Seven years before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the U.S. and forever changed how many Americans view their career, work environment, and true value to their employer, the Reddit subreddit r/Antiwork was born, largely as a protest against—and discussion forum about—the mounting pressures everyday workers face in a purely capitalistic society. Bad bosses, low wages, long hours, lack of overtime, dwindling benefits, dead-end positions, ever-demanding customers, meaningless jobs, brutal commutes, to name a few.
Now, nearly two years into the pandemic, the underlying message of r/Antiwork’s forums is ringing truer than ever. The subreddit is one of the fastest-growing and most-active discussion boards on the social media platform, with 1.66 million subscribers, up from a little over 100,000 at the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak.
At its core, r/Antiwork isn’t about abolishing work or people quitting their jobs—although examples of the latter can be seen throughout the feed, with screenshots of dramatic and often humorous text exchanges with supervisors at the moment of resignation. Rather, the subreddit is about empowering the labor force by any means necessary—ask for that raise, negotiate a hybrid work schedule, demand a reasonable workload. If all else fails, be confident enough to walk away for a better opportunity. Don’t settle for the norms that Corporate America has established.
While the architecture profession is not featured prominently in r/Antiwork—lower-paying, hourly jobs like retail, restaurant, and small business positions tend to be the focus—the industry is not immune to the ills that plague American work culture. Architects stand with doctors and lawyers as among the most highly educated and credentialed professionals in the nation. They work long hours, with demanding deadlines and little schedule flexibility—yet with meager pay relative to their peers in the legal and medical professions.
It’s no surprise, then, that signs of the r/Antiwork movement are starting to appear in the architecture field. The most glaring example is at New York City-based SHoP Architects. There, employees of the 135-person firm announced in late December that they are advancing a plan to form a union, citing low pay and long hours. If formalized, the effort would be the first to successfully create a union at a prominent private-sector architecture firm in the U.S., according to the New York Times. At the time of the report, more than half of SHoP’s eligible colleagues had signed cards supporting the union, which would affiliate with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The Times reported that two other prominent New York firms are following suit. I expect other AE firms to join the movement in the coming months.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Jan 11, 2022
Designing for health sciences education: supporting student well-being
While student and faculty health and well-being should be a top priority in all spaces within educational facilities, this article will highlight some key considerations.
Green | Jan 10, 2022
The future of regenerative building is performance-based
Why measuring performance results is so critical, but also easier said than done.
Senior Living Design | Jan 5, 2022
Top Senior Living Facility Design and Construction Firms
Perkins Eastman, Kimley-Horn, WSP USA, Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., and Ryan Companies US top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest senior living sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 3, 2022
2021 Government Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. government buildings sector
Stantec, Jacobs, Turner Construction, and Hensel Phelps top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest government sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Architects | Dec 20, 2021
Digital nomads are influencing design
As our spaces continue to adapt to our future needs, we’ll likely see more collaborative, communal zones where people can relax, shop, and work.
Architects | Dec 17, 2021
What I wish I had learned in architecture school
Bradford Perkins, FAIA, offers a 3-point plan for upgrading architecture education.
Urban Planning | Dec 15, 2021
EV is the bridge to transit’s AV revolution—and now is the time to start building it
Thinking holistically about a technology-enabled customer experience will make transit a mode of choice for more people.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
Trends in sports stadium construction, with Turner Construction's Dewey Newton
Turner Construction's Dewey Newton discusses trends in sports stadium renovation and construction with BD+C's John Caulfield. Newton is a Senior Vice President who heads up Turner Construction’s Sports Group.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
COVID-19 has altered the speed and design of healthcare projects, perhaps irrevocably
Healthcare clients want their projects up and running quicker, a task made more complicated by the shortage of skilled labor in many markets.
Healthcare Facilities | Dec 15, 2021
MEP design considerations for rural hospitals
Rural hospitals present unique opportunities and challenges for healthcare facility operators. Oftentimes, the infrastructure and building systems have not been updated for years and require significant improvements in order to meet today’s modern medical demands. Additionally, as these smaller, more remote hospitals are acquired by larger regional and national healthcare systems, the first step by new ownership is often to update and rehabilitate the building. But how can this be done thoughtfully, economically, and efficiently in ways that allow the engineering and facility staff to adapt to the changes? And how can the updates accurately reflect the specific needs of rural communities and the afflictions with which these areas most commonly face?