Despite COVID and despite everything else, our 1 year old business @riseatseven signed a 5 year lease on a building this week. If you’re honestly not sure whether a physical office is for you anymore, this thread’s for you

Firstly, don’t let Twitter bully you into thinking you’re wrong for wanting an office. If it’s your business, and you want a building, get one. If it isn’t, and you want to work in an office, move jobs. For some people “office-based” could be listed under “perks”.

Are you missing out on great hires by demanding everyone works in an office? Absolutely. Would they be great hires for YOUR business? Probably not. Just because they want to work remotely doesn’t automatically make them more qualified for the job so don’t buy into that bullshit.

Our business would look very different if we’d built it to be remote. We hire young and enthusiastic people, often with little to no experience, and train them, face to face because it’s easier. Our clients buy us for our enthusiasm.

If we’d planned to be a remote agency we’d have fewer, more experienced staff. We also wouldn’t have grown anywhere near as quickly either, because we were able to take staff who were ready to take a step up rather than just those who are qualified now.

I’m a huge fan of personality profiling. Every one of our staff does a DISC assessment and every one of them is an I, or an I and something. We have people people. Even the SEOs. They are sociable. More on personality types https://www.searchenginejournal.com/personality-profiling-seo-agency/362122/

Maybe this is the controversial part: I love commuting. I listen to podcasts and audiobooks in the car and I learn stuff. I get calm and put work out of my mind by the time I get home so I can be present with my family. It’s a ritual I enjoy. Not for everyone I’m sure.

Our office lives will look a little different now. They have to. We’re kitting out the place for twice as many people as we have so that those who want to be in the office can practice social distancing. We’re less likely to enforce everyone being in 5 days a week.

What do our employees want, though? They want to be together. We purposely hire people like that. We don’t hire people who don’t want to join in. We want people who pull for each other and that’s harder to foster when you’re not face to face.

Ultimately though I want to be in an office mostly just because I enjoy it. I like chatting over the table. Going out for lunch. Bar after work. Sharing the same music and the same moments. Want to work remotely full time? We’re probably not a fit for you.

Don’t worry though, a brave new world is opening up for you home workers. Loads of employers are going remote and there’s loads of opportunity for you. But if you look down at your competitors who are office based as quaint and antiquated we will accelerate past you very quickly.

Any questions?