Welcome Michael Kasow!
We recently sat down for an interview with Michael to help you get to know him a bit more. Here’s what we discovered.
What excites you about working in HR within WRNS Studio, and what unique challenges or opportunities do you think the field of architecture presents?
I am humbled by the opportunity to support teams of talented, creative people, who are constantly working to conceptualize beautiful and sustainable works of design and architecture. I am excited to work alongside the folks at WRNS Studio, and to be a part of that mission.
While working at a general contractor for ten years, I was always curious about this side of the business. For me, the most inspiring part of construction is the creativity – all the intentional choices, large or small – that go into the building or buildout. While I didn’t end up going into design as a career, I’m happy to say I still get the chance to be creative outside work, as a painter.
If there are unique challenges presented by the field of architecture, I imagine they could arise around the fact that conceptual design can start from such a personal place; the very essence of someone’s knowledge and experience, even their identity. As someone who has some experience working in creative fields myself, I understand the tremendous responsibility, pride and affection people might feel about their work. When that collides with business needs, or even just other opinions, the stakes are high, and feelings can get bruised.
What is your philosophy on the role of HR in an architecture firm, and how do you see that role evolving in a firm like WRNS Studio?
When it comes to architecture, I see parallels to HR. We are charged with planning for and designing employee experiences, in an ever-changing and sometimes challenging environment. We sometimes come up with big, bold ideas, but must creatively implement them within a framework of constraints.
I think HR’s role in any firm is to help meet our colleagues’ basic needs, advocate for them to have the tools or training they require, and then get out of their way so they can succeed. Of course, we’re still always here to provide guidance and support as necessary.
WRNS Studio is still a relatively young firm, but it seems that a lot of work has already been done by the HR team to build a strong foundation. I think we are now charged with building on that, and evolving to support the firm’s evolving needs, as it enters a new era of leadership.
What key strategies or initiatives would you like to implement to strengthen the employee experience across our multiple offices in San Francisco, New York, Honolulu, and Seattle?
To me, this starts with asking questions, and then listening. I’m still very new, but I’d be happy to hear anyone’s thoughts on what they’d like to see. I may sit in the SF office, like the majority of our employees – but I recognize we want to be inclusive to all the studios and be one Studio. Inclusion is important, but I’d also want to explore how we can apply equity as part of our strategy.
When thinking about the employee experience across our studios, I want to keep in mind what I imagine designers and architects are thinking when they imagine – with the best intentions and best information available – what people in other places might want or need. Especially since I’m new to WRNS, my first priority is to listen, learn and better understand. Any strategies or initiatives we drive will ideally involve a representative set of colleagues, whose voices will be key. I do encourage my colleagues to reach out to us with feedback, if they ever feel unheard.
How do you plan to align HR efforts with the firm’s overall mission and values, and what do you hope employees will take away from their experience working here?
To align HR efforts with the WRNS Studio mission and values, the HR team will carefully and creatively apply them to what we do, by designing people programs at a human scale. We think of our colleagues as the public realm. We want to meet employees where they’re at and do whatever we can to help meet their needs, so they can focus on leveraging their talents.
My hope for all employees is to feel the values of WRNS – not just in their work, but within themselves and their own lives. This could look like recognizing and nurturing their own unique creativity, as part of their inner beauty. Or, feeling supported in a career that will sustain them as people, or carrying pride in themselves for making the built environment a friendlier place to be.
In your view, what are the most important takeaways you want employees to get from HR-related communications, and how will you ensure those messages resonate across different teams and locations?
Ideally, when it comes to HR-related communications, employees should feel seen, heard, safe and integrated – part of the collective Studio. In HR we often have to deliver concise information on complex or sensitive topics, which is a delicate balance. But if we can design these communications at a human scale, that’s a great place to start. And if we ever fall short, I hope employees know that we will happily welcome input from their unique perspectives.
Finally, can you tell us a bit about your personal and professional journey? What first drew you to the field of human resources, and how did you find architecture?
When I was younger, I had no concept of Human Resources as a career option – probably because I had never worked in an office setting before attending college. So, in high school and college, I studied journalism, because I liked to write. This gave me a great foundation in communication, interviews and investigations (which still comes in handy today). From there, I was drawn even deeper into the details, including graphic design and layout. Column inches, charts, the size of letters in headlines, spacing, kerning, grammar, etc. It led me to some exciting opportunities to write, and then to design. I even became founding design editor of a college magazine I created with some friends, and I learned so much from that experience.
My next move was to San Francisco, to study graphic design at Academy of Art. But school became too expensive after a while, so I pivoted to work in customer service. Which led me to working in a community center, and to my first HR role. Even when I started in HR, I’m not sure I could have explained why at the time – other than I had become interested in how a business runs. But when I look back at my life, and why it resonates now, HR seems like it’s always been the best fit for me. My whole life, I’ve been interested in caring for people. I love learning about what makes them who they are, and how to help them flourish.