In our exclusive Design Fiction series for France’s CB News, we dive into the future through imaginative storytelling: short, thought-provoking pieces that explore what’s next for industries like fashion, tourism, banking, and more. Inspired by real signals shaping our world today, each article examines the possibilities ahead and unpacks what they mean for brands, communication, and strategy.
When dentsu X Imagines tomorrow, now.
The aim of this design fiction exercise is to analyze how our society's weak signals could change it if they were to become the norm in twenty- or thirty-years’ time. This exercise is not intended to predict the future, but rather to understand how brands could adapt to, or even play a role in, these possible transformations.
It has been established that by 2035 the French will spend an average of 70 hours a week in front of their screens, including an average of 40 hours for professional reasons. These new habits will have contributed considerably to a decline in the physical, psychological and cognitive health of workers, and led to an overall decline in business productivity.
What if, in the future, the true measure of corporate performance is their ability to offer their employees a real capacity to disconnect from digital tools?
Disconnect, breathe, perform
Date: Monday, 16 April 2038, 8.50am
In this early spring, the heat has already begun to fill the streets of Paris. This morning's weather forecast calls for clear skies and 24°C in the afternoon. Real April weather. For several years now, everyone has been swapping their mid-season coats for dresses and T-shirts during the last days of March.
This morning, I arrived at the office a little earlier than usual. After setting up my things at my workstation, I went to the coffee machine. Cloé and Ruben had also arrived. We talked about our weekends, the news and the week ahead.
As I make my way to my workspace, eyes glued to my Pad as I frantically read the first emails of the day, I pause. 9.10am, still early. What if, before starting my day, I try a little diversion to the Disconnect Room on my floor? By chance, is it free? A few minutes later I am in front of the door. Bingo! I go through the airlock, deposit my phone in the little box provided for that purpose and then enter the disconnection bubble. I close the door behind me. It’s like being in a tree house. The soothing smell of polished wood and fresh plants contrasts with the usual bustle of the open-plan office. Very subtly, I can hear the sounds of foliage, birds and insects. No screens, no keyboards clicking, just a hushed space with beige linen armchairs, rough wooden tables, and a sign that reads “Disconnect to better reconnect.” After about ten minutes, I go back to my desk and start the day. I feel good, relaxed. Since their installation at the beginning of last year, I've been in the habit of taking time out in these bubbles. I must admit that, at first, I was a little skeptical about their usefulness, but my colleagues finally convinced me to give them a try. Today, I can’t do without them.
Since the 2010s, screens have progressively invaded our environments and led to a gradual deterioration in our bodies. Days spent under neon lights, in front of our bluish screens, led to the widespread appearance of various disorders. By the 2020s, eye problems were so widespread that it was no longer surprising to see colleagues wearing tinted glasses to relieve the strain on their eyes. Sedentary lifestyles and teleworking exacerbated obesity, and many people now sport stooped postures and slumped shoulders, the unfortunate result of long hours spent staring at a screen. And these physical transformations only scratched the surface of a deeper problem: an almost total dependence on networks and technologies. Then, under pressure from health authorities and employees themselves, companies began to realize the limits of this hyperconnection. The inability to solve complex problems without immediate recourse to online research or an automated tool, a lack of creativity, the standardization of ideas, psychological fatigue, a wave of work stoppages and burn-outs – these were just some of the problems facing today's professional world.
Faced with this daunting challenge, our group decided to take matters into its own hands, boldly and pragmatically. And after a radical transformation, the company finally obtained the prestigious Ability to Disconnect certification. The approval process had necessitated an in-depth reorganization of the company, starting with a rewrite of our legal statutes, which incorporated a new and essential mission to guarantee active support for employee disconnection. The idea was clear: to offer everyone genuine breaks from technology long enough to allow the brain to recharge and recover from cognitive fatigue. As well as enhancing our attractiveness as an employer, this initiative had immediate and convincing effects on the mental and physical health of our teams. Less exhaustion, greater clarity of mind and, ultimately, an explosion in productivity.
The redesign of our offices was one of the most striking symbols of this. Each floor was given a disconnection bubble, a sanctuary where employees can escape the hustle and bustle of the digital world. But the initiative didn't stop there: the company hired Claire, the Chief Disconnection Officer. She was a woman in her forties, whose calm demeanor seemed to contrast with the hyper-connected dynamism of our everyday working lives. As the guarantor of employee well-being, she organized group discussions on best practice for effective disconnection.
At the same time, we were introduced to Disconnect Days, a small revolution in our industry. In addition to our reduction of working time (Réduction du Temps de Travail or RTT), five days are devoted to disconnecting in carefully chosen, government-approved locations. These places outside the company, whether sporting, cultural or natural, have in common a total absence of modern technology: no screens, no waves, just serenity. Like sanctuaries, they offer us a precious break. Luckily, our company wanted to go one step further and invite us to turn these Disconnect Days into family breaks. The resulting partnership with the Quiet & Slow group gives all employees the opportunity to enjoy a low-cost family break at one of their disconnected centers.
I went there for the first time in early spring, with my wife and three teenagers. I had opted for the Landes Centre, a former premium campsite refurbished especially for disconnection breaks. When we arrived, everyone had to leave their phones and other devices at reception. There was no modern technology on site, only low-tech equipment. To listen to music, for example, there were no bone-conducting headphones or digital earpieces, just vinyl turntables. No waves, no traffic noise for miles around, just us and nature. We had booked the Cabane aux Cerfs, a cozy cottage surrounded by oak trees. Inside, there was a large, convivial living room where it was easy to get together and enjoy a cup of hot tea and a few board games. We had a range of activities at our disposal including painting, cooking and gardening – all activities that allowed us to take our time, calm our minds and reconnect with ourselves. Outside, there were vast natural spaces to explore. There were also opportunities to take part in group craft, meditation and even yoga workshops. To our great surprise, the children loved the experience, meeting people their own age and learning about painting. We returned home on a Sunday evening, feeling relaxed, with our mobile phones tucked away in our pockets.
It's strange, I always imagined a future like Robocop, that old film my father often watched, where technology was everywhere, like an answer to all our problems. I guess I was wrong. Like our machines, humans need downtime. Today, a company's competitiveness is not measured by the performance of its technological tools, but by its ability to control them and keep them at the right distance.
Originally published on CBNews on 14th January 2024.
