Monthly Archives: August 2021

Develop more explicit norms to set hybrid teams up for success.

As more organizations return employees to the office, many are also allowing more flexibility for employees to choose where and how they need to work. When everyone is in the office, many cultural values and social norms can go unspoken. A hybrid workplace requires more clearly communicated shared etiquette and protocols. More explicit norms will increase equity and engagement, and create a sense of inclusion and belonging. Remember to stay agile and revisit these as needs change.

Here are six tips from Steelcase

1. Schedule Transparency

Develop a system for communicating who will be in person and who will be remote. This will impact who comes in (when your colleague is in the office, you’ll likely want to be as well), and it will impact the space and technology needed. Make this available to all so people can plan the best possible collaboration experience.

2. Social Start

Make proper introductions so everyone in the room and on video is familiar (remote participants should have video on whenever possible), and start each meeting with just a few minutes of check in to build social capital.

3. Hear and Be Heard

Know and clearly mark where microphones are in the room and make sure everyone who is remote can hear what’s going on and be heard. Ask people to avoid making noise that will make it harder to hear (loud typing, crunching, side talk).

4. See and Be Seen

Consider assigning an in-person participant to pay attention to what remote attendees see. Does the camera need to move? Can remote attendees see content? Do you need to send a photo for a close-up of markerboard content?

5. Pause with Purpose

Stop regularly and ask remote participants if they have input. Develop engagement protocols based on group size and type of work. Will everyone raise their hand digitally? Who will monitor the chat? How will you ensure remote participants can jump in and engage?

6. Clear Next Steps

One of the worst experiences as a remote participant is missing the wrap up conversation that can happen after a meeting is officially over. Avoid this by ending each collaboration session with clearly stated and visible next steps.

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The future of the workplace is hybrid and so is the future of collaboration. Sixty-eight percent of global organizations are planning to experiment with hybrid work. They are allowing employees to work partly in the office and partly at home or elsewhere to varying degrees. Even companies who will primarily be in the office will encounter hybrid work — some partners, suppliers and customers will expect to connect over distance — and that means people will be collaborating with a blend of remote and co-located teammates more than ever before.

Leading organizations are taking steps now to prepare for a significant increase in hybrid collaboration, as more people return to the office, so they can be as productive as possible. These organizations recognize how much they need the energy and vibe that drive innovation and growth, but understand if people struggle, they will retreat to their homes.

Hybrid Collaboration Is Complex

“Starting now, every space is a video space. People are spending so much time adjusting camera angles, and figuring out content streams, they are losing the human connection and we need to make things easier,” says Jessie Storey, Steelcase design manager who’s been working on improving the hybrid experience for 15 years. The problems people faced pre-pandemic will only accelerate and masks and distancing won’t help, notes Storey. Issues people will struggle with are:

Inequitable environment – When remote teammates can’t see or hear, they have to work harder to be involved. The root cause of that presence disparity is the poor integration of physical space and digital tools.

Complex connections – It’s tough to read body language, make eye contact and sense the group’s mood over video.

Failing to engage – It’s hard to share content in a way that engages both in-person and remote participants. Can remote teammates see if someone is using a markerboard?

Inhibiting innovation – Generating new ideas is the most difficult type of collaboration. Being active can help people be more engaged and creative — that’s tough on video.

A Hybrid Future + BYOD

As organizations test new ways of working some variables will remain in flux. For example, how many people will participate on both ends of a video call, how will employees own and share different types of collaboration spaces, and what hardware and software platforms will stick.

Other shifts are more certain — like a hybrid future and a BYOD (bring your own device) model. BYOD relies more heavily on workers’ mobile devices instead of completely integrated, dedicated room systems. By supporting and integrating a variety of hardware and software solutions, people can connect in the easiest and most productive ways for them.

Range of Spaces + Technology

To create the best possible hybrid work experience, organizations will want to offer a range of spaces and technology solutions to easily support diverse types of collaboration — from a planned creative session to an impromptu one-on-one and everything in between. “We need to focus on braiding the digital and the physical,” says Storey. “It’s not enough to just bring remote people into the space. We need to give those in the office a better virtual presence by designing important elements like cameras, acoustics, content and lighting.

“It’s not enough to just bring remote people into the space. We need to give those in the office a better virtual presence.”

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OEC talked with Architects and Designers about their experiences returning to the office.

What do you like about being back in the office?

The collaboration. There’s nothing like physically working near colleagues in a design service industry. While remote we had zoom staff meetings, team calls, but most of the time you were looking at a name on a blank screen because of technological or home office restraints. In the office you can have impromptu chats that solve problems, innovate ideas, saving time and effort. We are able to sustain our workplace culture, which gives employees a feeling of family and commitment to the firm.

What do you appreciate now that you didn’t before?

I appreciate my health, watching so many people die from the pandemic, I am grateful to be alive..

What changes have you seen or would you like to see in the future?

