Alternative Work Arrangements: The New Norm?

Majority of Companies Offer Workplace Flexibility Programs

TORONTO, April 18, 2017 /CNW/ - Is your office becoming a ghost town? Many work environments may be less crowded, new research from staffing firm The Creative Group suggests. More than three-quarters (76 per cent) of advertising and marketing executives surveyed said their company offers some form of alternative work arrangement. The most common is part-time hours, provided by roughly six in 10 employers (61 per cent). Flextime and telecommuting are available to another 33 per cent and 30 per cent of professionals, respectively.

The research shows that employees who work remotely do so an average of three days a week. But advertising and marketing executives who are able to telecommute typically spend only one day a week off-site.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "Which of the following work arrangements does your agency/firm currently offer?" Their responses*:

Part-time work	61%
Flextime	33%
Telecommuting	30%
Compressed workweek	14%
Job-sharing	12%
None of these	24%

*Multiple responses were permitted.

"As a result of new business demands and technological advances, more professionals, especially in the creative industry, are operating beyond the confines of the traditional workday and office," said Deborah Bottineau, senior regional manager of The Creative Group. "In order for flexible work arrangements to be effective, organizations must ensure staff are equipped with the necessary tools and processes to keep projects on track and teams aligned and engaged."

Bottineau added, "When managing remote workers, leaders must emphasize open communication and collaboration among all employees, no matter where they're located, to keep ideas flowing and productivity high."

Additional research findings:

• Executives ranked part-time hours, flextime and telecommuting as the most important alternative work arrangements for recruiting and retaining creative professionals. But what do employees want? When asked which option they find most appealing, the top response was flextime (37 per cent), followed by telecommuting and a compressed workweek (tied at 26 per cent).
• Advertising executives at large agencies (100+ employees) are more likely to work remotely than those at smaller agencies and their corporate marketing counterparts.
• Younger professionals (age 18-34) are more likely to be employed at companies that offer alternative work arrangements than those of other generations.

View an infographic of the survey findings and visit The Creative Group Blog for:

• Tips on staying connected with colleagues when working remotely
• Strategies on managing a dispersed team

About the Research
The surveys were developed by The Creative Group and conducted by independent research firms. They include responses from 400 advertising and marketing executives, and 1,000 workers 18 years or older and employed in office environments.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in connecting interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations talent with the best companies on a project, contract-to-hire and full-time basis. For more information, including job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's blog, visit roberthalf.ca/creativegroup. Follow us at roberthalf.ca/blog and @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter for additional workplace news and hiring trends.

Contact: Naz Araghian
416.865.2140
[email protected]

SOURCE The Creative Group