A Guide to
Five likely office scenarios and advice on how to make the most of each one.
returning
to the office
Start
office workers flushed out of their offices and into their makeshift workspaces at home, and it seemed like a relief to be employed at all during an economic crisis. In the end, for many designers and marketers, the WFH life turned out to be more than tolerable. In fact, a sizable portion of the workforce will continue working from home, at least in a limited capacity. But as mask mandates are rolled back and more vaccines get into more arms in America, many companies are now turning their attention back to offices and asking not just when to return but how and why.
No matter where your company sits on the “back to office” spectrum— whether you’re leading an entire company, a department, or just yourself— it’s time to start thinking about the next phase. Allow us to help you make sense of every scenario you might be working under.
Last Spring,
option 1
hybrid options
option 2
mandatory
return
no more
offices
hybrid
option 1
hybrid
option 2
hybrid
option 3
office return scenarios
Tap on the glowing dots.
mandatory
return
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Offices as Regional Hubs
Hybrid option 1:
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Everyone remote, some of the time
Hybrid option 2:
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Some fully-remote workers and teams
Hybrid option 3:
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The Office is Cancelled
While there is no doubt that many employees preferred working from home, the decision also made financial sense for many employers who will now remain remote permanently.
The benefits to remote work are clear—more time for deep work, geographic flexibility, higher job satisfaction, and the list goes on. But keep in mind, WFH in 2020 was actually nothing like being remote pre-pandemic. Nina Zakharenko, a developer who’s spent the past five years working remotely, said on Twitter that her routine was totally different before COVID. “Before (the pandemic) I’d have lunch at a coffee shop, co-work with friends, shop after work,” she wrote. She lamented the fact that in 2020, she basically lived at work, with no clear boundaries between her home and her office.
Indeed, remote work has a sneaky way of sliding into your life and completely overtaking it. “[For] many of us, today still feels like a carbon copy of yesterday and the week before and last month,” says Lauren Allain, a writer based in Seattle. “Each day includes three Zoom calls, staring out the window, eating snacks for dinner, and then accidentally checking work emails from the couch at 9 p.m. No wonder we feel burnt out.”
If you are working from home for the long haul, set up a dedicated office space—preferably away from the spaces you spend the most time, like the kitchen and your bedroom. When it’s safe for you to do so, get out of the house. Go to the gym, work at the coffee shop, meet a friend for lunch—these activities will ultimately help you keep work and home separate. They’ll also refresh your mental state, allowing you to bring your best self to both work and play.
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Are Hybrids Here to Stay?
Additionally, hybrids continue to be the way to attract the best talent. In a recent study, 74% of employees reported they would change jobs based on a work from home policy. Additionally, 53.3% said working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job, and the highest job satisfaction was reported by employees that were partially or fully remote.
My old job—the one with the office hubs—was an example of this in action. That company’s hybrid environment was the best way to attract and support its people. The best backend engineer was in Boston, and the best UXer was in Salt Lake City; the clients were in the film industry, so they were mainly in LA, and the founder split his time between Berkeley and Lake Tahoe. Our business wasn’t dependent on location; it greatly expanded the pool of potential hires we could make, and it made it easier for us to bring in a more diverse group of employees.
the benefit in staying home to grab an important delivery, do much-needed laundry, or meet the electrician on a given day. But beyond that, more and more people are touting the benefits that WFH has on promoting diversity.
Say, for example, that one of your teammates has a disease or disorder that can flare up in a disruptive way. When that happens, they might have to take it easy for a bit. Having a private space to manage their personal health—where they can accomplish some manageable tasks and be contacted in an emergency—is ultimately beneficial for both the individual and for the entire team.
it's easy to see
1/3
Additionally, hybrids continue to be the way to attract the best talent. In a recent study, 74% of employees reported they would change jobs based on a work from home policy. Additionally, 53.3% said working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job, and the highest job satisfaction was reported by employees that were partially or fully remote.
Source: Softchoice
"would change jobs based on a work from home policy"
74%
"working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job"
53.3%
2/3
My old job—the one with the office hubs—was an example of this in action. That company’s hybrid environment was the best way to attract and support its people. The best backend engineer was in Boston, and the best UXer was in Salt Lake City; the clients were in the film industry, so they were mainly in LA, and the founder split his time between Berkeley and Lake Tahoe. Our business wasn’t dependent on location; it greatly expanded the pool of potential hires we could make, and it made it easier for us to bring in a more diverse group of employees.
3/3
Five likely office scenarios and advice on how to make the most of each one.
