CREJ

Page 10 — Office & Industrial Quarterly — March 2022 www.crej.com OFFICE — WORKPLACE TRENDS N ot long after the pandemic began, I wrote an article for this publication warn- ing of the potential pitfalls of hybrid workplaces. I had concerns about the likelihood of the model working well and the threat it might pose to corporate cultures. Our firm also designs office environ- ments. We have seen firsthand the power of a well-designed space. At that time, I was certain that our firm would return to operating entirely in person at our remodeled 1920s gas station studio on Old South Pearl Street. (Plus, we’re right down the street from the beloved Sushi Den, so the draw back to the office would be strong.) For all my certainty at the time, I can admit now that I was wrong. n Phase one: Overcoming resis- tance. Myriad app- and web-based tools for doing business existed pre-pandemic, and today, the likes of Zoom, Slack and DocuSign have evolved and melded relatively seam- lessly into our daily work lives. These technologies, in many ways, have made it easier to collaborate with clients, to review documents together in real time and even to share personal stories about how life is going from time to time. Regardless of these advances, I felt that our team needed to be back together as soon as possible. So, of near the end of July 2021, I sat down with our senior staff. With every- one vaccinated, I felt the pandemic was largely past (laughable now, of course). I shared my opinion that we should all head back full time to the office in August. Team members had other ideas. Patiently, they explained the ben- efits of hybrid work from their perspec- tive, both for the firm and for our team members. They thoughtfully pointed out that a hybrid model increased our abil- ity to be nimble in adapting to chang- ing conditions and provided a better balance between collaboration and heads-down time at home. n Phase two: Customizing our solu- tion. For our team, the key to a suc- cessful hybrid model meant giving structure to our flexibility. We agreed on specific in-office workdays and defined what remote work meant for the days that offered more flex- ibility. Ultimately, we agreed that the entire firm would work from our office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays and Fridays, individuals could choose to work from home. We determined that “work from home” truly meant just that: working from home, not in between errands or from a beach somewhere. We also agreed that this model would be an experiment. If it didn’t work, we would talk it through again and adapt. Flexibility in our flexible model was key. n Phase three: Trial and adaptation. What is most important about our hybrid work format is that we’ve remained quite in tune with our culture. We know and respect each other, including our differences. Some of us are more extroverted. Our schedules vary depending on family dynamics outside the office. We communicate differently. With this understanding of who we are and where we’re trying to go as a firm, the hybrid model ended up making sense to try out. Having driven the firm with these principles since August, I can report that the model has been a huge success. From the beginning, we all enjoyed the collaboration during the heart of the week. At the same time, we liked to spread out at differed locales on Monday to prep for the week. On Fridays, we each worked where we felt most effective while wrapping up whatever work we wanted to tend to. During the height of variant surg- es, our team was given the option to either work remotely from home or work fully masked in the office. It was an easy decision to make and to implement, thanks to the structured flexibility we had established early on. We simply brought the foaming sanitizer dispenser back out and bought more masks. For an extra layer of protection, we added a high- powered air filtration system to the collection of tools. Ultimately, despite my initial skep- ticism, I believe the hybrid work- place model has made Venture a nimbler and closer-knit firm. We col- laborate more effectively and flex- ibly with clients and each other. As a hybrid convert, I find myself excited to see how our firm and our clients continue to evolve as a result of our willingness to trust one another and explore new possibilities for the world of work. s Flexibility is king: Confessions of a hybrid convert Martin Goldstein Principal, Venture Architecture For the Venture team, the key to a successful hybrid model meant giving structure to the flexibility. There are specific in-office workdays and a clear understanding of remote work expectations.