▲MCGC 代表參加國際研討會,探討疫情過後的都市設計。
採訪 McGregor Coxall
在家工作、遠距工作模式的轉變與因應、產業的衝擊
受訪、圖片提供:Mcgregor Coxall
書信採訪:張雅雲、賴姿穎
翻譯:李怡貞
【Mcgregor Coxall】
由 Adrian McGregor 與 Philip Coxall 於1998 年創立的 McGregor Coxall,總部位於澳洲雪梨,至今已發展為具備跨國四間工作室(雪梨、墨爾本、布里斯托、深圳)超過 60 位專業設計師、在全球範圍內完成超過 700 個項目的國際團隊。公司具有專業且嚴謹的管理模式,以先進的數位科技,提供包括景觀建築、城市設計、環境科學等方面的服務,為複雜的城市和環境問題提供創造性的設計策略。
▲Adrian McGregor 與 Philip Coxall
新型冠狀病毒(COVID-19)疫情爆發,面對突如其來的疫情,大家必須在短時間內轉換為在家工作的模式,在這段時間事務所做了哪些因應措施?
The outbreak caused a sudden switch to work from home, what method did you take during this time?
自從轉移到遠端線上工作之後,我們的《健康與福利計畫》必須以適用於線上作業作為調整重點。我們最初著重在團隊的基本需求—生理和安全需求。有家庭責任的員工則是擁有更高的靈活性來管理他們的時間,以平衡工作和家庭責任。
現在,從我們團隊成員的意見反饋,則希望公司能夠解決他們的心理和社交需求。
在MCGC公司的文化中,我們的領導風格傾向於以同理心為團隊提供支持,而人力資源團隊則為個人提供一對一的支持,並在公司內部社交網絡上發布書面資源和指南,以協助可能會焦慮或需要聆聽的人進行日常對話。我們將在5月和6月繼續進行在線團隊活動,以使人們聚在一起。
Since moving to a remote workforce, our Health & Wellbeing Plan had to adapt and change focus to convert applicable initiatives online. Our initial focus was the basic needs of our team – physiological and safety needs. Employees with family commitments have been given greater flexibility to manage their time to balance both work and family commitments. The feedback from our team members now, requires us to address their psychological and social needs.
At MCGC, we have our compassionate leadership group who are supporting teams as well as the Human Resources team who provide one on one support to individuals as well as written resources and guides posted on our internal social media platform to assist us in day to day conversations with our people who may be anxious or need a listening ear. We will continue our online team events for the month of May and June to bring people together.
遠距工作(在家工作)時,員工們陸續遇到什麼問題?如何解決這些問題。
What kind of problems do employees encounter while teleworking (work from home)? How to solve these problems.
主要問題來自於網路速度和孤立感。我們透過提供更多資源來解決網路速度問題,並實施了相關措施(詳見下表)來促進團隊關係。
The main problem was internet speed and feeling isolated. We addressed internet speed by providing additional resources and implemented the above initiatives to promote team bonding.
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MCGC activities
MCGC 事務所活動
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Proposed online
additional activities
線上活動議題
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Physiological needs
生理需求
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Appropriate home offices that are safe conductive to productivity
適切而安全的居家辦公空間,以維持產能
在家工作協議
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Electronic resources-setting daily routines, exercise, food, sleep
電子資源:設定每日行程、運動、食物、睡眠
訓練負責人
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None
無
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Safety needs
安全需求
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Reinforcing company stability and job security
加強公司穩定性與穩固工作
流感疫苗
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Electronic resources-meditation, breathing, exercise, food, sleep
電子資源:靜坐、呼吸、運動、食物、睡眠
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瑜珈
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Belongingness
and love needs
歸屬感與愛需求
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TEAM meeting-studio catch up, daily briefings
使用 TEAM 線上軟體開會:事務所小聚、每日進度報告
週五線上小酌時間
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Use of informal conversations via TEAMS
日常使用 TEAMS 通訊協作軟體
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1:1 with twam leaders and HR
與組長和人資一對一開會
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烹飪課程
遊戲之夜
繪圖課程
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Esteem needs
自我需求
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Recognition at weekly studio catch up and daily briefings
每週會議時給予鼓勵與肯定
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Self-actualisation
自我實現
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周五午後討論會
設計指標
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Online linkedin learning (May 2020)
線上課程學習(2020 五月)
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▲健康與福利計畫
在執行時,軟硬體方面需要哪些技術支援?
