Lessons from a ‘work from wherever’ agency

At Chromatic, we’ve been successfully utilising a ‘fully distributed business model’ (as the Economist calls it) since we started in 2014. We adopted the approach because we wanted to. And we have learned, sometimes the hard way, how to make ‘work anywhere’ work for us. Now that all agencies are obliged to operate virtually, we hope that our learnings can be helpful.

Background.

In 2006 I helped to found an agency that quickly grew to around 40 people within two years.  It was an amazing experience; but looking after that many people, paying salaries, and covering the cost of a big office was enormously stressful.  Having a beautiful two-floor office in a Victorian pump house just off Leman Street was lovely, but when the financial crash happened we discovered that we’d created a monster we couldn’t afford to feed. 

So after selling the agency in 2012, I decided to do it differently and to focus on building an eco-system, not an empire. Chromatic was always intended to remain as a business built around a core team that work together virtually most of the time, augmenting the core with trusted specialists when it helps. 

Technology makes the approach possible. Clients have no problem engaging with us. The key challenges are maintaining esprit de corps and retaining a sense of professional identity as a business and as individuals.

Running a remote business.

On Talent

There is a huge amount of talent in the world and many talented people prefer a high degree of autonomy. Our model enables us to work with the best people, wherever they are. This isn’t faceless offshoring, it’s about genuine creative partnerships. Most of our team met in London, but are currently working all over the UK, The US, France and Portugal. 

On Capabilities

Our core group of people cover the fundamental skills sets we deploy for engagements such as client relationship management, brand and campaign strategy, creativity and design.  We augment these capabilities by calling on around a dozen other people with different skills and responsibilities who’ve been working together with us for years. 

On Culture

Our team is largely ‘virtual’, but we do create opportunities to meet up as a team regularly. We meet online or in our shared London office at the start of the week. After that we can call, conference, Slack, share files and work in parallel. Additionally, we’ve started to have days out together and will be booking a very long team lunch as soon as we’re allowed out.

But there is no denying that some people find WFH lonely. It’s not for everyone, which is why we try to hold meetings in person on at least one day a week. And one of the things I’ve noticed during the lock down is that the solitude is effecting the morale of some of our team. So it’s up to myself and everyone to spend more time together, often on FaceTime, to provide the social contact that might not be available to those living away from family and friends.

On Trust

An unacknowledged truth is many agencies insist on their teams being present in the office for five days a week because of a lack of trust: managers simply don’t believe their people will deliver without being watched over. But as a recent Economist article notes, ‘remote workers do not slack off’. What everyone needs in order to make the model work are adult-to-adult relationships based on integrity and mutual professionalism. The role of the team or project leader is to communicate well and be very clear about briefs, timetables and responsibilities. You don’t need to be a mother hen.

On decision making

Shutting down ideas that aren't working is the one of the most important parts of the job. Not being in the same room makes it even more important to take time to give full and frank feedback. I don’t think it is possible to use WhatsApp for crits.

On Tech

This is now the easy bit. When we started Google Docs and DropBox were launched, but now they’re easier to use and more robust than ever. MS Teams, Zoom, Slack, accounting and billing services and project management software are all now available and easy to set up. Additionally, storage is a commodity, so the terabytes of memory that used to chew up disc space and fill up server rooms now cost pennies and live in clouds.

However, we have learnt that is is better to master one remote working technology than to try to keep every system in play. Make a decision and stick with it.

On Clients

The CEO of an agency I worked with in Washington DC told me that over a period of 20 years, not one client had ever visited their offices in the swankiest (most expensive) part of town. They won business because of their work not their environment.

But that doesn’t mean you don’t need a place to meet. Although we’re distributed, it still helps to have a presence somewhere. Shared spaces through WeWork, Fora, Spaces, Regus and others are easy to organise, economical and enjoyable. What’s important is that you’re open with your clients. If the idea of an agency without a permanently manned address makes your client nervous, maybe they’re not for you.

The day to day

On Getting dressed!

In his now famous address William McRaven, a US Navy Admiral, exhorts his audience to make their beds, because no matter how badly the day goes from there, at least they will have achieved something that gives them a small sense of pride. My advice would be to get dressed. It’s a small step but a significant personal psychological signal - I’m at work now, I’ve got stuff to do. So no sliders and no trackies!

On Structure

Have a normal structure to your day. It doesn’t have to be 9 - 5, but keeping broadly ‘normal’ hours helps to divide the space between work and rest and ensures you are available at the same time as everyone else. Try not to email people in the same time zone after hours, it creates a climate of ‘always on’ which erodes creativity.

On Getting out

You won’t be commuting, but fresh air and exercise is still important. So however busy you are, make time to leave the house, clear your head and produce those endorphins everyone tells us about.

On Extra Time

For most people, not having to commute will save two+ hours per day. So use the time wisely. Be more productive, but also remember to go for that run, paint that picture, cook dinner and spend time with your family, loved-ones or housemates.

On Setting Boundaries

If possible, have a designated space for work that you can ‘leave’ in order to leave work. And if you’re on the kitchen table or in your bedroom, make sure you pack work away, so that you’re not tempted to keep going back to it every time you’re free.  I'm lucky to have a big office at the end of my garden. Correction. My family are lucky that I have a big office at the end of my garden.

Covid has changed many things for the short term in terrible and heartbreaking ways. We will all come out of this experience different people. But in every crisis, there is also an opportunity and many people will start to rethink the way their businesses operate and to remodel their futures.