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."

Comments

Wait, what?

[MrLogic17]

"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.

Re:Wait, what?

[Kjella]

Not to mention the fact that co-working, the latest buzzword for "not valued enough to have an office", is basically the most miserable work environment I can think of. You only need one loud overtalker and productivity effectively drops to zero.

I think it's one of those "when it works it's amazing, so let's try to make everything and everyone like that". The best scrum team I've met was super chatty, they were constantly bouncing ideas and questions around and even though I'd take on any one of them in a one-on-one coding competition as a team they'd teach the Borg a thing or two about a hive mind. It was like looking at a professional sports team at play, sure every player has their role but if you didn't have any coordination the team that plays well together would overrun a team of highly talented individuals.

The problem is, not everybody works like that. Some talk way too much, some really ought to say something but doesn't. Putting great players and poor players together or lack of coordination can lead to a lot of frustration as some people do excellent work only to see it go to waste. I know I failed at that one at work recently, to me it was obvious since I've lived and breathed the solution I'm working on for some years but to a new person it wasn't obvious at all, so I completely failed to point him to the existing solution so he started looking at a new one. And I've written a lot of code that was for naught.

Re:I must be getting old

[ColdWetDog]

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.

Re:I must be getting old

[PopeRatzo]

"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."

Re:I don't get it

[Man On Pink Corner]

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.

Re:I'm Getting Old

[__aaclcg7560]

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.

Re:Another way to avoid supplying proper offices

[futuresheep]

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...