Plants, light and lots of conference rooms: How Carvertise gathers an in-office team in a hybrid era

Now that phase two of Carvertise’s Riverfront headquarters in Wilmington is finished and the ribbon has been officially cut, the space is ready to be a full-time office for its 55 employees.

The space was designed by CEO Mac Macleod with architects Mitchell & Associates and an early design concept with The Mill founder Rob Herrera. Remote work got the car wrapping company through the pandemic and the new location’s renovation period, Macleod said, and now it’s time for the team to return to in person work.

“We still have a hybrid model,” he told Technical.ly. “We’re moving toward all in-person, but you can’t force people.”

As Technical.ly has reported: The hybrid work model is (still) here, and it’s dominating. While some companies struggle to get employees to come in two or three days a week, most Carvertise employees come in four days a week, with Friday as a work from home day. The main exception is the sales team, the most remote of the company’s employees, coming in about once a week.

Phase one open work space. (Photo by Holly Quinn)

The new HQ was designed to make employees want to work together in person. Much of the space is open concept, allowing for collaboration, but it also offers plenty of places for privacy, including a bank of closet-sized phone booths and conference rooms.

Lots of conference rooms.

“You can never have too many,” Macleod said as he led a tour during Carvertise’s grand opening event for the location.

Being on the Riverfront just steps away from the Michael S. Purzycki Riverwalk is one reason to leave the house. Employees can make a run or bike ride by the river their morning routine and take a quick shower in the officer’s full bathroom before their first meeting. The space is full of big, courtyard-facing windows and indoor plants.

Phase two work space. (Photo by Holly Quinn)

The open space of yet-to-be-finished phase three, the final part of the 15,000-square-foot HQ’s buildout, made for a good bar and dance floor for the event. It will eventually offer more leisure amenities for employees — and, more importantly, will allow for more growth, with room for more in-person employees.

Carvertise recently landed dream client Coca-Cola for a Seattle campaign, so one of the company’s priorities is to grow its relationship with the juggernaut brand. Leadership has set their sights on bringing their branded car swarms to Europe after establishing a presence all over North America.

Phase three. (Photo by Holly Quinn)