Anglin PR instituted a long-term, part-time work from home policy and embraces openness to ongoing remote work. Going remote during the COVID-19 pandemic was a lesson the whole world learned together, and now Anglin PR is working to apply that lesson to our office culture and policy into the future.
In the early summer of 2021, Anglin PR transitioned back into the office on a part-time basis, after a year of almost exclusively working from home. Leadership in the firm was proactive in asking for feedback, then making a clear yet flexible policy. We have taken a handful of initiatives in the office to watch out for one another’s health including a clear visitor mask policy, vaccination requirement and open dialogue for any of us with concerns.
We also strategize about using our time in the office for brainstorming, project meetings, casual check-ins, relationship building and other aspects of our work that are best done in person. The broader discussion of remote work and its impact on the American workforce is ongoing and different industries have been impacted in varying ways. As a public relations firm we seem to fall squarely in the center of this remote work balancing act because while many of our services are digital, we rely very much on relationship building (an endeavor that’s not easy through a Zoom screen) and in-person events. The past year and a half was like a giant experiment we all had to be part of, but many takeaways are now clear: the flexibility we enjoyed was a great benefit to our lives and health but it took a strong team dynamic to pull it off well. It was through a lot of communication and planning that we have found our balance at Anglin PR.
Many of our staff have noticed similar changes to our daily lives. Making time for appointments, family events and so on is simpler now. We may find ourselves working earlier or later in the day to accommodate our lives. Of course, the drawbacks of missing out on time with valued colleagues remains. But given the huge changes our world has gone through recently, we are glad to have a proactive group of colleagues who put in the effort to maintain good relationships with each other.
Working through one of the biggest upheavals the workforce has ever seen has been an interesting experience, to say the least. Creative solutions and adaptation are key, and I’m glad to be part of an ever-evolving team that is open to change.