How We've Transformed Our Way Of Working
Remotely different…
This time 20 months ago, we found ourselves in a real-life version of a dystopian nightmare: in the middle of a global pandemic. Suddenly, life as we know it was completely changed, the entirety of our daily routines confined to our homes. For many agencies, Flourish included, this meant waving goodbye to the office and saying hello to hastily assembled home set ups.
Over time, we got used to the new rhythm of home-working life. The way we collaborate together and operate as an agency began to change. And some of those shifts have been so positive that we decided to keep them.
Of course, with new Covid-19 variants developing at a rate that outpaces our vaccination efforts, in-person workplaces are again hanging in the balance. But for now, here are three of the positive adjustments that we’ll be taking forward:
1. Reducing our carbon footprint
Much of our work already took place online pre-pandemic, but after a year away from the cutting room we’re now almost completely paperless. There will always be projects that benefit from being checked in physical form, but we now use paper on a ‘need to print’ basis.
The environmental positives extend beyond the office itself. Many of us are able to walk or cycle into the office, but for some the only option is to get behind the wheel, and driving comes at a cost to the environment. Fewer people driving to work means less carbon emissions, and if drivers in the team come in 3 days a week instead of 5, that’s a 40% reduction in emissions.
We’ve also partnered up with conservation organisation Ecologi, and have already offset 20 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere.
2. Recognising work life balance
Video calls have their drawbacks, but its undeniable that seeing people in their homes dismantles the front that makes someone a colleague or an employee, and is a reminder that they are human: people with caring responsibilities, mental health, and a whole heap of needs that extend far beyond the office. We’re now more aware than before about burnout, and the importance of all of us getting enough downtime and taking time for ourselves.
Our new, hybrid mode of working means that we have the option of being home based when needed, and are at home with our families the moment we sign off for the day.
3. Hybrid working: collaborative and productive
Without the ability to stay in touch online, working from home would have been pretty much untenable. And while our work depended on being able to collaborate and communicate effectively without seeing one another face to face, there’s been a unanimous agreement that spending a few days a week in the office works best for us as a team. When we can, we’ll be going in three days a week, with the creative and client services teams encouraged to spend at least one day in the office together.
To accommodate this, we’ve redesigned the office with fewer desks and more collaborative zones for thinking, sharing ideas and working together. There are sofas. There’s a TV. There’s a pool table. All of these add up to reasons to come into the office and make the most of that sense of community that comes with working as part of a team.
What’s next?
With hotdesking the norm, we’re used to fitting our work into a backpack. We’re used to being a little more nomadic with our desk set ups. So whatever new variants may throw at us, we’ll be prepared.