What technical support of hardware and software is required during teleworking?
在家工作所需的大多數技術支援,大多是為了確保員工能夠順利使用其工作所需的所有電腦應用程式和服務。這可能涉及設定個人電腦,讓大家把工作電腦帶回家,甚至升級網路寬頻以支持視訊會議。我們很幸運,擁有適用的基礎設備,可相對輕鬆地面對這個過渡期。
Most of the technical support needed for working from homerevolves around making sure staff have access to all of the apps and services required for them to work. This can involve setting up a personal computer, organising to take a work. This can involve setting up a personal computer, organising to take a work computer home or even upgrading internet plans to support video conferencing. We have been lucky enough to have the right infrastructure in place to make this transition relatively easily.
工作夥伴們對於遠距工作(在家工作)的接受度如何?大家在心境上是否有變化?
Did your co-workers adapt to teleworking (working from home)? How they felt in this change?
是的。最初很難,但是大多數人已經適應了環境的變化。
Yes. Initially it was difficult but most people have adapted to the change in environment.
▲線上廚藝教學。
如何透過遠距管理員工們的工作進度?
How do you manage the work progress of employees?
管理者和以往一樣目標和期限來管理。進行設計合作一直是一個挑戰,但是技術可以幫助改善。
This is managed by the employee's manager in the usual way of setting goals and deadlines. Working collaboratively on designs has been a challenge but technology has assisted to improve this area.
遠距工作(在家工作)的方法是否會改變團隊之間的工作關係?與客戶之間的互動模式?各方面的工作效率呈現是否有變化?
Have teleworking (working from home) changed the team's communication/interaction with clients?
McGregor Coxall是一家全球企業,致力於世界各地的項目,我們已經擁有管理遠程工作的技術和系統。會議被轉移到視訊電話中,任何的現場拜訪,團隊成員皆須按照政府的指示,遵守社交距離的規定。
McGregor Coxall being a global business, working on projects all over the world, we had the technologies and systems already in place to manage remote working. Meetings were moved to video conference calls and any site visits required team members to practice social distancing as per Government instructions.
由於在家工作,如何結合或分離居家空間和辦公空間?
How do you separate working space at home?
我們給予團隊成員有關如何設置家庭辦公室的訊息和支援。人資會檢查每個人的辦公空間,以確保其設施符合人體工學。唯一挑戰是一些人的家中沒有足夠的網路權限,因此在這些情況下,我們提供了USB寬頻設施。
Team members were provided information and support on how to set up home offices. Our HR teams checked in on individuals directly to ensure their set ups were ergonomically sound. The only challenge we found was some homes did not have adequate internet access so in these cases we provided USB broadband.
▲創辦人 Andrian 在家中花園進行遠端工作。
就營運成本來說,在家工作是否會比在辦公室中更節省?
In terms of operating costs, will working from home be more economical than working in the office?
McGregor Coxall成為靈活的工作場所已有一段時間了,營運成本沒有任何重大變化。
McGregor Coxall has been a flexible workplace for some time now. There has not been any major change to operating costs.
此次疫情給您的啟示是?您覺得在家工作的模式會不會由此延續而發展?是否會使原本事務所的工作型態產生變化?What does this epidemic tell you? (Feelings from any aspect) Do you think that people will still continue working from home after the pandemic? Will it change the work style of your company?
傳染病大流行促使許多雇主實施在家工作的政策,並限制了100多人的室內聚會。 也因此對於房子能夠支持在家工作的需求將會增加。McGregor Coxall的創始人兼全球設計總監Adrian McGregor認為,這將是全球性的影響,工作區可能從傳統辦公室轉移到住家。無論是房屋還是公寓,都必須配備在家工作的空間,或添加靈活性的新式空間應用,因此,公寓的成本也可能成為難題。在McGregor Coxall,我們已經看到彈性工作的好處,我們的程序和流程將繼續發展,以應對任何流行病或未來的緊急情況。
The pandemic has prompted many employers to implement work-from-home policies and triggered restrictions on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. As a result, the demand for homes that can support working as well would increase. McGregor Coxall’s Founder and Global Design Lead, Adrian McGregor believes that this is going to cause a global shift in work from home arrangements. Homes, whether they be houses or apartments, are going to be fitted out with space for working from home. Adding a studio or something into an apartment has a big spatial implication. Therefore the cost of an apartment becomes more problematic as well. At McGregor Coxall, we have seen the benefits of flexible working for some time now, and our procedures and processes will continue to develop in response to any epidemic or future emergencies alike.
▲鼓勵員工使用線上資源,並每日養成運動習慣。
公共空間將城市各處連結在一起。許多景觀設計也是強調公共空間的規劃以凝聚人與人之間的關係,但如今疫情的爆發迫使我們分開,社交距離的疏遠,已經引起了人們對公共空間在這種時代的作用,產生了些許懷疑。請問這對事務所的個案規劃是否有所影響?是否有新的想法改變或誕生?我們如何依此創建既有社交空間、又能獨處的社區或總體規劃?
Public space link all parts of the city together. Many landscape designs also emphasize the planning of public space to unite people, but now the outbreak of the epidemic forces us to be isolated, it has caused people to have some doubts about the role of public space. Will it affect your projects in the future? Are you inspired by it with new ideas? How to create a community or a master planning that has both social space and independent space?
當然,有很多因素會影響我們「在新冠疫情之後」的工作和生活。與我們的職業相關的一種情況是,眾所預計的經濟衰退,而這段時間在家工作有著的不同程度的成功,可能使企業重新評估是否仍需要撥出費用租借市中心的辦公室。
在這種情況下,隨著常規的改變,對於開放空間的可及性、質量、數量與多樣性,將迅速升級為宜居性的關鍵指標。
為了支持城市實踐此轉變,設計師將需要具有評估開放空間、與自然的綠連結、公園和生物多樣性走廊等環境績效的能力。作為《生物城市研究》的有機組成,我們根據科學目標﹝SBT﹞以及全球最佳實踐關鍵績效指標﹝KPI﹞,來評估城市的環境績效。
理解績效可以創建數據,使政府和開發商可以就人均基礎做出最明智的決策,以合理公平的分配全市的開放空間。
至關重要的是,隨著各國再次開放國界,競相吸引投資和確保健康的勞動力,事實證明,平等且具彈性的綠色網絡是十分重要的。此外,在鎖城期間,維持身體、情緒和心理健康變得非常重要。
在雪梨的封鎖期間,某些地區的開放空間明顯不足。McGregor Coxall的「綠道計畫」將庫克斯河的自行車道連接到鐵灣的彎道。該項目概述了通過不同的政府和組織共同努
力,以結合和改善雪梨高質量的公共空間,是社區的福祉。
There are of course going to be many factors that will influence how we work and live ‘after Covid’. One scenario relevant to our profession, is that the much-predicted economic recession, coupled with various degrees of success in working from home, could antagonise businesses to re-evaluate the requirement to, and expense of, occupying city centre floor plates.
In this instance, accessibility, quality, quantity and diversity of open space would rapidly escalate as a key measure of liveability as we shift our routines.
Supporting cities to make this transition, designers will need the ability to measure the environmental performance of open space, green links, parklands and biodiversity corridors.
Integral to our BioCity Research, we review cities' environmental performance against Science Based Targets [SBTs] as well as global best practice Key Performance Indicators [KPIs].
Understanding performance creates data that allows councils and developers to make informed decisions on the optimal distribution and equity in the amount of open space provision across the city on a per capita basis.
And crucially, as countries open their borders again to compete in attracting investment and securing a healthy workforce, evidencing accessibility to an equitable and resilient green grid network will be critical. Moreover, for sustaining physical, emotional and mental health, which we can all appreciate during this current shutdown.
In Sydney, open space deficiencies have become apparent in certain districts during the shutdown. McGregor Coxall’s ‘Greenway Project’ connects the Cooks River cycle path to the Bay Run at Iron Cove. The project outlines the importance of working together through different councils and organisations to combine and improve accessibility to Sydney's high quality open space for the wellbeing of the community.