The Work Smarter, Not Harder Solution

If you have the pleasure of working at Pitch a creative agency in LA youamp8217ve never had to track an hour make an excuse for a personal day validate a sick day or even keep a running count of your vacation days Imagine how much time not tracking time frees up to well workThe entire team at Pitch is empowered to take as much time off as they need or want whether itamp8217s two hours because the parents are in town or three weeks to produce a play And somehow the agency still soarsHereamp8217s why FTO could be the gamechanging solution our tired industry needsTrust and fulfillment go handinhandamp8220Trust is a huge part of our cultureamp8221 says Pitchamp8217s President Rachel Spiegelman amp8220People trust us with their careers and livelihood and we trust them to get the job doneamp8221amp160Itamp8217s also a very modern way of viewing work amp8220A fulfilling life is just as important to your career as working very hardquot she explains quotWith FTO just as I choose to work intensely to get a project done on time I can also choose to take a day off to get my wits about meamp8221Thereamp8217s no such thing as 9to5 so why track hoursSandy Sabean Chief Creative Officer of my own agency Womenkind believes in FTO for her team in New Yorkamp160 amp8220I answer emails at the hair salon talk to West Coast clients while loading the dishwasher after dinner and shop for groceries online from my desk in the officeamp8221 she says amp8220Work is life and life is work Itamp8217s one big blendamp8221Clearly FTO is a valuable benefit to an employee who wants to enjoy a richer more rewarding life beyond work but whatamp8217s the benefit to the companyProject Worldwide perhaps our industryamp8217s only amp8220unholding companyamp8221 recently established FTO across its eleven agencies According to Robert G Vallee Jr Projectamp8217s CEO the policy creates a mutually supportive dynamic he describes aptly amp8220Weamp8217re all in it togetheramp8221amp8220Projectamp8217s agencies are complementary and collaborative itamp8217s our ethosamp8221 says Robert who sees FTO as just one of the many benefits that enhance the culture of the 100 employeeowned organization amp8220People should be as happy at work as they are anywhere elseamp8221amp160No one would argue that advertising isnamp8217t a timeintensive endeavor amp8220Sometimes like in the runup to the Super Bowl weamp8217re working 7 days a week 12 hours a dayamp8221 he notes amp8220We want people to have the flexibility to take whatever time they need afterwards to recharge their batteriesamp8221And as he points out itamp8217s only fair if flexibility benefits everyone regardless of seniority amp8220Why should an AAE only get two weeks off a year Is that appropriate for working so hard to meet demandsamp8221Inspiration is a competitive edge and companies need to foster it however they can Sarah Hart a junior art director at Argonaut a Project Worldwide agency embraced FTO for the benefit of herself and the company She took time off to enroll in a metalsmith class and then again to go to Burning Man last August an experience she says amp8220has in no small way inspired the work Iamp8217ve done sinceamp8221Sandy Sabean agrees that fostering inspiration is a critical aspect of managing people in a creative business where big ideas give companies the edge amp8220You can have an idea in the shower and write a strategy from a coffee baramp8221 she says amp8220Itamp8217s antiquated and even disrespectful to believe an employee has to be sitting at her desk or sheamp8217s not doing her jobamp8221FTO breeds loyalty and teamworkIs there a risk of employees taking advantage The evidence suggests that FTO sets a tone that encourages more teamwork amp8220My team actually works more effectively because our bond to each other is strongeramp8221 says Rachel Spiegelmanamp160amp8220Look we39re never not busyamp8221 she continues amp8220We never donamp8217t need people around But if someone has to take an extra meeting to make sure a coworker gets a break we will We have each otheramp8217s backamp8221Flexibility attracts and retains talent especially womenIs it a coincidence that with such an emphasis on worklife balance and flextime for all Pitch has retained women in top leadership and boasts a staff of more than 60 womenamp8220Iamp8217m not on the forefront but as a female executive whoamp8217s had babies I do have a different life and a different way of managingamp8221 says Rachel amp8220Iamp8217m always asking what else can we do to make sure that each individual in our workplace has what they need so they can succeed in their jobamp8221 Rachel wants every employee to feel comfortable and empoweredamp160 amp8220We are outperforming our goals because we give our team what they needamp8221For Sandy Sabean FTO is an obvious way to attract and retain talent with complex worklife demands amp8220Everyone is juggling somethingamp8221 she says amp8220Our credo is work smarter not harder So we use technology to free people up not bind themamp8221Appreciation is always appreciatedIt is ironic that in an industry built on relationships and ingenuity time sheets still prevail amp160How many agency employees feel confident that their supervisor and their clients believe in them trust them and appreciate them for unequivocally deliveringamp8220Itamp8217s a shame that in 2016 these kinds of policies are still unique in our businessamp8221 adds Rachel amp8220Be here work hard feel responsible for your job I appreciate you that should be the normamp8221The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageMyersBizNet management or associated bloggersamp160

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The Work Smarter, Not Harder Solution

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Kristi Faulkner

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