Talk is rife of a return to the Corporation Pop studio after a year away, and how that will work.
I for one am desperate to get back after staring at my dining room wall for the past twelve months and running out of things to say to my partner back in May last year. But I know some of my colleagues have settled nicely into working from home and aren’t keen to start up the cramped and expensive commute again, preferring an extra hour in bed and the company of Captain Meowington during a Zoom call.
I’m not particularly concerned either way as Corporation Pop has recently decided to implement a work from anywhere policy and, I imagine, after a brief teething period, we’ll all fall into place — we’re an adaptable lot here at Co.Pop, you see.
Part of my multifaceted role is that of studio manager and aside from being grateful to soon have a studio to manage again I’ve recently been thinking about what a return to our Shudehill building means to my list of things to do.
Firstly, I need to re-engage with the cleaning company who, last time I spoke to them, were in a state of mild panic as clients were, one by one, cancelling their services as they shut up shop. I went into the studio recently to collect the post and see how the place looked as we’re mid-development (walls are coming down and glass panels going up left, right and centre) and I have to say the place was a tip, so a deep clean is top of the list.
In a recent company meeting someone dared to whisper those most contentious of words, hot desking, so that’s something that needs some thought. I’m not entirely sure we have enough buy-in from the team for shared workstations and while I’m happy to grab any old table and get to work, Alan, our 3D artist, has his collection of Lego birds and houseplants to consider, and you just know there’s going to be a scrap over an abandoned coffee cup at some point.
Speaking of coffee, how often do I need to order a box of espresso beans now half the team will be at home on any given day? Who the hell knows? And is it more dangerous to leave the team caffeine deficient or neck deep in fair trade cappuccino?
All the little things which keep the cogs greased will come right in due course, I’m sure of it, and as long as those of us that are in the studio, come summer, can have their lunch on the roof terrace overlooking the rooftops of Withy Grove, then I’m sure we’ll get there.
Baby steps.
