GeekWire on Wednesday celebrated its new headquarters at the center of the universe — otherwise known as Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood.
Business leaders, GeekWire sponsors and members, neighbors and representatives from the Fremont Chamber of Commerce gathered for the event on the sunny decks of the office space, which in previous incarnations was a coffee shop and a residence.
Cyclists pedaled past on the Burke Gilman Trail and seaplanes departing from Lake Union buzzed overhead during the requisite ribbon cutting.
Given that the occasion was focused on GeekWire’s new workspace, we took the opportunity to talk to guests about their offices and how they’re navigating the world of remote and in-person work.
While adjustments are still being made, some time has passed since companies began establishing back-to-office policies coming out of the COVID pandemic. Amazon, for example, implemented its three-days-a-week in-person mandate about a year ago.
Here’s what attendees had to say.
Perry Atkins, managing director and family wealth advisor at Baird
In-person policy: Set by individual teams, his requires two days in-person (everyone on Tuesdays, the other day is a personal choice).
How it’s going: “It has been a really robust, happy work environment for people because they feel like they have agency about their lives for the first time in their careers. And I think that from a recruiting standpoint it’s going to be a plus, because I’ve watched some of the other people in my business make their employees come in five days a week.”
A caveat: While the policy works for Atkins’ team of seven, it’s a group of more senior employees. A less experienced cohort could require more in-person interactions to give them the chance for mentoring and to better understand culture and professional conduct, he said.
Shannon Swift, founder and CEO of Swift HR Solutions
In-person policy: Swift HR Solutions, a 20-year-old Seattle-area HR and recruiting company, doesn’t have an office space. The business provides fractional employees who work onsite for clients with workspaces, or remotely for those without.
How it’s going: “Companies are still feeling their way. The ones that took a really hard and fast stance have seen that maybe that wasn’t the best approach. They’ve maybe lost some team members they didn’t want to lose. Morale has been impacted. And so there may be softening a little bit. Others that thought, ‘Oh, this is working great and we can just completely stay remote’ are seeing that maybe over time they’re starting to lose some of some of what made them successful. And so they’re saying, ‘OK, maybe we need to find some way to bring some sense of going back into play.'”
Variables: With Swift HR clients, multiple factors determine onsite policies: the nature of the work, the business model, the company’s culture, and the experience level of the employees, Swift said. For those working remotely, some might convene online for regular morning meet ups or even have Microsoft Teams or Zoom on all day, working together while apart.
Alison Beason, director of life science and global health at the Washington State Department of Commerce
and Joseph Williams, Commerce’s information and communications technology sector lead. (GeekWire Photo / Kurt Schlosser)
In-person policy: None for her department — employees have offices they can use, or work remotely.
How it’s going: “Now that people are able to work from home, you get more representation in government from across the state. When we had to be in the office in Olympia or in Seattle, we had people that only were very Seattle or Olympia strictly minded. The government encouraging working more remotely or hybrid allows different voices to be at the table when we make these decisions for Eastern Washington, Central Washington, Spokane, Yakima, Vancouver.”
Productivity: The opportunity to work from home creates more flexibility for working hours so if you work late one day, you can push back your start time the next, Beason said. That freedom also means she might check her email on a Sunday so she’ll start ahead of the curve on Monday.
Todd Owens, co-founder and CEO of Kevala
In-person policy: Since the 2020 launch of Kevala, a Seattle startup that helps facilities manage healthcare shifts, employees have been required to work Tuesday to Thursday in the office, and Monday and Friday from home.
How it’s going: “To be honest, when we’re in the office, we are actually huddling and brainstorming and it’s not really a good place for heads down work. So that balance between a couple of days together and a couple of days at home, to me, is the sweet spot.”
Asynchronicity: Some managers were granted approval to work from home on Wednesdays too, but their employees often don’t come in that day as well, Owens said. The startup also hired some 100% remote people based out of state who are great employees, but it adds complexity to have the in-person policy applied unevenly.
Jon Prentice, senior vice president at Silicon Valley Bank
In-person policy: Set by individual teams, which for his group of 20-30 employees requires everyone in the office Mondays and Thursdays.
How it’s going: “I think most people kind of enjoy coming together in the office. I would not want to go in to work every single day, but couple days a week is great. I think I’m less productive the days I go in the office, because it tends to be heavy with internal meetings. So there’s a time and place for that, but I don’t get as much core work done.”
Other improvement: In the pre-COVID world, there was an unspoken rule that everyone started work at 9 a.m., Prentice said. Now if he has an appointment for his kid or another obligation, he can do that and come in later. “Flexibility is a big part of our work environment and our work culture,” Prentice added.
Adam Chapman, managing director, and Blair Stern, executive vice president at JLL
In-person policy: JLL, a real estate services company, has most employees working onsite, with some limited work-from-home and flexibility in onsite hours.
How it’s going: “I totally enjoy it. I love my team. I like being there,” said Chapman.
“I don’t find much excitement just sitting at home by myself,” said Stern. “I love the impromptu conversations, that collaboration, brainstorming with a colleague right next to each other. I love human connection. That’s just me.”
Attractions: Companies eager to get employees onsite are seeking offices with great amenities, said Chapman, which includes restaurants and cafes, gyms and parking garages. And once workers return, it creates momentum.
“As more people came back, FOMO set in,” Chapman said of JLL. “Some of our employees hadn’t been in and they maybe came to check it out, and they’re like, ‘You guys are all closer friends now. I’ve missed out on this.'”
Keep scrolling for more images from Wednesday’s event:
