Flexible working - one size doesn't fit all!

 

The global pandemic has truly been a catalyst in the acceptance of businesses to adopt remote working and more flexible working practices.  80% of what PMP does is recruiting for creative agencies - everything from advertising through to digital and 20% is what we refer to as in-house or clientside - so everything that I talk about is very much with a bias to these sectors as this is what I know.  It was evident from mid March 2020 that pretty much any role associated with creative or marketing could be reasonably efficiently done from a remote workplace.  Creative agencies had perhaps in the past been less willing to consider remote working, largely due to the collaborative nature of their work and the ‘creation’ of campaigns needing people to be in the same place.  However, 2020 showed that agencies could manage their businesses differently and I know of several who had their best year ever during the pandemic.  As we start to come out of restrictions we’re going to have to play it by ear to a certain extent as to the level of flexibility that employers will have post pandemic.   Anecdotally, most of my candidates are keen to return to the office for most of the time.   Many younger candidates and juniors on their way up the career ladder have missed the mentoring opportunities gained in an office environment and the general buzz, pace and sociable culture that comes from working in a creative agency.  Many of the younger candidates enjoy city centre living and the commute is a stroll to the office rather than a painful and clogged train journey from one of the suburbs.  The slightly older generation with young families are still keen to be in the office for some of the time.  For these individuals the ability to be flexible around pick up and drop offs (dogs and children…) is valuable and in this age band, these individuals usually manage teams - these being the younger generation looking for mentoring so I do think employers will be looking to balance the needs of everyone in the business.  As things currently stand, I have some clients who are suggesting office life for 3 days of the week, some suggesting 2.  Some are suggesting afternoons in the office for collaboration but mornings at home and time to get things done.  I don’t think there is one size that fits everyone but with agencies in particular, they will be doing their best to be accommodating.  It feels like clientside employers will be very subjective as to the type of business that it is and the larger corporates will doubtless have different policies to the SMEs.  


After that very long preamble….what I really wanted to talk about in this blog is the concept of the 4 day week.    When a client briefs me on a role (agency or in-house), it is extremely rare for said client to ask for someone for a 4 day week.  In fact, I’d say never.   Having said that, if I then ask if they could work around it, generally speaking they’ll at least consider it and again, depending on the role and responsibilities will give it a nod.   In agency land, it does feel fairly female heavy in client servicing in terms of gender balance.  Naturally, this leads to many working mothers and therefore several 4 day weeks.  Generally speaking, this tends to be something that is negotiated upon return from maternity with an existing client.  I know employees from several agencies where women do a 4 day week (it is still mostly women in fact, I don’t know any men doing a 4 day week!).  These women are regularly called upon on their normal day off and generally just accept this as being part and parcel of the flexibility required - after all, clients expect their agencies to be responsive 5 days a week..  However, they’ve also had to accept a 20% pay cut in order to benefit from this so called ‘flexibility’.  A candidate this week was made an offer and the employer (an agency with many senior working mums) was very candid when the candidate asked if they could do the role as a 4 day week.  The client said, well, we have an unspoken agreement - why would we take a 20% pay cut when we can be a flexible employer.  At least 3 of the senior management team work fairly irregular hours over 5 days so they have flexibility without the pay cut.    My candidate, however, wanted an extra day to herself for ‘life stuff’ - health appointments, admin, childcare etc and the upshot was that they agreed to try the 4 day week over the probation period and review after that.  If they felt that the employee was having to respond to work on their day off in a way that was untenable, they’d try to come up with a different solution.


Another client.  An in-house corporate business made a candidate an offer and we again asked could this be done in a 4 day week.  The client said absolutely and we’ll make the same offer financially - nothing pro rata.  Now, I suspect that the candidate will work fairly long hours in the 4 day week but it isn’t the kind of role where they’ll be ‘called up with an emergency’ on their day off so I think it’s win win for employee and employer. 


Another client, a charity, is testing the 4 day week at the moment.   The same contracted hours that employees currently work but compacted into 4 days.  There will be an option if employees choose to stick with 5 days that they prefer - and hopefully that will enable the business to function professionally and consistently.  Interestingly, this client says that only 25% of employees have indicated that they are enjoying the 4 day week arrangement - for many, there is an increase in pressure, more time management required and a concern that tasks end up being rushed and not necessarily done to a high quality.  There are also some disgruntled 5 day week employees who feel they are picking up the work not done by the 4 day week employees.  The charity is currently reviewing their team structures to ensure there is balance and that everyone in the team needs to feel that the system is working for them. 


I suppose what it comes down to is that whilst we might assume that everyone would love a 3 day weekend, it’s not actually true.  What certainly is true is that there are few individuals who want (are able to) take a pay cut in order to do a 4 day week - they’re happy to make that trade off personally and they have an employer/job that facilitates it. Work life balance is an often used expression but it’s one which is different for everyone - and probably changes as we age too.  Whilst ‘work hard, play hard’ is the mantra for the twenty-somethings, ‘work life balance’ tends to appeal most to those in their thirties onwards as family and other life priorities come to the fore.   


What is clearly true is that one size doesn’t fit all.  And if that’s true for the marketing/advertising/creative sector then it’ll be true for every sector. Covid has certainly shaken up the options for flexible working and I hope that employers continue to offer the right conditions for each and every employee whilst also maximising the efficiency and profitability for their businesses. 


On a final note, I have heard rumours of businesses reviewing their salary bandings if they are now offering home working as a permanent thing - reviewing them downwards, that is….As yet I’ve not seen any evidence to support this, just rumours in the media.  Watch this space!