Two companies committed to a fully remote work model explore a "new form of connection." — Seeking co-operators for iDID's shared office space.

The foundation is fully remote work. But human relationships are difficult to cultivate digitally.

First, I'd like to hear how Shiftbrain and Wavdesign view "work styles," taking into account their past policies and initiatives.

Matsumoto: I feel that the way we work directly impacts our creativity.You don't suddenly become able to design one day, and the process and output are only a small part of what's visible. I believe that unless you confront the working methods and environment behind the scenes, you can't continuously create good things. That's why,We are addressing the working styles of creators in order to produce better creative work. That is one of the things that WAV Design and Shiftbrain have in common.Is not it?

Kato:Yes. Having said that, our company was a black company until about 10 years ago (laughs). Back in the heyday of Flash, when we poured all our energy into large campaigns from major advertising agencies, that was the norm. We were so engrossed in creating things that we spent all our time on work, and we even thought that "professionals don't depend on their environment."

However, when we look at creative agencies overseas, we see that they are creating very good things while prioritizing efficiency and work-life balance. We were greatly inspired by this and realized that we also needed to change, so we have been trying out various initiatives through trial and error. This includes providing staff with "16 consecutive days off + 50,000 yen in funds" to reflect on their own lives, and for the past few years, we have adopted "WORKS GOOD!" as our guiding principle, which is based on two axes: "good ways of working" and "product creation that functions well."

Matsumoto:Wavdesign has also tried various initiatives. One of them was a system where employees "work for 11 months and take a month off." This system itself was temporarily suspended after about four years, but we still have various mechanisms in place to carry on the spirit and think about how to take time off and where to work.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, both companies have adopted a fully remote work system. With the trend towards returning to the office gaining momentum, why are you still continuing with a fully remote work system as of autumn 2025?

Matsumoto: Full remote work allows for more effective use of time, and simply put, it has many advantages.That's right. A company's salary is essentially compensation for an employee working 8 hours a day, and doesn't include payment for commuting time. If possible, we should also consider compensation for the extra time spent commuting. With full remote work, this way of thinking becomes much clearer, and employees can use the 16 hours outside of their 8 working hours entirely for themselves. This gives them the freedom to belong to other communities or leave the city center, making it easier to achieve work-life balance and parallel careers. From an employment standpoint, it also allows us to recruit talented people from various locations.

Kato:In our staff survey, over 8% of our members were very positive about continuing to work fully remotely. Many, in particular, said they were happy to have more time to spend with their families. However, it's also true that it doesn't suit 2% of our members. While there are no operational problems since all work is done online,Trust is something that can never be cultivated digitally.Perhaps it's the somewhat bleak atmosphere that's bothering them.

Therefore, since going fully remote, we've implemented a program where team members go on a day trip together every three months to have real-world experiences. We form groups randomly and let them spend their time freely, while being creative within a set budget. The only condition is that it be an event that everyone will remember. They don't need to work at the office every day, but it's certainly true that relationships grow when they spend fulfilling time together.

Matsumoto:We also hold in-person events where all members gather every three to four months. Ultimately, I think the discussion about whether remote or in-person is better boils down to "which suits you best and allows you to perform better." Remote work is more convenient, but the fact that it's "not face-to-face" remains. However, the problems caused by not being face-to-face depend on the company, so you can't generalize about the disadvantages. You just have to explore the working style that suits you.

A "new space" that can care for the mind, body, and spirit of creators.

For companies and creators whose work can be completed remotely, what do you think the "office" should be like now?

Kato: I've come to think that an office is no longer meaningful if it's just a place to work.Some of our creators say that their work environment at home is the best environment for them, and that their performance drops when they come into the office. In that case, there's no point in having them come into the office.

When I reconsidered the significance of going to the office, I came to the realization that it might be about building trust with colleagues in the same organization and creating connections with society. When you work remotely, you tend to become more and more closed off. But when we hold in-person events, everyone says things like, "I got some good input," and "I got some good inspiration." I think that having even a little contact with the outside world is necessary for creators.

Matsumoto: I believe that a creator's value only increases when their "mind," including their mindset and way of thinking, their "technique," and their healthy "body" are all in harmony.That's right. And these three aspects—mind, technique, and body—are all closely interconnected, and they grow through mutual stimulation with others. I believe that creating a good office environment is about creating a space where people can take care of their mind, technique, and body.

So, when we considered what kind of office would lead to higher quality manufacturing, we thought it would be good to have a place where people could work remotely and interact appropriately when they felt like it. But it's quite difficult to achieve that in just one company's office. So, I started talking with Mr. Kato about how it would be interesting if people who want to use the office from time to time could gather there.

Kato:We agreed that an office with around 10 companies sharing similar values ​​and industries would be ideal, where you could drop in whenever you felt like it, find someone there, and connect with others while chatting or working. And it would be even better if there were always some kind of educational event going on.

As the way organizations and creators work is constantly changing, both our company and Wav Design have been working with the desire to somehow "optimize our way of working" and "accelerate new ways of working." Having fully experienced both the advantages and disadvantages of remote work, we have come to think that it is time to create a new place where "creators can make even better things." That is how we came up with the concept for the 'iDID Share Office Project'. We thought that by using iDID, which is working to increase the value of creators, as the base, we could surely create an interesting space.

