Spatial Attraction is a podcast about the spaces we work in, and the forces that shape how we think, interact, and perform.

In each episode, Kursty Groves explores the conditions people are working inside across physical, digital, social, cognitive, and temporal space - and what to notice, name, and redesign when those conditions are working against us.

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Spatial Attraction is written, produced, and hosted by Kursty Groves.

Original music and sound production by Lee Golledge.

For episodes and updates, visit https://kurstygroves.com/podcast/ - and follow Spatial Attraction on LinkedIn and Instagram.

To suggest a theme or guest, email jen@spatial-attraction-podcast.com.

Space for Trust
In this episode of Spatial Attraction, Kursty Groves is in conversation with Rachel Botsman about how trust has been reorganised over time, and what that means for the spaces we work inside now. Together, they explore how trust is shaped by the conditions people are working inside, and how uncertainty, discomfort and friction interact with visibility, proximity and format to subtly influence who is heard, believed, and relied upon.

For companion notes and research links, visit the episode page: https://kurstygroves.com/podcast/spatial-attraction-trust-spaces/

About Rachel Botsman

Rachel Botsman is a leading global expert on trust and the author of What’s Mine Is Yours, Who Can You Trust?, and How To Trust & Be Trusted. Her work explores how trust is formed, tested, and redesigned as society, technology, and institutions change.

She has advised and spoken to organisations including Salesforce, Goldman Sachs, Adobe, Gartner, and EY, and was the first Trust Fellow at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School.

Rachel has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, Wired, Financial Times, Time, and Fast Company.

Rethink with Rachel is Rachel’s thought-provoking newsletter on trust, leadership, and change, read by leaders, founders, and decision-makers worldwide.

Support the show

Spatial Attraction is written, produced, and hosted by Kursty Groves.

Original music and sound production by Lee Golledge.

For episodes and updates, visit https://kurstygroves.com/podcast/ - and follow Spatial Attraction on LinkedIn and Instagram.

To suggest a theme or guest, email jen@spatial-attraction-podcast.com.

What’s a better life? What’s a better office? Those two questions are inherently connected. Your workspace’s biggest challenge is to stay relevant, and it’s impossible to do so without obsessively making being in the physical workspace an incredible life experience. This is IKEA’s workspace development philosophy and in this episode, Momo Pavlovic shares how IKEA brings it to life through an infinitely iterative process.

Developing an incredible workspace is work that is never finished. Tune in to discover how IKEA does it.

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What we discussed
(00:24) Developing Ikea workspaces
(08:12) How the pandemic changed workspace planning
(13:09) Workspaces vs. team behaviour: what’s the connection?
(16:39) Infinitely changing IKEA workspaces
(18:04) Feeling forced to be in the office (BIG MISTAKE)
(23:31)Creating a destination office
(31:04) IKEA’s 3-part workspace plan
(33:17) “Why do I have to go in 4x/week, when they come in 2x/week?”
(41:55) Momo’s question to you (about meetings)

3 things you can learn from how IKEA manages its workspaces:

1. Ask the question “how do we make this a great experience?” rather than “how do we get more people in the office?”
2. Prepare your workspace to support the new behaviours you want your team to embody. But, before you can do that you must concretely understand what the new behaviors you need really are.
3. It’s important for team members to not feel like they’re forced to be in the office. How many days people spend in the physical office should be a team mandate, not a rule enforced by executives.

Links

Momo Pavlovic is the Workplace Support Leader at Ingka Services which is the force behind IKEA’s holistic and in-demand workspaces.

Connect with Momo Pavlovic: LinkedIn

Connect with Kursty Groves: LinkedIn | Twitter | Ask a question or pitch an idea: kursty@shapeworklife.com

Support the show

Support the show

Spatial Attraction is written, produced, and hosted by Kursty Groves.

Original music and sound production by Lee Golledge.

For episodes and updates, visit https://kurstygroves.com/podcast/ - and follow Spatial Attraction on LinkedIn and Instagram.

To suggest a theme or guest, email jen@spatial-attraction-podcast.com.