Knowledge work on the virtual agora: Working from home and commonality after COVID-19

Due to COVID-19, governments around the globe urged office workers to work from home. Knowledge-related work and administrative tasks were banned from the office building, and the common physical space was changed into a common digital space. As a result, office workers had the unique opportunity to experience the advantages and disadvantages of remote working themselves. This situation naturally leads the question of how the experience of 2020 can help organizations in shaping the affordances of their future working methods. To find an answer, we take two perspectives. Firstly, we present an analysis of existing literature on remote working. Secondly, we provide an evaluation of some archetypical historical examples of 'common social spaces' (or 'agora'). This analysis is the basis for the formulation of five conditions for designing a successful social space. These conditions outline a route map for issues organizations need to take into account when looking for new ways in which to arrange their common physical and digital spaces. Moreover, these conditions inspire the formulation of an updated research agenda.