Is workplace flexibility becoming the new norm in the creative industry?

Workplace flexibility – part time work, flextime, and telecommuting – is gaining in popularity, particularly in the fields of advertising and marketing, according to new research from staffing firm The Creative Group.

More than 400 U.S. advertising and marketing executives and more than 1,000 U.S. workers aged 18 years and older and employed in office environments were asked “Which of the following work arrangements does your agency/firm currently offer?”. More than three-quarters (76%) indicated that their company offers some form of alternative work arrangement.

61% indicated that their workplace offers part-time work, while 33% and 30% indicated that flextime and telecommuting were also offered as alternatives. Less common were compressed workweeks (14%), and job sharing (12%), while 24% indicated that their workplace offered no alternatives.

According to Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group, employees value flexibility more than ever and companies recognize alternative work arrangements can help attract and retain top talent, especially in creative fields, where jobs can often be done anywhere, as long as the right tools, processes, and policies are in place.

Whilst flexibility helps professionals balance work and personal obligations, remote team members must communicate more actively than on-site employees, to stay informed and build solid relationships with their fellow employees.

The survey also indicated that executives ranked part-time hours, flextime, and telecommuting as the most important alternative work arrangements for recruiting and retaining creative professionals. Employees indicated that they found flextime (37%), telecommuting, and a compressed workweek (tied at 26%) to be the most appealing.

While the survey was conducted in the U.S. only, it is our opinion that its findings should be valid globally, at least as far as the creative industry is concerned.

The Creative Group  has a blog with tips on staying connected while working remotely ^[1] and strategies for managing a dispersed team ^[2].