Designers, come back and play — how the return-to-office strategy is flawed
“You know, most times when people tell us something’s for the best, it’s for the worst.” — Alice Harmon, The Queen’s Gambit
I’ve done it, like many others before me. I've returned to the design office.
You could say, ‘I’m back in the game’. Another pawn helping to lead the front line as Covid still looms in the air.
Only one day a week for now until the world is back to the ‘new normal’ — or more fittingly ‘the abnormal’?
The office return
Colleagues are more cautious than ever as they stand in close proximity as the building lift shoots up through the levels.
Are all these ‘masked lift dwellers’ work colleagues? Or hijackers in a naff disguise? When faces are covered, no one can tell —just hold your breath until you step off.
All those who’ve returned to the office get a little bag of goodies (yippee); hand gel, wipes, masks, and a bag of popcorn!? — I think the popcorn must be coated in AstraZeneca! Why else would it be in our Covid bag of treats?
The chessboard strategy
“It’s an entire world of just 64 squares. I feel safe in it. I can control it; I can dominate it. And it’s predictable. So, if I get hurt, I only have myself to blame.” — Walter Tevis, The Queen’s Gambit
Our office space has now implemented a chessboard-style seating plan; in easy-to-control squares.
Colleagues can’t sit to our side or directly behind us — only on those seats marked with an X… highly confusing for us UX-ers.
Is it a strategic plan to reduce our chances of infection? Or disable the chat between each other?
One colleague starts to *cough* and all office eyes fix on their next move; they begin to move our way… QUICK, eat the popcorn!
The office decor has aged about as well as milk, and I can’t remember the sunlight being so blinding — was it always this bright? Or has Covid-19 punched more holes in the office ozone layer!?
On our return, they’d promised that we’d be socialising and catching up after all the time away. But our calendars are still rammed with back-to-back video calls chipping away at our mental health.
The strategic problem
“You play what’s best for you.” — Benny Watts, The Queen’s Gambit
Back in the office and talking with other designers, it’s apparent there’s a massive disconnect with the ‘return-to-office’ strategy.
The more senior designers are keen to keep working from home with only a couple of days in the office (they have families to manage and feel at ease in their loose joggers).
On the other hand, the more junior designers among us want a more defined structure with 4–5 days in the office with the whole team. So they can learn from the seniors and build more rapport.
The case is understandable from both sides — we may need Columbo in to solve this one.
Whatever your level; you need to team curiosity with ambition. You only survive if your hungry for knowledge.
I have two kids who struggle to think for themselves, so I’m keen to work more from home than I did pre-Covid (so they remember their school bags!). But I still need days in the office with other designers.
When I started out in design, I learnt from everyone around me and worked from the office five days a week; sometimes even at the weekend. So it’s a catch-22 situation we’re all in — there is NO winning move. There is NO endgame.
A recent national Covid office survey found that 63% of employees were ready to return to the office with the right incentives and safety precautions. By comparison, just over 25% were uncomfortable returning to the office. — HR World Insight
Not everyone wants to return to the office though, anxiety has made many people feel like they’re in checkmate; unable to make a move.
So any ‘return-to-office’ strategy has to think several moves ahead and hone into everyone’s needs (not just one demographic).
How can our design teams attract and retain the best talent and ensure they have all the proper levels of experience in the office at any given time? Taking into account all the variables in play; such as the split of introverts vs extroverts etc.
Junior designers only improve through working and learning from the senior designers. It also works the other way; senior designers learn just as much from juniors with their fresh perspective and thirst for knowledge.
We need each other.
We need to play together.
We learn much more that way.
It’s a no-brainer; learning from our peers makes us all better at what we do.
If the learning from each other stops, then that’s a major flaw in any ‘return-to-office’ strategy!
What's the best move?
How do we solve this? Should we have two models for future ways of working? One for ‘working from home’? And one for ‘working from the office’? Should each designer be given a choice?
Or would it be better to work half days in the office with a full turnout for each session? With an even split of senior and juniors in at any one time? All together and learning from each other… but would colleagues actually trek in for half-a-day with travel expenses so high?
It’s clear that different generations have different priorities. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to office chess and where all the pieces need to sit.
But, surely it’s better to have a busy workplace three days a week than a half-empty one for five? Right?
Colleagues will jump ship if they don’t get the balance that works for them, or they start to feel their learning has been stunted.
“Remote work isn’t a privilege or a special accommodation. It’s a way of working, and that’s a strong statement for some people. It shouldn’t be a question of rewarding top performers with the ability to work remotely.” — Nicki Bellington, Atlassian
We need to get the playing balance right; a balance that prioritises the needs of ALL employees. Remote working isn’t going anywhere. It’s here to stay!
Maybe we won’t find the answer until the pandemic is entirely over.
But until then, our HR teams need to act and make the right moves, or we’ll lose more of our pieces — and losing them means we lose the game!
“The moves they applaud the loudest are the ones you make rather quickly.” — Alma Wheatley, The Queen’s Gambit
References
- 'The Big Comeback: Creating a Return-to-work Strategy'. HR World Insight (2021). https://www.hrworldinsight.com/article/468/The%20Big%20Come%20Back:%20Creating%20A%20Return-to-work%20Strategy
- ‘The Queen’s Gambit’. Netflix (2020). https://www.netflix.com/gb/Title/80234304
Knowledge is power.
So keep learning, keep preparing, and keep listening.
