The battle over the office is raging. Leaders like Elon Musk and Alan Sugar are demanding a full return, calling remote workers lazy. But are they fighting a losing battle against the biggest shift in work in 100 years?

In this episode from the archive, Andy Lopata revisits his conversation with author and thinker Julia Hobsbawm OBE about her game-changing concept: “The Nowhere Office.” This isn’t an argument for no office, but a radical rethinking of why we gather.

Julia dismantles the myth of presenteeism, exposing the pre-pandemic workplace as deeply dysfunctional and unproductive. She argues that leaders must move beyond their “passion for presenteeism” and embrace a new, flexible reality. Discover the three new, essential purposes of the physical office and learn how leaders can navigate this moment of “ultra-transparency” to build a more trusting and high-performing culture. The future of work is here. Are you ready?

What You will Learn From This Episode

1. What is the real, psychological reason so many leaders are desperate to force everyone back to the office (and why is it based on a broken model)?
2. What shocking percentage of time were employees actually productive when they were in the office full-time?
3. What are the only three things you should be using your physical office for in the “Nowhere Office” era?
4. How has remote work offered an unexpected refuge from the daily microaggressions of the traditional commute and office environment?

3 Actionable Insights

1. Challenge Your “Passion for Presenteeism”: Before mandating a return to the office, ask yourself: “What is the work, and where and how does it need to be done?” Shift your focus from watching people work to trusting them to deliver results, and question whether your desire for an in-person
   workforce is based on tradition rather than strategy.
2. Redefine Your Office as a Destination: Repurpose your physical workspace for specific, high-value activities. Intentionally schedule in-person time for the three key pillars: informal social networking, collaborative learning (including mentoring), and critical face-to-face meetings like conflict resolution.
3. Embrace Customisation Over Mandates: Move beyond a rigid “3 days in, 2 days out” policy. Acknowledge that your team has diverse needs (introverts/extroverts, different home setups) and work towards a “fully customised” approach. Start open conversations about what works for the individual and the team to build a culture of genuine flexibility and trust.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Andy Lopata: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | YouTube

Connect with Julia Hobsbawn OBE: Website |X Formerly Twitter |

The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring

Episode 158 Featuring Julia Hobsbawn OBE

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Andy Lopata Author, Podcast Host and Speaker on Professional Relationships Strategy

Andy Lopata is a specialist speaker on professional relationships, mentoring, networking, and social media strategy. He is a firm believer that professional relationships underpin our success in business, our roles, and our careers. The right relationships with the right people can lead to new business opportunities, investment, collaborative working, innovation, and career progress. We just need to be comfortable approaching those relationships strategically, without making people feel ‘networked’ by us.

Andy has worked in the field of networking and professional relationships for 25 years, working with global giants such as Paypal, GSK, AstraZeneca, Wella, HSBC, Wembley Stadium, the BBC, and the Prime Minister’s Office of the UAE, among many others during that time. He has also worked with leading universities including NYU, Duke University, and Oxford University’s Said Business School.

A regular blogger for Psychology Today, Andy has been quoted in The Sunday Times, The Financial Times, and The Guardian, as well as many other national and regional newspapers and magazines worldwide. He has written or co-authored six books on networking and professional relationships, with his sixth book, "The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring," being published in Spring 2024. He is also the host of The Connected Leadership Podcast and has interviewed globally recognized names in business, academia, sports, and entertainment for the show.

Andy has been inducted into the PSAE Hall of Fame – the Professional Speaking Association Award of Excellence, which was held by only 21 other speakers at the time it was presented. He is a Fellow and a former President of the Fellows’ Community of the Professional Speaking Association (PSA), a Fellow of the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), and a Member of the Association of Business Mentors and the Meetings Industry Association.