We missed the office.
Water cooler moments where mutual interests are discovered, conference room gatherings for lively brainstorming sessions, cake in the breakroom — there are certain experiences the fully remote environment can’t replicate.
But there are also remote work benefits that remain appreciated, from the hours saved skipping commutes to the ability to better manage household responsibilities.
As companies define new ways of working, the hybrid work model is emerging as a popular solution. A survey conducted by McKinsey this spring found that when offered the option of working remotely at least sometimes, 87 percent of employees “embrace the opportunity and spend an average of three days a week working from home.”
To make sure in-office workdays are equally embraced, creating an appealing workspace helps. So does anchoring that workspace in a great neighborhood. And where better to connect than an office in the Chicago Loop? It’s the ideal location to step out for a walk around Millennium Park with co-workers, gather as a team for a riverside lunch or brainstorm on a new project while soaking up the sun from a Wi-Fi-equipped rooftop.
Built In sat down with two Chicago tech companies with roots in the Chicago Loop to find out about their hybrid work models and what employees enjoy most about coming into the office.
The best part? Both companies are hiring now.
Elevate K-12 is working toward solving the teacher shortage in schools by connecting students to livestream instruction led by certified teachers.
What is your hybrid-remote workplace arrangement?
Elevate K-12 has remote employees across the U.S. and India, but most of us are located in Chicago and follow our hybrid-working model of two days per week in the office. We love having the flexibility to work from home, or wherever we feel we’re most productive, while still having the benefit of collaborating and socializing with teammates in person. We’ve found the hybrid work arrangement empowers us to have control over our schedules, form better connections with colleagues and achieve a good work-life balance.
We’ve found the hybrid work arrangement empowers us to have control over our schedules.”
What neighborhood is your office located in?
Elevate K-12 recently moved into a brand new office space in the Loop of Chicago’s downtown. We’re steps away from multiple L-line train stations and bus stops, and a 15-minute walk from the Metra. We’re also two blocks away from Millennium Park and have great views of both the city and Lake Michigan from our rooftop.
How have you celebrated being back in the office?
The best part of having a hybrid work environment is getting to spend time with our teammates in person. Our office building features a cool communal lounge with lots of space to relax and catch up with colleagues or even play a game of pool. The outdoor rooftop has a great green space and is a popular spot for employees to meet for lunch and enjoy the sunshine. We have had fun events to celebrate being back together in the office, such as ice cream socials and happy hours, and we just recently threw an end-of-summer bash on our rooftop.
Vouch Insurance works with technology startups to tailor their business insurance plans.
What is your hybrid-remote workplace arrangement?
Vouch is a virtual-first company that has two office hubs in Chicago and San Francisco with smaller clusters in other cities. While we focus on making sure everyone can collaborate and connect virtually, we use our office hubs as a focal point for cross-functional work and human connection. Team members may work remotely most of the year, but we have one or two sessions at our office hubs to work more closely with other teams. These in-person sessions fuel engagement and trust during our virtual work the rest of the year.
We use our office hubs as a focal point for cross-functional work and human connection.”
What neighborhood is your office located in?
Our San Francisco office is located right in the heart of the Financial District, and our Chicago office is located downtown in the Loop.
How have you celebrated being back in the office?
We’re celebrating our team members coming together. This fall, we were able to gather in Chicago to have the entire team participate in a three-day summit during which we shared updates, brainstormed and connected. On a smaller scale, we celebrated the return to our offices by creating events centered around our team’s interests and experiences. We have hosted movie nights, Pride happy hours, lunches for Hispanic Heritage Month and intern appreciation events.
