How do we design work life 2.0?

I think you’re on mute. Can you see my screen? Sorry, kid emergency! 

Let’s all count the Zoom meetings we’ve had this year. 1,365? Sounds about right. 

I’ve yet to discern whether it feels like nine months or nine years since my last day in the office. We were so knee deep in crisis mode I didn’t even take the essentials with me. The onset of our new normal was a free fall of uncertainty. I was convinced my bathroom might become my permanent office as I hid away for quiet phone calls. Safe to say we’ve given up on that now. It didn’t take long for us to adopt a new rhythm with headlines soon emerging: Remote work forever! Nine months in, we’ve learned our old and new normal need to merge. Work life post pandemic won’t err radically on either side of the spectrum. These are a few questions my team is asking as we ideate our workday. 

How do we maintain our productivity? 

I’ve always been Type A, still, a pandemic forces a new level of focus. Now the stakes are: Does your company survive or not? Everything is purposeful. There’s no time for hypothetical returns. I’ve been operating with two filters: Does this help the business grow? Am I supporting someone else? Necessity streamlined the noise. 

I didn’t believe in remote work until this year. I’m more productive now than I used to be at the office pre-covid. I start my day with my checklist and Zoom right through. How do we balance our newfound focus with the energy of in-person collaboration? 

What does intentional office time look like? 

I miss my team. We’re in a good groove, still, it doesn’t compare to the energy of working side by side on a daily basis. Culturally, it’s important that we have time together. It’s also a lot more fun to have team members to work with.

I view the office of the future as a collaboration hub; a meeting space rather than one for individual work. We’ll gather for designated days and sessions. Then, tackle our tasks at home. We envision a healthy balance of in-person and remote. It’s going to be different for every company, and potentially every employee, which is where it requires thoughtful consideration. 

How do we create a fair system for everyone? 

Our design team has to be together to create collections. You can’t alter a pattern for a dress via Zoom. Trust me, we’ve tried! Certain industries and positions require you to be in person more than others. Suddenly, the workday feels very different when you’re in the office versus at home. Our new approach needs to feel fair for those commuting in every day. The only way we’ll achieve that is by designing it together. We’re constantly asking: Hey, is this working? Where can we improve? Communication is paramount. 

Where can we broaden our definition of flexibility? 

Over two million women dropped out of the workforce this year. The staggering impact of Covid on mothers begs a question we’ve long explored: How do we create a better system for working families? 

We all play a unique set of roles, from raising kids to caring for elderly relatives. Let’s expand the flexibility conversation and brainstorm options that address our collective responsibilities. It’s the only way we’ll make real progress. 

Flexibility should be just that, flexible. More time with my children and daily exercise are my work from home silver linings. I don’t want to lose the freedom of not having to be tethered to my desk from 9 to 6. I used to float the idea of a mythical 10 to 4 workday. No one ever cosigned. You couldn’t be the only company with unique hours otherwise you’d get behind. All the rules are out the window now. It doesn’t matter what other organizations are doing. Every business can decide what works for them. 

We’ve proven that time isn’t an accurate measure of performance. Benchmarks are. Everyone on our team knows their goals. We don’t need an outdated workday to see if they’ve been met. We’re free to plan our days in a more optimal way now, which has led to improved health, happiness, and productivity. 

2021 will be a period of ideation. It’s an empowering moment to create the change we’ve needed for decades. We should also expect inevitable trial and error. None of us will get it right on the first try. We’re all trying to articulate what matters to us and build it into our lifestyle, whatever that might look like. 

How are you envisioning the future of work? Share your ideas in the comments!