Does adland need more flexibility on out-of-office work?
Working from home is common in adland but offering staff the flexibility presents a unique set of challenges to a business which thrives on creativity and diversity of opinions.
In May this year 51% of Australia’s adult workforce, or an estimated 5.6 million people, worked from home according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
For Miles Joyce, the chief executive of STW digital firm The White Agency, allowing staff to work from home is the exception and not the rule.
“We have a fantastic culture here of creativity and that is borne by people being in the building and we want people to thrive on that,” Joyce told B&T.
“You need the team spirit and to work in collaboration, it is difficult to get that at home.”
The missed opportunity of hallway conversations is a major drawback of home work, agreed CHE Proximity’s managing director Chris Howatson.
“Spontaneous conversations with people at the coffee machine, chip bowl, at the bar or just by walking between departments are lost,” Howatson explained.
“It’s those moments of spontaneity that actually creates brilliance in advertising agencies.
“The home work process is more linear rather than just a chaotic moment where lots of opinions meet and you get a solution really quickly.”
That being said both agencies do allow staff to work from home. The White Agency has two to three people out of its 100-plus workforce working away from the office for at least part of the day every week and CHE Proximity has flexible arrangements in place for mothers and the option of working from home is available for others.
“We are really flexible in how people manage their time and we monitor people based on output rather than presence,” Howatson added.
Placing telework on the table as an option for employees has a positive impact on staff morale, according to Dean Shell, the commercial director of independent Melbourne media agency Kruse Media.
“There are a lot of large multinationals…which have a fixed rule that you have to be in the office between the hours of whatever they are and you are expected to do work at home as well, but outside of hours.
“There is a bit more flexibility with a smaller independent agency.”
However, in ACMA’s report it was found larger businesses were more agile when it came to staff working locations than the smaller shops.
More than half (55%) of medium-sized businesses – with between 20 and 199 employees – allow their staff to work away from the office at least one day a week. Just 38% of businesses with 19 employees or less let their staff do the same.
While a group environment is better for getting the creative juices flowing almost every role includes solo work. For these tasks, working from home or a cafe away from office-distractions can boost productivity.
Andrea Kerekes, founder and CEO of Access PR, believes the biggest benefit of telework is “lack of interruptions and the ability to think in blocks of time rather than snippets”.
But, similar to creative agencies, she says it only works when isolated work time is limited.
“We have too many client meetings and work very collaboratively so having people in the same place at the same time is vital.”
For the Red Agency, a PR and marketing communications firm which forms part of Havas PR, allowing staff to work from home once a month is about better work/life balance.
“We do a lot to attract the best staff and want to keep them and offering them a flexible working environment is also about staff retention,” Grant Titmus, principal of the Red Agency, said.
Demanding employees’ presence between set hours just wouldn’t work in adland, explains Howatson who says agencies must be responsive to client needs.
“Some Fridays we might get a call and everyone might have to work all weekend so naturally we have to have a work environment that is really flexible.
“The classic idea of everyone needs to go to work at 9am and come home at 5pm is outdated and incredibly irrelevant.
“We are living in an era where women are expected to be mothers and workers and men are expected to be family men….it is really hard to balance all of those competing objectives if you have a rigid workplace structure.”
A common barrier to working away from the office is trust in staff.
“Working from home is a privilege not a right,” Titmus said.
Kruse Media’s Shell says that while all staff are allowed to work from home if an unforseen circumstance arises its only senior employees that are allowed to do so regularly.
“It’s the more senior people who we trust with having the maturity to know what their task is and to do it,” he said.
“No disrespect to the junior guys, but the fact is you have to be really motivated and know what it is that you need to get done during that time at home.”
Titmus knows of companies that enable their staff to work from home on a regular basis and has never heard a bad comment about the practice.
“I think it is more about the perception that people think those working from home are sky-larking,” he said.
