How the Creative Agency of the Future Might Look

We'll likely see more tech, flexibility and creativity

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The workplace and the workforce are changing rapidly among creative agencies, and competition is increasing as China launches its “Made in China 2025.” Here’s how your workplace and organization will look in 2025 when it comes to optimal efficiency and competitiveness.

In my opinion, creative agencies have for too long lacked a fast-changing perspective on how to optimize everything from tools to using AI and frequent feedback at work. “Made in China 2025” is aiming for a leadership position in key technologies and infrastructure, from robotics to AI and biotech. The strategic plan was issued in May 2015 by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and includes increasing the domestic content of core materials to 70 percent by 2025. When China’s focus is on becoming a high-tech powerhouse that dominates global technology, how will your creative agency compete in that global environment?

Creative agencies need to take a deep look into how the most creative and innovative software companies in the world have changed the way they organize the workplace and work itself. From there, agencies can start to plan how the workplace will look in seven years’ time.

For those of you who don’t have the time and the energy to study the software companies that are ruling the world, here is a guide for what you need to consider for your 2025 workplace vision and strategy.

Creative agencies need to take a deep look into how the most creative and innovative software companies in the world have changed the way they organize the workplace and work itself.

Tools, devices and surroundings

We have been swept under the flood of email for more than 20 years now, but things are starting to change. Work processes are based in online team efforts, and the communication is therefore becoming asynchronous. Email is a synchronous tool. I believe that email will (hopefully) be dead by 2025. Everyone will instead choose their own tools and devices, all selected to support empowered and efficient teams in appropriate ways.

Work surroundings will be individualized and dependent of the tasks at hand. Noisy or dead quiet, it all depends on the preferences of the team members and what each person is doing at that moment.

Flexibility and location 

It’s been talked about for a while now: digital nomads carrying around their mobile office. Real change takes time, and I think that the vision of the digital nomad will be true by 2025. Whether you are working from home or the office, a co-working space or cafe anywhere in the world, where you are physically is not important anymore. When empowered members of teams, not the boss, are the ones putting pressure on deliveries and deadlines, work hours are not important anymore. The great deliverables and met deadlines are what matter most.

Boring versus creative work

Software will eliminate boring routine work that poisons creative work at any kind of agency. AI should, by 2025, take care of time reporting and background research. This will give you more time and energy to focus on creative stuff, and time slots can be scheduled for creative and “non-productive” hours to keep minds and bodies in top shape for really creative and fun workdays.

Visibility and feedback

Who wants to work at a non-inclusive agency where decisions and strategies are kept secret? Full visibility of what is happening at the workplace will be a basic feature for any successful agency by 2025. This means transparency in real time, no matter where team members are working. Frequent feedback and recognition will be core.

This is what your agency must master to be ahead of the curve in recruiting and getting the most out of your top talents in order to satisfy your clients. Remember that this change is not about making talents work longer and harder. The shift toward empowered teams will make your workplace a much more fun and creative place to work.

What is your plan to achieve this by 2025?