We all had a rough time during the pandemic. In the first wave, by the spring of 2020, 3.9 billion people in more than 90 countries were ordered or asked to remain at home. Organizations struggled to put work-from-home policies in place.
Adnovians – employees of Adnovum – were fortunate. We scaled up our existing work-from-home infrastructure quickly in March already and offered childcare and home-schooling time to employees during the closure. Leadership kept very up to date on the science as well as with the various government authorities’ decisions. We adapted our setups in headquarters and in our other offices accordingly in real time.
No turning back
This experience has changed our relationship to work seemingly forever. Employees and employer discovered the benefits of working outside the office: more focus, increased productivity, and reduced commute times. As Covid restrictions ease, we realize we cannot go back to the way things used to be because most employees value the new-found flexibility as an Adnovum-internal survey revealed.
A full remote approach is also out of the question, because remote work comes with clear challenges: communication breaks down in subtle and not-so-subtle ways leading to uncertainty, which increases anxiety and reduces job satisfaction. Colleagues need face-to-face collaboration and a sense of belonging to a team.
Hybrid approach
Fully aware of these challenges, Adnovum will adopt a hybrid approach. We will give our people as much autonomy as possible and empower them to choose whether they want to work from the office, from home or anywhere else depending on the task at hand, their team, their goals, and legal aspects.
This hybrid approach will make it possible to adapt to personal preferences while making work more productive and enjoyable for all. The office will again become a repository for knowledge, a place for connection, organized and serendipitous exchange with peers. We are aiming for seamless collaboration between on-site and remote colleagues and clients.
New adapted headquarters and offices
Adnovum takes the opportunity of the upcoming headquarters move to adapt our offices to these new realities. The opening of the new office is scheduled for October 2021. We will move from assigned workstations to a set-up allowing for new forms of collaboration, including numerous small conference rooms for impromptu sessions, and privacy booths for phone calls. In addition, our new headquarters will offer ample and diverse communal spaces such as lounges for conversation and social activities as well as quiet reading rooms and a library.
We are confident that empowering our people to make these choices will bring job satisfaction to new heights and are looking forward to what this hybrid approach will bring to both our people and our clients.
