December 23, 2019

The ten most read workplace stories of 2019

Here’s a rundown of the best-read stories and pages on Workplace Insight first published over the last year. Taken together they may offer a snapshot of current workplace thinking although I would have to caveat that by saying that because we don’t publish obvious uninformed and hysterical nonsense, it will by necessity not include some stories that have gained traction elsewhere.

It also omits some longstanding stories that continue to attract thousands of readers on a regular basis, including: Serena Borghero’s insight into the role of neuroscience in office design; the story of how Thomas Jefferson came to invent the swivel chair, Kerstin Sailer, Ros Pomeroy and Rosie Haslem’s presentation of ten great workplace truths; and Simon Heath’s now venerable but relentlessly popular dissection of workplace terminology.

The Ten Most Read Stories of 2019

Escaping the hell of hot desking. Tim Oldman’s informed and challenging look at the nuances of the open plan debate.
The allure of workplace bullshit. Heartening to see that the resistance to the uninformed and blunt narratives of mainstream thinking continues.
Our events page. Great to see that people continue to seek each other’s company out to share ideas and experiences through our comprehensive and up to date events page.
The agile workplace: try to catch the wind. Neil Usher’s compelling appeal to move beyond our current unnuanced approach to the creation of workplaces.
What people want from an office is pretty basic. A result that keeps cropping up in surveys and so a welcome reminder of a straight truth.
One dishonest co-worker can disrupt an entire workplace. A truism we can all relate to perhaps, now backed up by research.
People change the way they speak based on the status of the person to whom they are talking. It’s just human nature, innit?
Sound and vision: why the distracted workplace is about more than noise. Mark Barrell introduces a report on the nuances of workplace acoustics.
Insight launches sister magazine to shape the future of workplace thinking. Our own big news story of the year.
Escaping the gravity of the fixed times and places of work. A look at how we must reassess our relationship with work and not look for pat solutions to its challenges.