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Staples Tries Co-Working Spaces To Court Millennials And Entrepreneurs (pilotonline.com)
Are there any Slashdot readers who are doing their work in co-working spaces? An anonymous reader writes:
Staples office-supply stores is aggressively repositioning its brand to entice new customers like tech entrepreneurs and small businesses, reports The New York Times. "A case in point: Staples' partnership with Workbar, a Boston-based co-working company founded in 2009... Workbar attracts the coveted millennial generation, as well as entrepreneurs, a potential pipeline for new small business customers." Three co-working spaces have now been added to Staples stores, including their original flagship store in Boston, and the Times spotted funky art, skylights, an artificial putting green, as well as gourmet coffee "and -- on some nights -- happy hours with beer and wine."
"This blend of old and new shows how Staples Inc. is digging up its roots as one of the first, and most successful, big-box retailers. Under Shira Goodman, the company's new chief executive officer, Staples hopes it can reverse its years of declining sales, unlike so many other retailers left for dead in the internet age."
The company also reports online orders already make up 60% of their sales, which they hope to push to 80% by 2020, according to the Motley Fool. "Selling products, 50% of which are outside of traditional office supply categories, to businesses large and small has proven to be a resilient business for Staples."
"This blend of old and new shows how Staples Inc. is digging up its roots as one of the first, and most successful, big-box retailers. Under Shira Goodman, the company's new chief executive officer, Staples hopes it can reverse its years of declining sales, unlike so many other retailers left for dead in the internet age."
The company also reports online orders already make up 60% of their sales, which they hope to push to 80% by 2020, according to the Motley Fool. "Selling products, 50% of which are outside of traditional office supply categories, to businesses large and small has proven to be a resilient business for Staples."
"Workbar attracts the coveted millennial generation, "
Wait, since when were millennials coveted as employees? Given their stereotyped work ethic, I'd think it would be the opposite.
And yet again, the Gen X'res are forgotten and passed over again by the media.
Yep, you're getting old. Can't remember what you posted a few minutes ago.
Then it's your car keys.
Then you're toast.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
"I can't find my glasses."
"They're on your head."
"Shut up, millennial scum. I'm not too old to show you what for."
You are welcome on my lawn.
As long as the locations are near a convenient Office Depot for picking up supplies.
Have gnu, will travel.
Because it's a paradigm shift towards a more organic, collaborative business ecosystem.
What a square old daddy-o you are!
Ooohh, I love that purdy talk. You're hired!
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
I've heard dumber ideas. When you need supplies, you'll get them from the store you're already in. Ditto with coffee.
These stores are stuck with floor space, retail employees, and other forms of overhead that competitors like Amazon don't have to worry about. It may be time to consider wacky ideas like creating a 20,000-square-foot Starbucks.
Getting old is remembering when the floor-to-ceiling walls weren't made out off glass and you could bang your secretary on the desk with some privacy.
A serviced office runs $300-800/month, so $130 for a "work address is actually not a bad deal. Hell, an amortized cubicle runs over $500/month in most cities. In places where commute times are meaningful, having structured environments for employees to work from that are close to home is a huge advantage.
It's been studied, several times over. Here's one you can use for reference. The summary is that in offices where employees have privacy and personal space, productivity is much higher. https://www.usnews.com/opinion... https://www.fastcompany.com/30... https://www.tradegecko.com/blo...
Honestly, I think companies themselves created the buzz around young people liking co-located spaces when in fact, it's the companies that prefer open, co-located spaces because it makes it a lot easier for them to observe you and make sure they get as close to 100% utilization out of you as possible. It has nothing to do with people thinking co-located "spaces" are cool. The Fortune 500 company I worked at that adopted them, it was very clear what their motivation was for moving to them. And as others have posted, it's very clear there is less productivity in co-located spaces as well.
We'll make great pets
If you "run one of your own", you get to pick and choose which one or two others you're going to share space with. That's important. Maybe you want people with complementary interests; maybe you want people with the same interests. You get to choose who you work with, and whether pets are allowed. In the early days, dogs were allowed in most start-ups. Not so much now. It's been shown that just having a dog sitting in the corner doing nothing lowers arguments in meetings. That doesn't happen with the "workbar" concept. And of course, greater productivity means you finish earlier or produce more in the same amount of time. Less stress. More happiness. Just try doing that in a Staples. (mind you, I used to bring mine in while shopping, and nobody said anything because Newfies are enormous)
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.