When Sharing Isn’t Caring For Your Team

When Sharing Isn’t Caring For Your Team

Across the country, major agencies have moved to an open office concept; no walls, no privacy and literally working side-by-side with your co-workers in shared space. I’m confident that everyone that works at a corporate office with open office wants to throat punch the creative genius that thought this would create a better or more productive workforce. I would assume the idea stems from the ability to save money by maximizing office space or being able to make sure your employees are working their hours. Whatever the reason, I think it’s the opposite direction of how the industry is moving and how creative people work. Agency should embrace and encourage remote working with the flexibility of time spent at HQ vs. chaining the employees to the open office desk concept.

I think that if you trust the people you hired, then you can trust them to work remotely. If you hire the right people, provide proper training and have effective managers, then 80% of your employees can work 80% of the time remotely. I have managed a remote workforce for 8+ years and had practically no turnover vs. agency corporate office turnover rates at 30%+ per year (industry average).

Benefits of remote workforce Benefits for Agency:

  1. Reduced overhead cost for corporate office space. Less expensive to pay to reimburse cell phone and internet vs. the substantial cost of office space.
  2. Ability to recruit highly talented workforce from the across the country vs. trying to find the best and the brightest in the local market or paying for relocation.
  3. Lower turnover rate – According to Stanford.edu study, remote workforce helps business save $2,000 per year per person and reduce turnover by 50%.

Benefits of the remote workforce for the Employee:

  1. Increase in worker productivity – According to Sure Payroll, 86% of those surveyed said they preferred to work alone to “hit maximum productivity,” and 66% of managers say employees who work remotely increase their overall productivity.
  2. 53% of remote workers work more than 40 hours per week
  3. Lowers stress and boosts morale – 82% telecommuters report lower stress levels. The study by PGI, a leading provider of software services, found that 80% of workers reported higher morale when working from home, while 69% reported lower absenteeism.
  4. Workers save average of 260 hours per year by not commuting daily
  5. Remote workers:
    • 45% more sleep
    • 42% eat healthier
    • 35% more physical exercise
    • 50% less likely to quit their job

Clients pay for the high cost of extravagant high-rise buildings in city centers. Clients pay for the high cost of recruiting, hiring and training due to high turnover. I have witness firsthand how a happier workforce leads to low turnover, more creativity/productivity and more dedicated to the program/clients.

The Rocking Star (TRS) structure is geared around this Rapid Response mentality and limiting the overhead cost through the remote workforce.  By having a stronger, faster, more productive workforce, TRS is able to provide superior customer service to small and large brands and accomplish our client’s goals at a dramatically lower agency fee.

As a Client, do you really care where the work gets completed or do you care about price and results?

“Corporate culture is not created by proximity; it created through great leaders that lead by example. Challenge your team to always improve, unchain them the confines of HQ, and watch their creativity, morale, enthusiasm, and productivity for their work grow and flourish. ”

SB

 

 

Source Article:

23
Jan 2018
By Sam Bein