How remote working has connected us to new creative possibilities
With this week's announcement from Publicis of a mandatory three-day, in-office policy, Seb Hill, Creative Director at BBD Perfect Storm, argues that the old ways of working are now archaic and that Zoom and its cohorts have a big part to play in the future of creativity.
)
This week, Publicis announced a new three-day office policy starting from January after CEO Arthur Sadoun claimed remote working is causing “siloed work, less collaboration, sometimes stunted creativity”.
This follows Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, recently critiquing his own video conferencing platform for the way it limits creativity and prevents “great conversation”, in a bid to encourage his employees to return to the office.
Remote working has opened up new creative possibilities that were unimaginable prior to the pandemic.
Not only did I find this surprising for the obvious irony but, as a creative director, I have witnessed some of our most inspiring and engaging discussions occur on this very platform. Of course, video conferencing tools present their challenges, but remote working has opened up new creative possibilities that were simply unimaginable prior to the pandemic, supercharging the inevitable and essential digital transformation of collaborative working.
Above: Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, and Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis, have both been critical of the rise of working from home, with Sadoun announcing a change in the agency's policy from January of 2024.
An archaic model
I’m an advocate for human interaction in the creative process; nothing beats an in-person brainstorming session and bouncing ideas off teammates around a whiteboard and over coffee. But, the reality is, we don’t need to do this everyday, for every single meeting. It's an unrealistic expectation, and impedes on the personal life and wellbeing of employees, some of whom spend several hours a day commuting.
The five-day office working model is now archaic and outdated.
The five-day office working model is now archaic and outdated. Offices were planned and built at a time when transport, not technology connected us. The infrastructure, housing and transport systems can’t cope, which leads to miserable commuting - not the best way to start your creative day!
At BBD Perfect Storm, we ensure to have an in-person session at least twice a week. We’re flexible but focused. Workshops and chemistry meetings, where back and forth buzz is important, are better in person.
+ membership
Access the world's largest advertising database. With an intuitive toolset that helps you explore, present and collaborate more effectively.
Learn More
Above: In-person meetings are still important but "the reality is, we don’t need to do this everyday, for every single meeting", says Hill.
A supplement, not a substitute
Video conferencing tools are not perfect. By nature, a platform simulating a real-life environment is going to present its challenges. When Zoom became widely used during lockdown, we faced many teething problems; forgetting to unmute, learning how to screenshare, and 'Zoom fatigue' after a day of back-to-back calls, which undoubtedly impacted the flow of ideas.
We no longer use [video conferencing] instead of real life collaboration, but when it is necessary.
But these platforms have now become second nature to us and, the difference is, we now have a choice in the matter. We no longer use them instead of real life collaboration, but when it is necessary. This level of choice should impact how creatives utilise video conferencing tools, and they should be seen as a supplement in-between office meetings to ensure we maximise collaboration throughout the week.
Increasing confidence
And it’s not just about convenience. I have witnessed many young creatives build confidence and develop their skills through virtual collaborative sessions, despite narratives around a crisis of creative education.
Digital platforms can serve as a simulation of an in-person pitching environment, enabling junior creatives to become familiar with this process from the comfort of their own home, which then equips them with the knowledge and confidence for the in-person event. In my experience, virtual team meetings also enhance the ‘stream of consciousness’ of ideas, allowing creatives to talk more openly and freely from behind a screen.
Above: Digital conferencing platforms are not better or worse, just different, and allow for new ways of working and flexibility.
The dawn of the digital world created a generation of creatives who align their creative thinking with digital mediums. In the case of virtual working, this is also true. There is now a generation of creatives through which technologically-supported remote working will be their ONLY experience of the working world, and their experience of creation will evolve around this. It’s not to say it’s better or worse than our previous ways of working, it’s just different.
More connected, more creative
As part of this difference, it actually supercharges a wider network of creative collaboration and makes global interactions possible, across different markets and clients. This level of widespread participation was impossible prior to platforms like Zoom; they have opened up access to a larger pool of ideas with more diversity in thought from a wider range of creative backgrounds. For example, 70% of our clients are outside the UK, so being able to collaborate with ease (and without a flight) is invaluable, and cheaper.
Creativity is all about flow, so let’s start going with the current, instead of fighting it.
So, whilst the old guard may have their opinions on the way in which creative work has changed, I stand with a new order of creatives who see platforms like Zoom as only making the day-to-day lives of creatives easier, elevating the possibilities of creative thinking and enabling an easier flow of ideas.
For the most part, flexibility will only increase creativity and, with the luxury of choice, we can now take a pick and mix approach to remote/office working. Creativity is all about flow, so let’s start going with the current, instead of fighting it.
