What If the Office Is the Problem? Prithwiraj Choudhury

In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It!, Siân Harrington sits down with Prithwiraj Choudhury, professor at the London School of Economics and bestselling author of The World is Your Office, to challenge our most stubborn assumption: that work must happen in the office.

Raj has spent the past decade studying ‘work from anywhere”’ and the myths that stop companies from unlocking its full potential. And his research is clear: innovation doesn’t require water coolers, culture isn’t confined to cubicles and productivity doesn’t improve with proximity.

From the myth of hybrid to the rise of digital twins and personal AI bots, Raj offers bold ideas and practical tools for designing work around people, not places.

Whether you’re an HR leader making the case for flexibility, a manager grappling with hybrid or a CEO still clinging to office mandates, this episode will challenge your assumptions and expand your thinking.

Key Takeaways

• The return to office is often a disguised layoff strategy – with no proven productivity gains and high attrition costs.
• Hybrid isn’t a strategy, it’s often a lazy compromise. Most models ignore the power of monthly or quarterly in-person time. 
• Water cooler myths are wrong. Real innovation needs diverse collisions, not just random chats in the office.
• Work from anywhere boosts inclusion. Smaller towns, caregivers and introverts all benefit – when systems are well designed.
• Digital twins and AI bots are expanding the meaning of remote work. From hospitals to factories, even frontline roles can now be more flexible.
• Managers must evolve from monitors to leaders. Surveillance kills trust. Outcomes, not hours, are the real measure of performance.
• HR’s role is critical. From business case to experimentation, work from anywhere needs intentional design and not default settings.
• Packed with research, real-world case studies and practical tips – this episode is essential listening for anyone rethinking how work works.

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