JWT’s Paul Everson On Creating A Great Workplace Culture To Kickstart The Year
In this guest post, J. Walter Thompson Sydney managing director Paul Everson urges agencies to put culture near the top of their New Year’s resolutions list and consider how it applies to all employees.
Are we still talking about culture? Yes, and I don’t think we should ever stop.
With the workplace landscape changing so fast, we can’t expect a healthy culture to survive and thrive unless it is nurtured and developed. As leaders, I would love to see us start each year by taking a good look at how our culture has evolved over the past 12 months, and where we want it to go, to ensure we are evolving our approach to keep pace with changing ways of working.
But beyond simply providing ‘nice vibes’ in the office and some opportunities for after-work drinks, why should we invest our precious headspace and dwindling resources to build and maintain culture?
It has been proven time and again that culture plays a key role in driving success and motivation. When workplaces everywhere are facing unprecedented challenges in evolving and adapting their businesses, investing in culture delivers results. Research by Deloitte has shown that 94 per cent of executives and 88 per cent of employees believe a distinct corporate culture is important to a business’ success. Deloitte’s survey also found that 76 per cent of these employees believed that a “clearly defined business strategy” helped create a positive culture.
The question many leaders are asking is: how we can create a sense of culture and community when our teams are under enormous pressure, and increasingly fragmented?
The modern workplace is everywhere and nowhere
We’ve moved well beyond a traditional idea of what employment looks like with the gig economy, the rise of share spaces, growing demand for flexible and remote working arrangements, technology-assisted collaboration with colleagues and clients across the globe. The modern office is everywhere and nowhere, even if your company still maintains a bricks-and-mortar place for employees to congregate. When fragmentation is the new normal, we can’t expect our culture to come along for the ride – we need to actively enfold these new ways of working into the way we embed culture.
The tension comes when you don’t have a regular staff base turning up to the office – why spend time and money running events, providing opportunities for interaction, fostering those ‘nice vibes’ if half your staff aren’t here to enjoy it? And if you’ve already adopted a culture that includes opportunities for flexible working and remote arrangements, haven’t you already made an investment in culture?
If you build it, they will come
Employees can become reluctant to make the trip into the office if they don’t have to, but many of them actually crave the interaction and relationships of their co-workers and peers. Many remote workers report that they feel isolated if their jobs don’t allow opportunities to regularly touch base with their teams in person.
Making remote and flex workers feel included can be as simple as tweaking some of your current approaches, and can make a big impact on how culture is experienced and embraced by all of your employees, regardless of location.
When you have an event coming up, send personalised invitations to any remote workers and take a moment to acknowledge and address how their particular working arrangement can align with them taking part in the event. Even the simple acknowledgement that they may not be able to attend can signify that they are still considered part of the team. You can also get creative and use all that tech you invested heavily in, but no one seems to know how to use. Set up a Google Hangout or a Surface meeting on a big screen and allow them to come and join the event remotely, even just for the speeches or a set time to check in.
Where possible, ask for their input when it comes to planning events or new initiatives to make them feel involved in the development of the culture. Try appointing a remote working rep to sanity check how planned events or initiatives will work for remote workers, part-timers or flexible arrangements, and let them liaise with offsite teams to get a read of how involved – or isolated – they feel.
If remote workers feel like they are part of the team, they will happily make the effort to continue to foster collaboration. They will be more flexible when it comes to planning meetings outside of their local hours if it suits the ‘home office’; they will make more effort to come in to the office; and they will be more engaged with their work, and invested in delivering success for your organisation.
These ideas won’t cost you a lot of time or money, but they can deliver big benefits in terms of engagement, retention and collaboration. In fact, the biggest benefit you’ll receive from investing in culture is that it actually enhances collaboration and drives success – 83 per cent of executives and 84 per cent of employees rank having engaged and motivated employees as the top factor that substantially contributes to a company’s success, and this applies to all employees, not just remote workers.
So, amongst all your business resolutions for the new year, make sure you put culture near the top of your list and take the time to consider how this applies to all your employees, not just the ones you see every day.
Please login with linkedin to comment
j.walter thompson sydney JWT Sydney Paul Everson Workplace cultureLatest 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.