So, now what?
While the pandemic is still ravaging many countries (it's really bad), our world is rapidly returning to normalish. It's getting so normal, so fast, it's almost a little uncomfortable. After all, we were promised that nothing would ever be the same, but I am skeptical if the "new normal" is going to happen or if it's going to look an awful lot like the old normal. I can't do much about that, but I can ensure it won't be the same around here. We talked about it, and we decided to keep the new stuff we like and bin the stuff that sucked. Here are a few ways we're working on keeping our "new normal" for good.
Big Change
In the office: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Work from home: Tuesday and Thursday. This just made sense. Throughout last year, we had a lot of people with a lot of schedules. It wasn't bad, but it was hard to know where everyone was on any given day. This new, more defined schedule gives us some structure and a clearer sense of our days and what we can expect from them. Tuesdays and Thursdays now allow for deeper work with few distractions. But we absolutely need in-person connections and collaboration. They are essential for us to produce the best work, and much of this occurs by happenstance. Our office now exists primarily to nurture unexpected creative collaborations. And, when people are only asked to be in the office three times a week, they're more likely to look forward to those days and bring their best energy and ideas.
Short Change
We never had an official dress code until I heard the term "dress for your day" and immediately adopted it. If something makes this much sense, it would be silly not to implement it. If you have a meeting, dress like it. If you don't, dress like it. Does that include shorts? Yes! I always thought shorts were a little too casual. But, in the immortal argument from The Dude, "Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man." Furthermore, my skinny black jeans have reminded me of how miserable it feels when snug denim meets 300% humidity. And so, another new normal was born: Let them wear shorts!
Change to Retain
Linda Ho has worked here for over five years. About this time last year, she told us that her husband found a job in Colorado, but she would like to continue working at 5+8. I don’t think I would have been as open to this idea pre-pandemic, but she had already proven her ability to work from home. It’s been a little over six months since she moved, and though it’s different and we miss her presence, it works great. Now we fly her down once a quarter: She gets her mom’s home-cooking, and we get to hang with Linda for a week. It’s a definitive win-win.
When it comes to heading back to work, employees and employers surveyed on this subject often want the same thing, but changes this significant can be scary and should be carefully planned. I've experienced (and embodied) these scary changes myself. On our first few work-from-home Tuesdays, I would sit in a mostly empty office fearing nothing was getting done. Amped up on anxiety, I would overreact to the smallest snafu. I'm working on it. I'm working on it, because it's not about me, it's about us. I get why many organizations will ask for all hands back on deck. It is comforting to see workers working, and it feels good to have your people around you. But we have to do what works best for our people, our clients, and our company—not what works best for the boss's psyche.
