Renovating and Innovating Our Offices for Hybrid Work

While most of our Two Barrels team works from home (or, as we say, they work from wherever), we have offices all over the country—our main ones being located in Spokane, Austin, and Salt Lake. We have folks who work in the office full-time or as part of a hybrid position—in fact, we have writers, developers, executives, and administrators who live in each of the U.S. time zones. And when any team member comes into our offices, we want them to feel at home. But what makes our team feel at home will vary from person to person. That’s why our offices in Austin and 6^th floor of our Spokane building were renovated into cool, hybrid work spaces designed with versatility and comfort in mind.

The Before

As a company, we pride ourselves on the ability to purchase our buildings outright. However, we often inherit ugly cubicle farms with squeaky doors, outdated kitchenettes, and worn-out carpet, as was the case with the 6th floor of our newest Spokane office. We had a fun, casual workplace culture, but our office space didn’t really reflect who we were as a company.

It was a similar story in Austin. Before the renovations, our Austin office simply wasn’t set up to handle the workload. The office was divided into three small rooms with old ceiling panels, dim lighting, and the same vintage of carpet as in Spokane. Not only did the space not look like us, but it didn’t function like we needed it to. The sudden shift to work-from-home as the new normal during the start of the pandemic allowed us to reimagine what we could do with these two spaces.

The After

From the conference room to individual desks (standing, sitting—your choice) to the fully functional kitchenette, the 6^th floor of our Spokane office was remodeled with our team in mind. In addition to the office’s stylish new aesthetic, we decided to take advantage of the natural light and incredible views of Downtown Spokane—anything to make the space feel airy and bright. Or, as our Spokane office-goer Pete says, the renovations “really amp up modern design, with light colors, and cool industrial-like sliding metal doors for each office.”

In Austin, we focused on increasing the work space in our mailroom and creating a fun, relaxing area for the occasional afternoon break. The staff calls the office “sophisticated, clean, and spacious.” With beautiful cabinetry and a dedicated work island, the spacious mailroom allows our team to work more efficiently and effectively. And team members can take a much-deserved rest in the newly renovated breakroom—complete with comfortable chairs, Nintendo Switch, and Whack-a-Mole Game. Or, on nicer days, the team can take their breaks on the patio space outside.

Why This Matters

Our office renovations matter because they are an investment in our team and the future of our company as it grows. We take pride in our buildings and care about the people who work for us. We see a lot of value in spaces designed for hybrid work. We put our hybrid workforce at the center of our renovation plans, ensuring a work environment focused on what helps everyone succeed. Our remodeled offices are designed to handle an ever-increasing workflow. Brittany, in our Austin office, has noticed how the company “worked really hard on our mail room’s organization, and we are prepared for potential growth in the future.” Whether we have a couple people in the office or dozens, we’ve created spaces to thrive.

If the past few years have taught us anything, it is that flexibility and agility are key to success. You can’t always know what is coming but you can at least plan for change. We feel prepared for the future.