From work and lectures to interaction and accommodation, it fosters organic creation.

Please share some specific ideas about the 'iDID Share Office Project' that iDID is planning to launch.

Kato: This is a new type of shared office that brings together companies in the same digital creative industry that primarily operate remotely. It will have private, closed spaces for each company to use exclusively, as well as shared meeting rooms and open spaces where tenants can easily interact with each other.

The biggest feature is,We will appoint a community manager and organize regular events and social gatherings.Things to do. The content varies, but you can easily imagine study groups for people in the same industry or job type, Q&A sessions with company presidents, and events where people can share their skills and consult with each other.

Matsumoto: iDID has hosted many events and also runs a school business, so we can do both networking and lectures. I think it would be great if we could create an economic sphere where people who meet there can introduce each other to projects.

Kato: HOLSTER, a shared office space for creators that used to be in Shibuya, is close to what I'm looking for. Whatever (then called dot by dot) and BAKERU (then called Tokyo Pistol) rebranded existing spaces, added galleries, and encouraged new forms of creation.

The idea is that members from various companies would gather at the 'iDID Share Office Project' to share casual conversations, creative ideas, systems, skills, and experiences working together. This would likely lead to many positive synergies and side effects, such as handing out projects or launching new initiatives together.

Matsumoto:If we see more communication and collaborative projects that transcend internal and external boundaries, it could be a great opportunity for me as a creator to produce even better work. In that case, perhaps it's time for us to reconsider the very meaning of the company framework itself.

Kato:While working as part of an organization is certainly important, the environment is becoming more conducive to people freely coming together and launching organic projects. We want to actively promote this kind of collaboration in the 'iDID Share Office Project' as well.

Matsumoto:By establishing such systems, both high-quality manufacturing and the enhancement of creators' value will surely accelerate. We've been seeing more and more cases like this around us. We've received inquiries about projects from people we met at iDID networking events, and we've found several local companies that we'd like to commission.

Kato: To give creators equal opportunities to thrive, regardless of where they live.I hope the 'iDID Share Office Project' can play a part in that. When creators based in regional areas visit Tokyo, we often hear them say they want a workspace they can use easily, and I hope that they can gain good inspiration and make new connections there.

So, ideally, I'd like to add accommodation facilities to the 'iDID Share Office Project.' I think it's a common problem for fully remote companies to incur significant hotel costs when gathering members from other regions for employee meetings and such. I want to cover that, but there are many challenges regarding facility size and legal aspects to operating a hotel, so I'm planning to proceed in stages.

Matsumoto:The first stage is to create a shared office space for like-minded individuals. In the second stage, we will add accommodation facilities, and in the third stage, we want to develop it into a place where we can interact with digital nomads from overseas. To realize this vision, we are looking for operators.

We are seeking business owners who share our vision and are interested in operating a shared office space.

So, you're a partner that's teaming up with iDID to create the 'iDID Share Office Project' together. The project team is already up and running, so what kind of businesses are you looking for right now?

Matsumoto: We hope to connect with companies that resonate with our project and are taking action regarding "ways of working." In terms of industry, there are various genres that are highly compatible with coworking and shared offices, including real estate, interior design, work supplies, lifestyle brands, and IT. Just as examples, companies like Okamura, Panasonic, and Yahoo! are among them. Of course, we would love to connect with other companies as well, and we would be happy if companies that operate coworking spaces would take an interest in our project.

Kato: We can handle customer acquisition, branding, PR, event planning, and design, so we would like the operating company to handle coordination with real estate companies and space management. The advantages of partnering with iDID are that we can start the shared office business with a clearly defined concept and target audience, and that there is already a certain number of customers waiting. We have already reached out to several companies that seem like a good fit, and have received positive responses from more than 10 companies. Ultimately, we are thinking of having about 10 companies move in in Tokyo and about 10 from regional bases.

Matsumoto: Both Shiftbrain and Wavdesign have long histories in the design industry and extensive networks, so I think it's a benefit for the operators to be able to connect with such creators. At the "Year-End Party" we held at iDID at the end of the year, we invited renowned production companies to give talk sessions, and more than 400 creators gathered. Not only can we create things together, but I think the 'iDID Share Office Project' can also be used for marketing and PR by businesses. We want to create good synergy while respecting each other with the operators.

Kato: We welcome inquiries about rebranding existing spaces and introducing iDID as additional content. Creating spaces that pursue high-quality craftsmanship is sure to be interesting. We sincerely look forward to hearing from operators who share our vision and are willing to take on this challenge with us.

Summary

With remote work becoming commonplace and the meaning of the workplace being questioned, what's needed is not just "another shared office," but a "new space" that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit of creators and pursues better craftsmanship.

The "iDID Share Office Project" is a challenge to redefine the way we work and collaborate in the future. We are seeking operators, collaborative partners, and tenant companies who share our concept and will work with us to create new value.

Let's work together to create the future of creativity!

Apply here