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As leaders in the advertising and marketing space, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redefine work. While this is true of all workplace leaders, there is an urgency and salience for those of us who are influencers of cultural trends.
Many of us quickly and successfully pivoted to working from home in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, but now protocols around fully returning to the office, hybrid and remote work arrangements are still taking shape. The reality is the genie cannot be put back into the bottle—workplace norms and practices have changed. Companies insisting on a traditional approach have faced a harsh reckoning during the Great Resignation.
It’s imperative that companies take the time to evaluate the right move for their business—and their teams—and be open to a new way of working that suits interests. After all, happy employees are productive employees.
At Rain the Growth Agency, we’ve decided to lean into the advantages that a virtual-first workforce has to offer. We initially went down the road of a hybrid return-to-work solution, but after hearing feedback from employee surveys, focus groups, talent management, our recruiters and industry experts, we pivoted to something different from the three options most companies are still debating.
This new company initiative retains the flexibility that we have all become accustomed to, yet promotes the connectivity and culture we crave: pop-up offices.
One of the arguments against going virtual-first is the lack of face-to-face interactions with co-workers and clients. This is where businesses need to get crafty with their solutions.
Our employees now reside in more than 33 states, and more than 40% have no local office. As part of our plans to sundown our lease agreements in Oakland, Calif., Philadelphia and Providence, R.I., we’ve reinvested that money into gathering in our Portland, Ore., headquarters while also opening new pop-up offices across the country for our teams.
When selecting cities, we identified regions with clusters of our employees. We then pop up at conference halls, hotels or other collaborative spaces where employees can meet, work and partake in local attractions outside of normal office hours. Not only does this invite nearby employees to meet their teams, but it also allows the agency to connect with workers who rarely get a chance to interact with the teams based in our Oregon headquarters.
Pop-up offices typically range from two to four days. A workday at a pop-up office can include group meetings, coworking in an office-like environment and meeting with clients. Employees are given the flexibility to work on their own schedules around the pop-up’s agenda to ensure there is no lapse in productivity or client service. Similar to other company offsite events, our hospitality teams provide catered meals, supplies and A/V equipment, and coordinate group activities.
We’ve had nine pop-up meetings so far in 2022 and recently brought 30 team members together in Scottsdale, Ariz.—and all have been a huge success. Covid-19 vaccine protocols are in place, with all sessions open to those comfortable traveling. Beyond connecting with co-workers they may only know through Slack, Rain the Growth Agency invited its local clients to these pop-up office sessions as well, giving employees a chance to meet them in person for the first time.
Employees also have the opportunity to engage with each other at team-building activities. In Scottsdale, we offered a guided ATV desert tour, a sunrise hike and group dinners. Through these pop-ups, employees get to spend quality time with each other offline, connecting on a whole new level beyond both screens and work.
We’re planning many more pop-ups in exciting destinations in the future including Chicago, Miami and Napa, Calif.—the sky’s the limit!
After more than two years of working remotely, we’ve found the arrangement that works for us—at least for now. The flexibility we get from a virtual-first model not only widens the talent pool and makes us more attractive to job seekers, but it also allows the opportunity to get to know co-workers and clients on a deeper level and creates the space to build relationships, ultimately leading to more collaboration. It’s led to both a productive and well-connected company culture, and we’re constantly seeking feedback as we continue to evolve.
The advertising industry has had issues attracting and retaining talent even before the pandemic. So let’s take the opportunity and the exciting challenge of building the new normal seriously by coming up with truly creative solutions that preserve what we learned from two years of remote work, while figuring out ways to incentivize gathering in a physical office beyond free snacks and happy hours.
This story first appeared in the Aug. 1, 2022, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.
