Reimagining a Return to our Offices

Last week I was fortunate to receive my second and final dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.  As the vaccine rollout continues across the country, the prospect of a safe return to the office is not just a possibility but a reality in reach.

Last month we conducted the agency’s third survey to get a pulse on how our teams felt about returning to the offices—and whilst the majority of our staff are still not quite ready to come back to the offices, for the first time, a number expressed the desire to connect with colleagues in person opening up the potential for a return.

While Spectrum Science has been geographically fluid for a long time, hiring and cultivating the best talent regardless of location with teams seamlessly collaborating across offices and with remote colleagues every day, over the past year we’ve all embraced working from anywhere in the U.S. except an office. We’ve supported Spectrumites in their moves across the country, both temporary and permanent. And we’ve become comfortable with and come to more highly value some of the flexible benefits of remote work.

With this increased geographic diversity and overall flexibility, and desire from some to get back, we knew we must reimagine our model for the Spectrum workforce—and for slowly and safely reopening our offices. I am excited to share with you this next natural step in providing unparalleled flexibility to our staff: our new, hybrid model.

Our full return to the offices will be hybrid and individualized. Every employee on every team will be able to define their work-from-home or in-office schedule in agreement with their manager. One person may choose to work five days from home. Another, only two days from home and the remaining three in the office. This model will allow each of us increased flexibility to establish a routine that best enables our lives, both at and outside of work. The agency will continue our practice of sourcing and developing top talent regardless of geography—and without penalty for choosing to spend less time in our physical offices. As always, the key to making this work will be clear communication and consistency, ensuring that we are responsible and accountable to one another and to our clients. 

The opening of each office will be determined on an office-by-office basis and in response to the changing environment, depending on national and local guidelines, COVID-19 vaccination rates and the specific logistics of each office. Across all our offices, everyone will be required to have received all COVID-19 vaccine doses and waited the two-week period to receive full protection. The safety of our staff and community will remain our number one priority.

Prior to this full return, we intend to do a soft opening for fully vaccinated individuals in DC and NY who indicated interest in returning to the office in our survey. This group will also help us pilot what returning to the office will look like, from evaluating staggered schedules to protocols for booking meeting spaces. We are also evaluating fully WFH Fridays, pending team feedback.

We are still working out the details and will continue to respond to the changing environment, but I look forward to this next step in our fight against COVID-19 and the beginnings of a return to normal.

?Jonathan Wilson is the Owner & CEO of Spectrum Science, an integrated marketing, communications and media agency hyper-focused on science.