The biggest change has been workflow. So many projects were put on hold last year due to Covid, but now our expectations are optimistic for the foreseeable future.

What do you like about being back in the office?

The healthy, competitive nature within an office and the banter between co-workers. I also recognize that many of our intern staff were missing out on critical learning skills that can only be picked up in an office environment. For example, listening to a senior architect on a call with an owner or contractor, understanding how to handle situations effectively, and asking co-workers what they would do in specific situations. These are things that cannot be learned in your home and most likely NOT over zoom calls.

What do you appreciate now that you didn’t before?

Last year had lots of bad outcomes, but we should also see that it brought some monumental change in how we all work and interact. It works well when you  have senior staff that are dedicated to their jobs.

What changes have you seen or would you like to see in the future?

I would like to see a hybrid approach adopted and in fact that is currently our office policy. We have decided to have two “in office” workdays per week. We recognize that having a MANDATORY back to work policy would drive many of our staff to look for new positions. There most likely will be some very healthy work experiences with this new blended model.   

What do you like about being back in the office?

It is much more conducive to collaborative work especially as a designer. I missed the human interaction with both my coworkers and our clients. The ability to drive clients through their designs in person fosters a better relationship and flow of work. 

What do you appreciate now that you didn’t before?

I have come to appreciate the products we sell. When I began working at home I was sitting in a chair that lacked many of the ergonomic features of my setup at the office. I came to OEC and picked up a chair and there was an immediate, noticeable difference. Having a height adjustable desk and adjustable dual monitor arms allowed me to work without feeling like my focus and quality of work were being compromised.

What changes have you seen or would you like to see in the future?

Internally, our most notable change has been how we conduct meetings. Rather than in an enclosed space we have been able to utilize many of our open areas. The need for space hasn’t gone away, but we are seeing changes in the way it is being used.

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Pets are a big part of our lives in the U.S. They make us laugh, comfort us when we cry, share in our vacations, and hang with us at home. For many people, they are an irreplaceable part of the family. Pets make life better; that is why PETIQ is making it affordable and convenient for all pet parents to provide their pets with the care they need to live full, healthy lives. With the new PETIQ Headquarters in Eagle, Idaho, they will be able to do that like never before.

PETIQ Grows

     Although PETIQ started in Eagle, Idaho, it has since expanded into forty-one states, with twelve hundred manufacturers and five hundred plus distributed medications. In 2017, the company went public and has been rapidly growing since with acquisitions and offerings. After such strong growth, the company decided to consolidate with a new headquarters. Because the founder and CEO, McCord Christensen, grew up in Eagle, he wanted to give back by putting down roots in his hometown. Fortunately, Eagle had everything that PETIQ needed to support the endeavor, and in 2019, Cole Architects began drawing the plans.

     Unfortunately, things did not progress as smoothly as planned. While the architects almost immediately hit the design spot on, the city of Eagle needed some persuasion to accept a bold, modern design in an otherwise quaint town. Through some heavy negotiating, PETIQ got its modern design, and Eagle got a brick-clad job generator on its main intersection. In the middle of the design negotiations, Covid hit the country. The shutdown was an interesting time for PETIQ. While they continued to grow on their product side, they had to shut down their service offerings. Due to the careful planning of their leadership team, they did not lay anyone off and decided to continue the build process.

The New Headquarters

     Fast forward to the present, and PETIQ has moved into its beautiful three-story building with a rooftop deck (pictured on the cover) and incredible office furnishings. The structure of the building is unique; with a 45-degree break near the centerline, the design capitalizes on the surrounding views. The executive offices and terrace enjoy excellent views of Bogus Basin to the east while staff enjoys waterside views on the patios accessible from the café. An atrium stairway connects all three floors. OEC designed the furniture on each floor to meet the needs of the occupying department. For example, the IT department has an open floorplan with flexible furniture options. In contrast, cubicles and sleek Volo Wall private offices take up a majority of the other spaces.

“We are entrenched here; our roots are here [in Eagle]. We wanted to give back, and this was one way we could give back immediately.”– Chad Longson

Giving Back

     While new employees begin to occupy the building, providing jobs is not the only way PETIQ is making a positive change in Eagle. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the mayor of Eagle shared his appreciation for PETIQ’s dedication to the city. Not only would the company’s headquarters improve the city’s commerce by providing jobs for its residents, but it was also helping the community in a way it was perfectly suited for: building a dog park. When the mayor called Chad Longson, the PETIQ VP of Real Estate, about the dog park, Christensen and the CFO, John Newland, jumped on board right away. “We are entrenched here; our roots are here [in Eagle]. We wanted to give back, and this was one way we could give back immediately.” -Chad Longson.

     With a new PETIQ Headquarters, and a new dog park bearing its name, the company will do what it does best. They will continue to grow by helping keep pets around the country happy and healthy.

See the full photo album today!

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