IPG is in no rush to get back to the office after the pandemic.
“It has become increasingly clear that it is more complex to reopen our offices than it was to close them,” says Michael Roth, the global CEO.
Roth, like many leaders in the industry. is now faced with the issue of bringing his staff back from isolation.
In a memo to staff, Roth reflected about what coming back to the office would look like. He, like many others, misses the camaraderie of working in a shared space but he says any move back will only happen when it is certain staff can be protected.
“I want to be clear: IPG and our people do not need to and will not rush back to our offices,” he wrote.
“We have proven without a doubt that we can accomplish the fundamentals of our work responsibilities and service our clients with 95% of us working from home.
“Which means we can learn from watching how other industries such as retail, manufacturing and hospitality return physically to the workplace ahead of us.”
Roth acknowledged the uncertainty and anxiety accompanying thoughts of a return.
“IPG’s COVID-19 steering committee continues to research and plan what a return to working in the office might look like,” he says.
“While the timing of such a return will be guided by local government and health officials, I can assure you that it will, first and foremost, be driven with the health and safety of our people absolutely top of mind.”
IPG, like other global advertising holding groups, has been closely watching China and Asia as people return to offices.
One option is to stagger the return, with critical functions moving back first.
“One aspect is certain from the successful reopening of some of our Asian operations: we need to focus on reducing the number of employees in the workplace at any one time, as sufficient space for social distancing will be needed,” he says.
“We have tasked our leaders with beginning to think about what types of employees are critical for an in-office environment, how we can stagger teams, and who can just as effectively work remotely.”
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