Few events in modern history have changed the workplace—and the way people work—more than the COVID-19 pandemic. Within days of its onset, companies large and small were forced to find ways to pivot to remote work. Over the next couple of years, amid social isolation, lockdowns, and general chaos, many workers connected to the office from their homes. Somehow, everyone muddled through.
It has become painfully clear, however, that remote work is a blessing for some and a curse for others. Today’s technology—including cloud computing—delivers remarkable benefits for both individuals and companies. Yet these systems can’t replicate an office setting where groups of people gather in cubicles, in conference rooms, and at watercoolers to exchange ideas and solve problems.
Now, with the pandemic fading into history, A/E/C firms are attempting to find the right balance. On one hand, many professionals have grown accustomed to working at home and aren’t keen on going back to the office full time. They often desire the work-life balance and flexibility that remote arrangements provide.
On the other hand, some of the best outcomes occur when people meet and collaborate in a physical space. Preserving a cohesive corporate culture can also prove daunting with people scattered across offices, states, or even countries. “Remote work situations present both opportunities and challenges,” says Chandra Storrusten, CEO of Visible Value, an organizational strategy and growth consulting firm that works with A/E/C firms.
To be sure, morale, productivity, and the ability to attract and retain talent all hang in the balance. “In remote work environments, spontaneous interactions change,” says Aimee Nalle, human resources director at San Francisco-based Degenkolb Engineers. “It takes conscious action from at least one person to reach out via phone or email or chat because the random hallway gatherings no longer happen.”
The pandemic clearly accelerated a trend toward remote work that had been inching forward for years. Polling organization Gallup reports that only 2 in 10 remote-capable employees are currently working entirely on-site—down from 6 in 10 in 2019. More telling: 97 percent of respondents want to work remotely at least some of the time, according to the 2023 State of Remote Work survey conducted by content creation platform Buffer. Overall, 98 percent view remote work somewhat to very positively—and 0 percent think about it in negative terms.
The reasons for desiring to work remotely vary, of course. But the most common factors for employees include reduced commute times, scheduling flexibility, and a general desire to balance work and life more organically. Employers often find flexible work arrangements attractive because they can decrease the need for pricey office space, and they introduce the possibility of hiring top talent without regard for geography.
Hybrid work has become the norm at Hanson Professional Services, a Springfield, Illinois, firm with more than 600 employees spread across 28 offices. “It had become clear that employees wanted a more flexible framework,” explains Chief People Officer Mina Biggs. Like most firms, Hanson shifted almost entirely to remote work as the pandemic emerged. “But we also made it clear that 100 percent remote work was a temporary arrangement, and at some point, people would be coming back to the office.”
In September 2020, Hanson released a set of policies to guide managers and employees through the remote work labyrinth. Senior executives opted against creating any restrictions around days or hours. “We decided that it was up to managers to make the decision based on what makes sense for a particular team, role, and employee,” Biggs says.
“In remote work environments, spontaneous interactions change.”
AIMEE NALLEHUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORDEGENKOLB ENGINEERS
As a result, Hanson established a framework built around trust and accountability. An employee must fill out a request for hybrid work, and a manager reviews it. After the two come to an agreement about how to structure the remote work arrangement, HR receives the approved work arrangement, and the employee’s schedule is posted in a Workday platform that is accessible to all staff.
Productivity never took a hit, and annual turnover hovers in the single digits. “Our philosophy was to move forward with a hybrid work program and deal with any speed bumps that appeared,” Biggs says.
“Hybrid work should be part of a broader strategy that revolves around ways to find and retain talent and differentiate your firm.”
CHANDRA STORRUSTENCEOVISIBLE VALUE
Today, about two-thirds of Hanson’s workforce works remotely some of the time, and about one-third works entirely in the office. “Different people have different preferences and needs. As long as we’re meeting our goals as a company, it’s really just a question of how to design and operate the program,” Biggs says.
Make no mistake: Fundamental changes to the workplace are underway. The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research has declared the U.S. a “working from home” economy. It reports that over 60 percent of U.S. economic activity derives from remote work. A 2021 survey conducted by the Centre for Economic Policy Research reported that 42 percent of U.S. employees would start looking for other work or quit their job if they weren’t allowed some flexibility in the way they work.
