Our Secret to Happiness and Productivity is Flexibility
As a fully remote marketing agency, we thrive on the idea of flexibility and consider it to be a cornerstone of our success. Flexibility offers employees independence, innovation, and a healthy work-life balance, which we find results in higher productivity and a happy team. Giving employees as much flexibility as possible demonstrates our trust in their ability to choose where and how they work, and to manage their time and workload effectively while completing high-quality results.
According to a 2021 Gartner Digital Worker Experience Survey, 43% of respondents said that flexible working hours helped them achieve productivity, and 30% of those said that either less commuting or no commuting allowed them to be more productive in general. We totally agree! For nearly 20 years our team has not commuted to work.
We recently asked our team members why flexibility works in our company. Here are a few highlights from their feedback:
Kellie Kennedy, Executive Vice President, Strategic Earned Media
“At THG, the focus is on getting quality work done. Not necessarily what time of the day you get that quality work done. THG emphasizes the well-being of its team as part of its success, which makes work more collaborative and enjoyable.
For example, I was recently out of town and awaiting information from a reporter to finish a time-sensitive project. Instead of spending my day off checking my phone for the reporter’s response, I was able to quickly partner with a teammate via Slack and they handled working with the reporter and client to finish the project on time. Having flexible teammates who value personal time and are trusted to get the job done well is so important!
Working with a company that values flexibility allows me to make sure I’m not neglecting other important areas of my life; family, fitness, etc. When those other important areas are taken care of, I can focus on creating quality work.”
Emily Evans, Digital and Social Media Manager
“From the moment I was hired, I could tell flexibility is part of THG’s culture. I’m joining the team at a time when I have a few changes happening in my personal life, and the THG members have gone out of their way to support me. They have given wonderful advice based on their own experiences navigating big changes and have had a great amount of patience with me as I adjust to the responsibilities of my new role with THG.
I think there’s a sense of trust created between employer and employee when an employer shows flexibility. I feel a strong desire to produce the best work I possibly can because I don’t want to break that trust I have with my employer. I don’t want to let them or any of my team members down. Flexibility also allows me to take extra time to complete a task or project if needed so that it’s done well the first time. I think flexibility makes me a more productive and efficient employee.
In my experience, flexibility at work impacts every area of an employee’s life. It can improve work productivity, work-life balance, and overall wellness. I think it’s very important for companies to incorporate flexibility when and where they can!”
John Arango, Director of Earned Media
“THG uses an online tool to manage projects, which is an efficient and organized way to keep track of your work and delegate tasks to others. However, sometimes projects can stack up faster than you can complete them. Whenever this happens, I simply ask a colleague if I can push back a deadline, and unless it’s urgent, the request is granted. It’s a great blend of technology and human interaction.
Sometimes, I do my best writing and critical thinking in the evening. I’m not the epitome of a morning person. If I’m struggling during the day with a particular task, it’s comforting to know I can set it aside and revisit it later. When my brain is firing on all cylinders, this undoubtedly results in better work for clients.
I would be remiss to leave out the fact that I’m writing about THG’s flexibility from Costa Rica, where I’m working remotely for the month. Pura Vida!”