cost. But somewhere between the ergonomic chairs on wheels and the endless booking apps, a little something got lost: our sense of belonging.

It's like musical chairs, but instead of a fun game ending with a victor, we're left perpetually circling, clutching our laptops and a vague sense of "where am I supposed to be today?". I have even had fights with my colleagues over a mere place of seating. The thrill is minimal.

The beauty of assigned seating was the forced proximity. You'd end up chatting with your desk neighbor, sharing stories about your weekend, commiserating over Monday mornings. These small, daily interactions helped build office friendships.

With flexi seating, one has to constantly be in the unknown!

The Lingering Question:

So, while flexi seating might be a logistical dream and a more sustainable way of working while saving real estate space, it often leaves us feeling a little like office ghosts, floating from desk to desk, never quite settling, never quite feeling like we truly belong.

Perhaps the key isn't just about flexible seating, but about fostering flexible connection. Because at the end of the day, a sense of belonging isn't about a particular chair; it's about feeling seen, connected, and like you have a place – even if that place changes daily.