“Flexibility has become a key factor for attracting and retaining talent, but also for how work takes place in a digital economy,” says Brian Barton, CEO of the Richfield, Utah, firm Jones & DeMille Engineering, which has about 175 employees scattered across 11 offices. While he and the executive team prefer that employees come into the office as often as possible, employees are allowed to make their own decisions. “We take the position that individuals are 100 percent responsible for their own success,” Barton says. “That means that things are going to look very different for each person.”
“Flexibility has become a key factor for attracting and retaining talent, but also for how work takes place in a digital economy.”
BRIAN BARTONCEOJONES & DEMILLE ENGINEERING
Storrusten points out that no two companies, roles, or employees are the same—and it’s unwise to impose a rigid framework that doesn’t address how a business operates and how individuals work. Instead, adapt potential processes to talent and desired outcomes. “Some people have roles that are better suited to remote work. Some people thrive remotely, while others are more productive and happier in an office,” she says. “The burden is on a company and its leaders to figure out what works best for teams and be intentional about building connections and implementation.”
Balancing structure with flexibility is a key consideration at Degenkolb. With eight offices in the U.S. and Mexico, it also has established a formal written policy for hybrid work. The firm encourages employees to come into the office three days per week.
“We decided that it was up to managers to make the decision based on what makes sense for a particular team, role, and employee.”
MINA BIGGSCHIEF PEOPLE OFFICERHANSON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
According to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, it’s prudent to focus on three critical pillars when establishing a remote work program. First, it found that one to three days out of the office per week is optimal. This gives employees a break from the stress of commuting and offers greater flexibility in their day. Second, working from home should always be an optional choice; 20 percent of workers don’t want to exit the office on a regular basis. Third, working from home should be framed as a privilege, not an entitlement.
What if a remote situation doesn’t work out? “There may be a need to reassign or redeploy individuals who are valuable but are unable to work or lead well in a hybrid or remote environment either because they are lonely, not supported properly by their manager, or productivity drops off,” Storrusten explains. “It isn’t something for everyone.”
The challenges surrounding hybrid work arrangements aren’t based in technology. Tools such as Windows 365, Dropbox, Google Drive, Slack, Zoom, and Teams make it incredibly easy for people to connect and collaborate online. Cloud computing connects people and data seamlessly. The problem is that these tools remap personal connections. Instances such as mentoring in the moment and impromptu gatherings that generate new ideas and even breakthroughs aren’t possible when large swaths of a workforce work remotely. Relationships with clients can take a hit.
Jones & DeMille Engineering addresses these risks through a series of formal and informal policies, Barton says. For example, the firm asks that client meetings take place in person whenever possible, though it imposes no expectations about regular team meetings. In addition, about twice a month it holds large-scale meetings on Zoom, where people share news, information, and updates. “We have found that this approach helps reduce feelings of isolation and some of the anxiety that’s associated with working remotely,” Barton says.
At Hanson, soft skills are also in the spotlight—particularly in areas such as communication, collaboration, and leadership. The company constantly examines attitudes, methods, and tools that are crucial for hybrid work. It reviews what is working, what isn’t, and what processes need to change. In addition, it sends emails, newsletters, and other content with ideas and tips for navigating a changing workplace. Finally, “Every January, managers review the remote work relationship with the employee before recertifying it.” Biggs says. “We ask, ‘What’s working, what’s not working, and what needs to change?’”
Degenkolb’s Nalle says that the firm has had to find creative ways to connect people so that mentoring, knowledge sharing, social connections, and other organic conversations can take place online. This has led to specialized online events such as their “DegChef” cooking class; “DegCreatives” art show; annual Rock Paper Scissors tournament; and small discussion groups called coffee chats. The approach helps people meet and get to know each other—which often leads to further interactions. “We have had occasions where people say, ‘Hey, I haven’t chatted with you before, and you’re doing some interesting work. Let’s get to know each other better,’” she says.
It’s important to approach hybrid work arrangements with the goals of making a firm a great place to work and providing growth opportunities, Storrusten says. Hybrid work frequently intersects with other programs and benefits, such as PTO, job sharing, nontraditional working hours, and similar alternative work arrangements. “Business leaders should focus on how they can optimize staffing and overcome talent shortages,” she says.
To be sure, hybrid work arrangements aren’t going away. Technology and an array of social factors are profoundly reshaping the workplace and the broader economy. Understanding the nature of work—and how employees now approach work-life balance—is vital to designing an effective program. Says Storrusten, “Hybrid work should be part of a broader strategy that revolves around ways to find and retain talent and differentiate your firm.”
Samuel Greengard is a technology and business writer based in West Linn, Oregon.