As Americans Return to The Office, Approach is Staying Remote-First. Here’s Why.
Friends, the Great Return is well underway as companies are calling people back to the office. The Washington Post reported that, as of mid-April, 43 percent of employees had returned to workplaces across 10 of the country’s top business centers.
The reality is that, 2+ years after the world was thrust into remote work, many are heading back to the office in some capacity — and relearning everything from how to dress professionally [no more yoga pants], to how to commute and how to network again.
Sure, it will be an adjustment. But the majority of professionals don’t want their work-from-home experience to end. In a Pew Research Center survey from earlier this year, among those who have an office outside their homes, 61% of respondents are choosing to continue working from home.
This comes as no surprise to me: I have always believed that flexibility is the most important thing a company can offer. What do people really want? The ability to run their lives and make decisions that are right for their situation.
Through the years, I’ve seen firsthand that team members who have autonomy in their jobs are happier. They’re more invested in their clients. The quality of their work is significantly better. They feel valued. They want to be here — and choose to stay.
In 2010, I founded Approach as a 100% remote agency because I wholeheartedly believe it’s possible to have a big job and a big life. Here, we say you can do both. Our core purpose, that you don’t have to give it all up to have it all, has guided our decisions over the past 12 years.
Because we believe you should be able to pick up your kids from school every day, if you choose.
Because you should be able to pursue personal interests. Maybe that’s travel or maybe that’s flipping houses or maybe that’s teaching college courses in PR.
Because you should be able to choose your workload and schedule based on what’s happening in your life. At Approach, as long as you deliver for your clients, you can choose part-time or full-time. Set your own schedule. And scale up or down when you need to.
Because you should be able to take on the projects and clients you’re really passionate about, and turn something down if it’s not the right fit.
Because everyone, even those who work reduced hours, should have an opportunity to grow into a leadership role.
Our team does all of this — and more. Approach can be exactly what people need at that moment, and we can evolve with team members as their lives inevitably change over time. This, I know, is one of the primary reasons our culture is stronger than ever and we’ve grown into one of the largest PR agencies in the city.
Approach’s remarkable growth proves the traditional PR agency model isn’t the only way. In fact, it is possible to build a thriving business using this model.
Together, this team is rewriting the rules. By empowering people to have control over their professional and personal lives, we’re building something that’s different and better. Mark my words: Flexibility, and the ability to choose when, where, and how we work, will always be a cornerstone of this company.
So, while others find themselves retooling office spaces and serving up workplace policies, it’s business as usual at Approach. We’ve always been remote-first, we’ll continue to be remote-first, and we’ll continue to provide the ultimate in flexibility so that our team can work and live on their own terms.
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