I know there is another thread on this but it was from back In July before everyone had been doing it for a year. Was curious if offices are planning on doing some sort of WFH permanently. I've heard varying things from the diferent architects I work with. I work for a GC and the work is much more interesting in my mind but if WFH was all of a sudden a thing in arch firms. Game changer.
Pre-pandemic I didn't think I could even work efficiently at home. Turns out I like it way more than I thought and find it all pretty efficient. I work on large projects but don't really spend that much time collaborating with other people at the office. I spend more time working with owners, consultants, and engineers in other offices anyways. So what is the point of all that commuting just to barely talk with other people in a loud studio environment?
I know leadership at our studio is pressing for us to come back to the office. I've only been 5 times in the past year. I'm never going back to 5-days a week. If that's unacceptable to my office, I can find another one. Job market is currently on fire here.
agreed- i'm never returning to 5 days a week in the office where my every conversation, movement, and breath is visible and surveilled. thank you, open office.
i'm exaggerating a little, i actually really like my coworkers, and am looking forward to seeing them in person from time to time, but i also really enjoy working from home on my own schedule without the antiquated pressures of the office grind. it's also been very surprising how little it seems necessary to work in person with each other.
management has been really sympathetic and flexible, so ideally looking at 2 days in the office, 3 from home.
I'm back full time in our downtown office... been like this since July (exception being January due to another shut-down). Although I have an office at home, I prefer to work in the office. Separating my home hobby space from my day-to-day work space is very important to me.
As for the WFH set-up... I have made the request from ownership that it should remain in perpetuity. Not just in the situation that someone can't come in but because it makes completing project so much easier knowing that I can always pop back in at 11pm for 2-3hrs and finish that report or whatever instead of working past 5pm consistently. This means I get to leave at 5pm sharp everyday and tend to my family (I'm the cook).
After six years of working from home, COVID didn't change my routine much but I'm switching to having an office away from home. It's actually an empty apartment at my mom's house, 25 minutes from mine. (NOT in her basement, ha! Though I do have a workshop there.)
The main reason I'm moving my office there is to keep an eye on her and her health problems, but I'm also excited for the change of scenery and access to a print shop (and coffee shops, and restaurants). I could even have clients or venders there, which is not ideal where my home office is located. My new wireless monitor for there is being delivered today!
Permanent WFH or Partial WFH Policies
I know there is another thread on this but it was from back In July before everyone had been doing it for a year. Was curious if offices are planning on doing some sort of WFH permanently. I've heard varying things from the diferent architects I work with. I work for a GC and the work is much more interesting in my mind but if WFH was all of a sudden a thing in arch firms. Game changer.
Pre-pandemic I didn't think I could even work efficiently at home. Turns out I like it way more than I thought and find it all pretty efficient. I work on large projects but don't really spend that much time collaborating with other people at the office. I spend more time working with owners, consultants, and engineers in other offices anyways. So what is the point of all that commuting just to barely talk with other people in a loud studio environment?
I know leadership at our studio is pressing for us to come back to the office. I've only been 5 times in the past year. I'm never going back to 5-days a week. If that's unacceptable to my office, I can find another one. Job market is currently on fire here.
agreed- i'm never returning to 5 days a week in the office where my every conversation, movement, and breath is visible and surveilled. thank you, open office.
i'm exaggerating a little, i actually really like my coworkers, and am looking forward to seeing them in person from time to time, but i also really enjoy working from home on my own schedule without the antiquated pressures of the office grind. it's also been very surprising how little it seems necessary to work in person with each other.
management has been really sympathetic and flexible, so ideally looking at 2 days in the office, 3 from home.
I'm back full time in our downtown office... been like this since July (exception being January due to another shut-down). Although I have an office at home, I prefer to work in the office. Separating my home hobby space from my day-to-day work space is very important to me.
As for the WFH set-up... I have made the request from ownership that it should remain in perpetuity. Not just in the situation that someone can't come in but because it makes completing project so much easier knowing that I can always pop back in at 11pm for 2-3hrs and finish that report or whatever instead of working past 5pm consistently. This means I get to leave at 5pm sharp everyday and tend to my family (I'm the cook).
After six years of working from home, COVID didn't change my routine much but I'm switching to having an office away from home. It's actually an empty apartment at my mom's house, 25 minutes from mine. (NOT in her basement, ha! Though I do have a workshop there.)
The main reason I'm moving my office there is to keep an eye on her and her health problems, but I'm also excited for the change of scenery and access to a print shop (and coffee shops, and restaurants). I could even have clients or venders there, which is not ideal where my home office is located. My new wireless monitor for there is being delivered today!
We conducted a survey and spoke with a few firms about this. The findings were published in this feature:
The Architecture Community on Return-to-Office Plans in 2021
And we published this related article today:
Remote Work and 'Zoom towns' Aren't Just Changing Our Offices It's Changing the Future of Employment Opportunities
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