4A's Talent@2030: Best Location for Some Ad Agencies? Home Offices!

Remote work allows the Mower agency to hire more diverse talent from any market said President and Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Crockett For instance she recently hired several employees who live in Miami quotIt gives us the freedom to look outside geographic areas where we don39t have officesquot she explained Mower operates from 10 locations in cities like Syracuse NY Buffalo NY and Cincinnati OH as well as in New York Boston and ChicagoCrockett appeared with several other industry executives at the 4A39s recent Talent2030 conference on a panel titled quotMeeting Talent Challenges Outside the Big CitiesquotAnother panelist Nikki Wilson Chief People Officer for Dallasbased The Richards Group TRG offered some advice stay quotflexible flexible flexiblequot In that way quotwe39ve been able to attract and retain individuals who do not reside in the DallasFort Worth areaquotIn the last two years many Americans have reorganized their priorities and job location isn39t necessarily their top concern anymore Wilson noted That39s been a boon to TRG39s recruiting quotWe39ve been able to attract people who have left the big cities and are trying to get back to what39s important to themquot she saidFor employees who want to live near an office or work in a hybrid setting smaller markets have advantages Crockett noted that cities like Syracuse offer nearly nonexistent commutes lower cost of living and easy access to lifestyle activities For today39s reoriented workers who are more focused on wellness and family time that can be a selling point quotI can go 15 minutes from my house and find hiking trails places to ski places to kayakquot she saidEmployees want quotpurpose over placequot said Temitayo Jegede Director of Talent Solutions for the 4A39s quotWe know people can be productive no matter what location they39re in We need to invest in the technology to enable people to do the work and to engage themquotOf course remote work presents some logistical hurdles Early in the pandemic Crockett said it was challenging to onboard new hires virtually because you couldn39t sit down with a new hire and get them uptospeed quickly Her firm adapted and the process is now inclusive and effectiveTo engage employees Wilson said TRG deployed virtual surveys meetings and questionnaires They might have gone a little too far quotWe almost had too many forumsquot she said When participation dipped the firm reduced the virtual activities and encouraged employees to also share feedback informallyDespite the remotework advantages when employees are scattered around the country even the best technology can39t replicate inperson culture and connections Agencies need to get creative to build community and foster culture Crockett said it is important to listen to employees39 priorities outside of their work lives and integrate those causes into agency lifeYounger workers in particular want employers to reflect their values They are saying quot39I don39t want to check my values and my purpose at the door I want that to come in with that right in front of me39quot Crockett explained noting that Mower has employees who are passionate about environmental causes and equity issues and that they also contribute to social causes in the communities where they live quotWe need to focus on that purpose and shared valuesquot she asserted quotThat is what we39re buildingquotAt TRG Wilson said some employees bring outside interests into the organization by joining a firm council or spearheading a philanthropic effort quotI want them to bring their values and their passions and see if we can find a winwinquot she saidAnother way to succeed outside of the big markets is to emphasize responsiveness In massive firms in large cities individuals might not always feel heard and firms can39t be as nimble Small firms can deliver on the needs of potential recruits and current employeesquotWe39re hearing a lot about career growth and developmentquot Wilson said quotThey39re asking 39What39s next39quot Some potential hires want sixmonth performance reviews regular feedback and guidance for how their career will progressHR leaders report that employees want flexibility both in location and with work schedules They39re also interested in benefits for travel childcare and wellness noted the 4A39s JegedeCrockett said mentorship and career coaching are top requests Offering remote work helps there too she said Since Mower can attract more diverse talent nationwide with virtual settings it broadens the talent pool That means Mower can extend more mentorships and coaching with more women and people of color who are based across the countryWhen agencies do return to inperson work it should be purposeful and productive quotWe don39t want it to be just sitting around a conference tablequot Crockett concluded quotIt should be something engaging and about spending time togetherquotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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4A's Talent@2030: Best Location for Some Ad Agencies? Home Offices!

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Alli Romano

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4A's Talent@2030: Best Location for Some Ad Agencies? Home Offices!

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