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You also had....desks. And drawers.
Not even enough "hot desks", this pathetic industry is showing its parasite's nature
Workloads have become more unrealistic than ever. We used to have TIME in the office to hang, meet, and work. Now we’re in client and internal meeting half the day (almost none of which are just between the people physically in the room) and the other half+ is used to get work done in subpar conditions (lack of desk/monitors, noise, etc)
If the in office experience was better, it would be met with less resistance, and if the commute was worth it, we wouldn’t complain as much.
110% the efficiency quotient and profitablity equation per staff member was not so tight. Yes people pulled the odd all nighter for a big pitch or presentation. But it ebbed and flowed. And there was budget to reward the hard work. Now it's just a constant stream of just do the work....
Rebuild a consistent 5 day culture where people want to be there. RTO currently demands compliance, which breeds contempt of those who are forced into it.
Flip it around and give people organic reason to go in 4 (prob not 5, Fridays aren't happening consistently again) times a week... Not because of pizza parties or anything like that, but because there's a culture of warmth and collaboration that is built on in-person presence. Don't villainize those who can't make it every day or have their own calendars.
Culture doesn't establish overnight.
Give people time to provide mentorship. To job shadow. To connect meaningfully when at the office and people might find meaning again in in office culture.
Rising Star
You also (generally) had a culture of teamwork and camaraderie, whereas now, not only are our offices staffed by the most serious overachievers, but the sense that everyone could be cut brings out the worst in people.
The last part of your last sentence nailed it.
I just want a desk where I can create my own space, like its the most basic thing that ive had at every job for 15 years, and suddenly in the last few years thats too much. Why would I want to spend 40+ hours every week in a space where im not even allowed to be comfortable or make my workspace productive.
God yes.
When agencies actually got paid enough and clients had real loyalty the pressure to simply hang on without killing yourself never existed. It was fun because advertising agencies meant something real and working there was cool. Now it’s a slog until your client kicks you to the curb. You give up all your free time pitching for new clients, against 10 other agencies and win about 10% of the time. All for no fee. So given all of that, how the hell are agencies supposed to be fun? It’s like expecting a party at the post office. Not gonna happen. Just be happy if you like the person sitting next to you.
Do your clients still visit your agencies in person for meetings for pitches or campaign presentations? We don’t see that a lot. It’s mostly us going to their office or it’s over zoom. I thought that helped build the fun too of going
Most of my clients aren’t even going into their own offices and they sure as hell don’t want to visit agencies, either.
True. It's a sea of people staring at screens. Snore.
WPP won't even give their employees Pop/Juices/Energy Drinks/Snacks...
But all the milk!
It seems like a lifetime ago when bar carts were pushed around the office!
I just want a desk 😭
I worked brand side at a toy company that did a full RTO and they made everyone take their personal items and everyone had to hot desk. All the toys people built and fun things they had were no longer around and some days people had to work from meeting rooms. It was ridiculous
THE TRUTH - a lot of the in office perks got cut with other things during COVID which is understandable, but it made a huge difference in how happy I was going to the office every day
I think you are working on the wrong place then. We have plenty of that sort of thing going on where I am. Company provided lunches on Thursdays, bagels on Wednesday mornings, we had a mimosa breakfast two weeks ago. Holiday parties. Free at three on Fridays.
Perhaps that says something about New Yorkers. We are global company and every office has a bit of their own flavor, which just goes to prove my point in its own way.
Preach!
Chief
I remember back when I actually had an office. Like, not a cubicle, but an actual office shared with my partner. We had a little fridge stocked with sparkling water, a record player, a couple comfy chairs, our desks… people used to play Call of Duty over the network, there was an Xbox and people actually used the ping pong table and parking was free. I’d go brainstorm with my partner to the nearest coffee shop. We’d eat out almost every day.
Yeah, there were shitty days and shitty things, but these were things that made going to work bearable.
How bout mon - thurs? 10 hr days. Easy peasy.
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