Book Review “Work, Workers & Workplaces”

By:  Sapna Srivastava, Editor Realty Plus The book titled “The radically changing nature of Work, Workers & Workplaces” as professed by its writer ParthajeetSarma is a book on management rather than design. Sarma an architect himself has been running a strategic consulting practice iDreamfor more than 15 years. The book is a concise commentary on the changing dynamics in the modern workplaces where technology is taking over most of the mechanical and repetitive work of human. In the age of smart phones, internet and anywhere connectivity, the book based on the premise of ‘Why go to office’ explores the ways the organizations and HR can keep the workplaces relevant. The writer through his own experiences, interactions and research has pointed out the ways to engage the twenty first century workers through blending of physical and digital space, innovation andintegrating of playfulness and homely atmosphere in the workplace. Today’s workers desire to constantly experience something new and find a new meaning to their work and workplace. As the writer has cited unlike industrial era or knowledge era where productivity was measured by efficiency or research respectively, in the current economy of collaboration, productivity is largely fuelled by creativity – which machines cannot do. The 88 page book presents a brief summary on various topics related to the relationship between workers and workplace, change management and ideal approach of influencers. Detailed explanations of the topics illustrated by real examples, views of employees and employers as well as comments by experts of various fields would have added to the information quotient of the book. In all, the book is a good read if you want to understand the new way of working and how the organizations need to take a step back and relook the way they are planning their offices and most crucial the change in the mind-set as well as correct application of technology to augment human productivity.