Do you have a view on working from home? Is your employer flexible enough or are you an employer who has had staff abuse the privilege? Share your experiences in the comment box below.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Latest News
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]
Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]
Is Meta’s New AI Chatbot Too Left-Wing?
Meta's chatbot accused of being left-wing after being caught wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt & listening to Billy Bragg.
TV Ratings (23/04/2024): Why Did No One Tell Angela That Farmer Wants A Wife Is Set On A Farm?
As wonderful as this headline is, let's face it, we all know an 'Angela', don't we?
PubMatic Unveils New AI Partnership To Turn Social Posts Into Ads For Any Digital Channel
Here's some nifty tech for turning social posts into ads. Assuming said posts aren't one-star character assassinations.
Intuit Mailchimp Makes A Splash With Its First Australian Brand Campaign
Ever laugh along at a gag you didn't get so as not to appear dumb? Get ready for more feigning with this new work.
GumGum’s Rob Hall: Advertisers Can No Longer “Rely On Binary Descriptions” Of Consumers
If anyone's got their finger on adtech's pulse, it's Rob Hall. He also avoids using the good paper in the office printer
Mastercard Nabs Florencia Aimo From Marriott International
Marriott International's Florencia Aimo jumps from the hotel business to the exploitative credit card one.
Bastion Agency Appoints Cheuk Chiang As New ANZ CEO
Cheuk Chiang takes the reins over at Bastion Agency. But not the rains down in Africa.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Major Sponsorship Wins After A Disappointing Week In Sport
B&T continuing our deep dive into local sport sponsorships & that's despite not a single offer of a free ticket as yet.
Macca’s Marketing Director, Samantha McLeod On Big Mac Chant: “What Was Once Old Is Now Cool Again”
Macca's using the power of nostalgia in latest Big Mac campaign. Well, only for those who've ever eaten one sober.
World Premiere Of Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line To Open Sydney Film Festival 2024
Oil's biopic to open Sydney Film Festival. Here's hoping Molly Meldrum will take his pants down at the premiere.
Entries Are Now Open For The 2024 Brandies, IntelligenceBank’s Annual Brand Marketing Awards
The Brandies are, of course, a prestigious marketing gong and not the mystery tipple favoured by nannas everywhere.
The Fred Hollows Foundation Appoints Ardent For PR
Yes, we all like to have a joke at PR's expense. But sometimes it does important work, like this.
AI, eCommerce & Marketing Specialists Are In Increased Demand By Businesses, New Data From Fiverr Shows
Has your philosophy & anthropology degree left you with nothing but a huge HECS debt? Here's what you should've studied.
Perth’s First 3D Anamorphic Billboard Arrives Courtesy Of oOh!media
Do you love a buzzword? Now you can add anamorphic to the list as it relates to billboards, not a colleague's ears.
MasterChef Australia & Crown Resorts Launch Unique Dining Experience With ALUMNI
A pop-up restaurant staffed by MasterChef contestants! That's fine dining prices for first-year apprentice chef cuisine!
Amanda Laing Announces Resignation From Foxtel Group
Foxtel's chief commercial & content officer heads for the exits. Read nice things the bosses said about her right here.
The Lost Letters From Our Diggers: News Corp Unveils ANZAC Day Special
It's nice when brands respectfully acknowledge ANZAC Day.
Howatson+Company Acquires Akkomplice
Large indie acquires a slightly smaller indie. Much like a shark eating a tuna, just with less thrashing and blood.
Google Delays Third-Party Cookie Deprecation Again
In good news for the sale of picture library biscuit photos, Google continues to tease over the end of cookies.
Education A Low Priority For Aussies More Concerned With Cost Of Living Forethought Study Reveals
Study finds Aussies cutting back on education due to cost of living. Booze & Uber Eats sales remain largely unaffected.
“I’m Still The Same Person That I Was”: Rikki Stern Says “Fucc It” To Cancer Stereotypes
B&T always happy to promote the anti-cancer cause. Even brands that massively overdo it with the hot pink.
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.