Why hybrid?
Where should we work? Few business leaders have not been asking themselves this question over the last few years, and we are all working together to define the best practices for our own companies and teams. Hundreds of articles, panels, and discussions prioritize the many pros and cons—and yet we read on, because most of us aren’t quite sure yet.
Why Uncork-it is committed to a hybrid workplace
In 2023, our team experimented with a 2-days-in-office, 3-days-remote model. Anybody could work additional days in the office, but we all had to be in on the same two days. That was for those of us near the company headquarters. In the past few years, we have also added team members in other states, who remained five days remote. It was an experiment, giving us the freedom to change our practices any time.
What did we learn?
Regular time in the office improves conversations and comprehension. It’s ideal for intense sprints and when we work as a team pushing the boundaries of technology and design.
Working from home/anywhere sparks joy. We like the freedom, the privacy, and the pets.
We enjoy the benefits each environment brings.
Therefore, despite a lack of conclusive data proving—or disproving—our experiment’s success, this year (2024) we are committing to a hybrid model. We made the decision, not just for certainty’s sake, which is important, but also by considering who we are as a team.
We support strong families
Families in the communities where Uncorkers live are having difficulty finding full coverage for childcare, healthcare, and eldercare. These challenges have grown since the pandemic. Each person on our team has appreciated how regular, planned non-office days have reduced some of that stress.
Remote team members
In recent years, we have expanded our prowess by adding employees working remotely from other states. Their special skills and perspectives are invaluable, and we are a much better team with them. We want to keep the ability to hire who we want regardless of where they live.
Sustainability
We want our kids, parents, and grandchildren to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in a world that sustains life. If we can reduce our daily commutes by 50% or more, the savings from fuel and vehicle manufacture and maintenance can reduce a measurable amount of pollution and carbon load.
Live what we do
A major part of Uncork-it’s business is creating hybrid in-person/remote offices and experiences in the early metaverse for groups around the world. We believe we should live what we build.
Now that we are committed to a hybrid work model, we are on a quest to find optimal hybrid setups—for us and our clients. Read about our ongoing tests as we tweak and refine our system.