Tri Vo
Design by
Amber Sawaya
Story by
office workers flushed out of their offices and into their makeshift workspaces at home, and it seemed like a relief to be employed at all during an economic crisis. In the end, for many designers and marketers, the WFH life turned out to be more than tolerable. In fact, a sizable portion of the workforce will continue working from home, at least in a limited capacity. But as mask mandates are rolled back and more vaccines get into more arms in America, many companies are now turning their attention back to offices and asking not just when to return but how and why.
No matter where your company sits on the “back to office” spectrum— whether you’re leading an entire company, a department, or just yourself— it’s time to start thinking about the next phase. Allow us to help you make sense of every scenario you might be working under.
Last Spring,
office return scenarios
mandatory
return
option 1
option 2
hybrid options
no more
offices
hybrid
option 1
hybrid
option 3
hybrid
option 2
mandatory
return
Offices as Regional Hubs
While there is no doubt that many employees preferred working from home, the decision also made financial sense for many employers who will now remain remote permanently.
The benefits to remote work are clear—more time for deep work, geographic flexibility, higher job satisfaction, and the list goes on. But keep in mind, WFH in 2020 was actually nothing like being remote pre-pandemic. Nina Zakharenko, a developer who’s spent the past five years working remotely, said on Twitter that her routine was totally different before COVID. “Before (the pandemic) I’d have lunch at a coffee shop, co-work with friends, shop after work,” she wrote. She lamented the fact that in 2020, she basically lived at work, with no clear boundaries between her home and her office.
Indeed, remote work has a sneaky way of sliding into your life and completely overtaking it. “[For] many of us, today still feels like a carbon copy of yesterday and the week before and last month,” says Lauren Allain, a writer based in Seattle. “Each day includes three Zoom calls, staring out the window, eating snacks for dinner, and then accidentally checking work emails from the couch at 9 p.m. No wonder we feel burnt out.”
If you are working from home for the long haul, set up a dedicated office space—preferably away from the spaces you spend the most time, like the kitchen and your bedroom. When it’s safe for you to do so, get out of the house. Go to the gym, work at the coffee shop, meet a friend for lunch—these activities will ultimately help you keep work and home separate. They’ll also refresh your mental state, allowing you to bring your best self to both work and play.
Hybrid option 1:
Everyone remote, some of the time
Hybrid option 2:
Some fully-remote workers and teams
Hybrid option 3:
The Office is Cancelled
office return scenarios
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Tap on the glowing dots.
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
Scroll
on text
to read
are hybrids here to stay?
Are Hybrids Here to Stay?
home
Additionally, hybrids continue to be the way to attract the best talent. In a recent study, 74% of employees reported they would change jobs based on a work from home policy. Additionally, 53.3% said working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job, and the highest job satisfaction was reported by employees that were partially or fully remote.
My old job—the one with the office hubs—was an example of this in action. That company’s hybrid environment was the best way to attract and support its people. The best backend engineer was in Boston, and the best UXer was in Salt Lake City; the clients were in the film industry, so they were mainly in LA, and the founder split his time between Berkeley and Lake Tahoe. Our business wasn’t dependent on location; it greatly expanded the pool of potential hires we could make, and it made it easier for us to bring in a more diverse group of employees.
the benefit in staying home to grab an important delivery, do much-needed laundry, or meet the electrician on a given day. But beyond that, more and more people are touting the benefits that WFH has on promoting diversity.
Say, for example, that one of your teammates has a disease or disorder that can flare up in a disruptive way. When that happens, they might have to take it easy for a bit. Having a private space to manage their personal health—where they can accomplish some manageable tasks and be contacted in an emergency—is ultimately beneficial for both the individual and for the entire team.
it's easy to see
1/3
Additionally, hybrids continue to be the way to attract the best talent. In a recent study, 74% of employees reported they would change jobs based on a work from home policy. Additionally, 53.3% said working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job, and the highest job satisfaction was reported by employees that were partially or fully remote.
2/3
"would change jobs based on a work from home policy"
"working remotely was a priority when looking for a new job"
74%
53.3%
Source: Softchoice
My old job—the one with the office hubs—was an example of this in action. That company’s hybrid environment was the best way to attract and support its people. The best backend engineer was in Boston, and the best UXer was in Salt Lake City; the clients were in the film industry, so they were mainly in LA, and the founder split his time between Berkeley and Lake Tahoe. Our business wasn’t dependent on location; it greatly expanded the pool of potential hires we could make, and it made it easier for us to bring in a more diverse group of employees.
3/3