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This conversation didn’t start in a studio. It started after a bike ride through Copenhagen and a long fika with Claus Sneppen, Associate Partner at the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies and author of The Future Revolution of the Office Workspace.
Claus doesn’t speculate. He observes. He questions. And when we sat down for Fika Friday at the Office, he made one thing clear: the workplace revolution is already here, and most organizations are still building for yesterday.
"Most people don’t separate what is likely from what they would like."
Why Presence Doesn’t Equal Engagement
For too long, businesses have measured commitment by physical presence. But as Claus pointed out, showing up isn’t the same as being engaged. The days of equating badge swipes with productivity are over. Work happens in many places now: at home, in shared spaces, across time zones, and the real value lies in connection, purpose, and trust.
Claus pointed to how leaders still default to rigid systems even while preaching flexibility. We’ve all seen it: policies that pretend to support hybrid work but still reward those who show face. These contradictions push people away. If trust is conditional on visibility, it’s not trust at all.
Offices Must Reflect New Realities
One of the sharpest insights from our conversation was this: if you're designing offices for today's hybrid model, you're already behind. Most companies are planning based on what they hope will return, not what’s already changed. With employees showing up once or twice a week, if that, why are we still investing in full-time space? Nostalgia is an expensive blueprint.
Offices need to support what remote setups can’t: community, creativity, and serendipity. They must evolve from places of routine into spaces that foster relationships and meaning.
The AI Shift Is Coming Fast
We also explored the rising influence of AI, and here Claus was blunt: disruption is not gradual. Many organizations are underestimating how quickly AI will reshape knowledge work. It’s a redefinition of how work gets done.
From workflows to entire roles, the impact of AI is likely to be faster and deeper than most leaders are preparing for.
Don’t Wait for the Warning
Throughout our chat, Claus reminded me that real change doesn’t wait for a convenient moment. We want transformation to be linear and manageable. But revolutions, true ones, rarely give notice. They unfold quickly, and if you’re waiting to act until things “settle,” you’ll miss the window.
Final Thoughts: Build for What’s Next
Our time together felt less like a conversation and more like a reality check. Claus is asking hard questions, and challenging all of us to let go of outdated assumptions about space, leadership, and what work should look like.
If your role touches workplace strategy in any way, this episode is essential listening. The future of work is the terrain we’re already on.
Listen to the full episode with Claus Sneppen to learn what it takes to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world of work. Catch Fika Friday at The Office wherever you get your podcasts.
