Morning Brew - 🎶 Musical desks

Time-saving tools and products we’re really into rn.

• There are two kinds of people in this world: those who can make circles and, well, those who…can’t. For the latter of us, this beautiful brass tool from Makers Cabinet allows you to create perfection every time.
• Let’s all agree to stop apologizing after waiting a few hours (or days) to respond to an email or text and embrace being just a little more unavailable.
• In need of a 2022 recalibration after making it to the end of blue January? Try your hand at this goal-planning booklet created by P. Kim Bui, who shared the resource in her newsletter.

What’s top-of-mind at the watercooler.

In pre-pandemic times, the hottest offices allowed young startup workers to keep the work hard, play hard vibes going with table tennis, cold brew taps, and on-site gyms, among other amenities. These offices seemed like they were built to discourage employees from ever leaving (fact check: true). But now after being allowed to work from home for several months—or even years—employees’ needs have shifted, and those tasked with reopening plans face a new dilemma: creating an office that employees would actually want to return to.

During the pandemic, three members of design firm NBBJ, Andrea Vanecko, Jonathan Ward, and Robert Mankin, were hired to design the headquarters of Korean fintech company Hana Bank and wrote about the experience in an article for the Harvard Business Review. In order to attract employees back into the office, the trio says companies should start by rethinking the office’s design.

As employees look to prioritize work-life balance and build healthy relationships with work, they’re also hoping to spend less time in the office. According to the designers, a great starting point would be to give spaces names that reflect the work that will be conducted in them. “Cutting-edge tech companies like Facebook and Google have ‘campuses’ for the same reason; they want their engineers to experiment just as they did when they were students,” wrote Mankin, Vanecko, and Ward. In response to employee requests, the trio introduced concepts like flexible seating options besides desks, repurposed conference rooms, team-focused spaces, and areas for socialization into their redesigned office.

While in-office restructuring is a great start, it shouldn’t end with just the physical space. Companies that are hoping to recruit and retain top talent should also do an internal audit of perks and work culture. Yes, perks like unlimited beer, free yoga classes, and top-shelf snacks are nice, but they’re not enough to entice people back into the office, especially in the third year of the pandemic. So, what would get you excited to return to the office? Let me know in the inbox.

Your punch list for when you punch out.

Listen: Yebba’s heavy vocals on her soulful track, “Distance.”

Watch: Step into the Black Rican Vegan’s kitchen and learn what it really takes to run a viral food business through the NYT’s new On the Job video series.

Drink: Sidekick contributor Adam Erace has three inspired winter cocktails for you to try including a clarified milk punch that I’m definitely making this weekend.

Nutritious *and* delicious: Yup, this coveted combo actually exists in Organifi’s Green Juice, packed with helpful adaptogens like Ashwagandha, which supports stress reduction and lower cravings. No blending or juicing required. Get 25% off your entire purchase + free US shipping with code BREW.*

*This is sponsored advertising content

Burning questions of our time.

The office we left behind in March 2020 no longer exists. While some companies are still figuring out their fourth or fifth return-to-office plan, others have returned in hybrid or full-time capacities.

And as a part of this return, permanent desks are out and desk hopping is in. Under this system, which is also known as hot-desking, employees work from a different desk every time they come into the office. Although hot-desking isn’t a new concept, the pandemic has accelerated its adoption in offices everywhere, especially in those with hybrid work schedules. While this system is a great option for those who don’t want to come in every day, having a set desk can be nice—especially when you have to worry about who exactly was sitting at your desk before you. So, readers, is hot-desking hot or not? Reply to this email and let me know!