getty
At Havas Group, work that fuels innovation and creativity is reshaping the office itself and recalibrating the rhythms of the workplace.
I recently asked Havas New York CEO Laura Maness about what she’s been doing to steer this process forward.
Paul Talbot: When you look at the role your current office environment plays in cultivating the creative process, what benefits do you see in terms of collaboration and socialization?
Laura Maness: There is tremendous value in people working in close proximity and collaborating in person. There’s a different kind of energy and connection you experience with face-to-face interaction and engagement that you just can’t replicate with Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
That said, it’s clear that the workplace has forever changed. We’ve made a concerted effort to listen and learn about what makes a great office experience and environment for our people. From that input, we have taken a step back to reevaluate the role the office serves now and in the future. The best definition we’ve come up with is this: The office is a place for teams to get together - when it’s safe to do so - to intentionally inspire, collaborate and socialize. ‘Intentional’ is the key driver.
We’ve adjusted to working remotely and embraced the flexibility that offers. But in this industry, no algorithm or software can replace the value of human interaction and collaboration. The office should serve its purpose to bring people together, provide inspiration and foster creativity. Beyond safety and comfort, the office needs to enable people to outperform.
While the office itself will continue to play a vital role in our creativity, how we utilize the space is an open invitation to collectively unleash our creativity and co-create a blended work experience that embraces long-term flexibility.
Talbot: To what extent can these benefits be measured?
Maness: Setting an intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. And being more intentional with everyone’s time is a great way to begin to measure the benefits of ‘the office of the future.’
There’s an inherent efficiency in focusing the limited, fixed time that people are intentionally together in the office to maximize outcomes. The ability to have free flowing, casual conversations in person, which can be difficult to cultivate via Zoom, also enables teams to put their heads together in real time and accomplish a range of tasks or goals non-linearly.
Talbot: Have you assembled creative teams where some members are in the office and some aren’t? If so, what have you observed from this hybrid approach?
Maness: Working predominantly remotely for the last seven months has created a new kind of flexibility that we have all adapted to. Some of our employees have been craving a psychologically safe space to work and were anxious to get back into the office, while others prefer to make a more gradual return. We have left the decision to each individual.
As a people business in a creative industry, we will never be an entirely remote business, and we will never be an entirely physical business.
Talbot: How has the development and the execution of the creative brief been impacted by Covid-19?
Maness: We find that the role of ‘trusted partner’ is consistently the new brief and has replaced the traditional creative brief.
Operating with agility at scale is alleviating some of the forecasting pressure and eliminating the need to deliver rigid executional briefs that are no longer fit-for-purpose. Planning has shifted to always-on, and we are co-creating, optimizing and adjusting on the fly. It has reaffirmed the value of partnership and empathy, and there seems to be a renewed enthusiasm for the power of creativity to solve complex business problems.
Talbot: To what extent are members of your creative teams provided with input on setting strategy?
Maness: We reconfigure our teams as our clients’ needs change, bringing in new talent across multiple disciplines as work evolves. This means more and better ideas and working leaner and faster than any other integrated agency, which is what brands need most today.
Talbot: Any other observations you’d like to share?
Maness: With the role of brands drastically changing, based on significant shifts in consumer behaviors that show no signs of shifting back, brands must take a hard look at what they stand for and how they can help people create more meaningful lives.
The opportunity is to adapt to the new ways we live. Brands that make an impact and gain trust will build goodwill and gain new relevance.
