While some companies have sought to curtail telecommuting in recent years, a growing number of creative professionals are working outside the office, a new survey by The Creative Group suggests. One-third of advertising and marketing executives polled said the percentage of creative staff working remotely today is higher than three years ago; only 4 percent said it’s lower.
Gaining access to talent outside of their geography and improving morale and retention rates were cited as the greatest benefits of offering remote working options to employees.
The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm.
“Advertising and marketing executives were asked, “How does the number of creative staff who work remotely for your company today compare to three years ago?” Their responses:
- Much higher: 10%
- Somewhat higher: 23%
- Same: 59%
- Somewhat lower: 2%
- Much lower: 2%
- Don’t know: 4%
Executives also were asked, “Which of the following would you say is the single greatest benefit of offering remote working options to your employees?” Their responses:
- Allows access to talent outside of your geography resulting in a broader talent pool: 22%
- Improves retention and morale by providing enhanced work/life balance:19%
- Increases productivity by reducing commute time:15%
- Saves money by requiring less office space: 9%
- Allows access to talent where the cost of living and salaries are lower: 7%
- Other: 2%
- Don’t know/no answer: 25%
“Remote working programs can be an effective and economical recruitment and retention tool, particularly among creative professionals who can work from just about anywhere if equipped with the right tools and technology,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. “Still, working off-site isn’t without challenges. When employees are collaborating from diverse locations, everyone needs to step up their communications game.”
The Creative Group offers five questions for employers to consider when establishing a remote working program:
Is my business ready? New companies or those in a state of transition may want to limit remote work arrangements. The same goes for firms already experiencing internal communication struggles.
What creative jobs are best suited for remote working arrangements? Certain tasks, such as graphic design or copywriting, lend themselves more easily to telecommuting than others, like those that require face-to-face contact or ongoing access to equipment and materials.
How frequently should creative staff work off-site? In-person interactions build camaraderie and boost creative output. Consider limiting remote work to one or two days a week. Encourage staff who live far away to make office visits on occasion.
How will you stay in touch? Collaboration tools like Skype and instant messaging can keep distant colleagues connected. A centralized calendar noting where employees will be working also helps ensure projects flow smoothly.
Have I taken all necessary steps? Before instituting any new work policy, be sure to check with your human resources representative or legal counsel.
About the Survey
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 400 telephone interviews — approximately 200 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 200 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.
About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG’s blog, can be found at creativegroup.com.
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