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Now that we’re nearing two years since the onset of Covid-19, and all of the challenges and changed realities that have come with it, it’s time we get real … about those realities.
Like others, we’ve tried new things to keep our team connected, improve work-life balance, support mental health, help caregivers, build community and reduce burnout. By this point, I’m sure you’ve heard them all before—hybrid work, flex time, async, calendar blocking, virtual water coolers, etc.
Those things have certainly helped, but something critical is still missing: real time to recharge. How often have you heard a colleague say, “I’m taking Friday off but will be around if you need anything”?
Doesn’t really mean they’re taking off, does it? When work is always on, it also means it’s always there. In our pockets, on our screens, in our subconscious. For social creatures, it’s not easy to leave the pack when decisions are being made and work is being done.
So, what’s the solution? For us, it was the idea that time away is more powerful when we all take it together. Not the most radical realization, but that came in our execution.
From Dec. 10 to Jan. 10, our entire 100-person agency was officially off the clock for what we called Ctrl-Alt-Retreat. No emails, no meetings, just four weeks of uninterrupted personal time. When we returned, we dove right back in with our clients feeling refreshed and with a sense of renewed excitement and creative energy.
What might feel impossible can be done. Your team deserves it. It’s all about how you manage it. Here’s how to do it.
Communicate internally and externally
Start early—three months early, if possible. Broach the conversation with key clients, specifically the ones you and your team interact with on a daily basis, in 1-on-1 conversations. Flag that this is something your agency is pursuing and explain why (i.e. protecting the wellbeing of your team).
We’re all human. Your best clients will relate and perhaps even be a bit envious. Be honest regarding the work that needs to be done and how you plan to schedule around it, ensuring you’re clued into whatever activity they’re planning on their end as well. Follow up with details over email to ensure everything is understood as discussed.
Manage the initial anxiety
Timing is everything. Are you considering giving your team extra time off over the holidays? A week off each quarter? Or the month of August when things tend to slow down? What is the impact of that timing?
A bit of pushback might happen initially, but address client concerns and reassure them with the timeline you’ve thought through for delivery and work-aheads. Trust that their fears will be calmed once they process the news and you’ll be able to move forward as planned.
Plan well and work ahead
Work directly with each client to figure out what needs to be done and when. Detailed schedules with forecasts will be extremely useful and will help you determine what can shift and what can’t. Working ahead and front-loading will ensure that processes still move forward even when you’re out.
Set a contingency plan
Things happen. Which is why you’ll need a “go team” of key people who can take action in the event of a client emergency.
Draw from your leadership and create an alias to ensure clients can reach the core group swiftly. If possible, chat with a few freelancers you’ve worked with previously to see if they’re available to pick up the baton while you’re out. Either way, communicate with each client to ensure that they know that they can—and should—contact your “go team” via the alias if something comes up while you’re out and they need your support.
Prepare for the impact (or lack thereof)
We’re talking about a relatively brief break, while the relationship between you and your client is an ongoing thing, so if you’ve communicated properly, your clients won’t feel any impact.
Clients who have enjoyed working with you, and who experience firsthand that the time away didn’t impact them negatively, will continue their relationship and suggest additional projects. Those that know and feel the impact of your work won’t be phased in the long term, even if they displayed some hesitancy initially.
As far as the impact to yourself and your teams, that’s more subjective. It will mean different things and feel different for each person. Distance and space away from work has the ability to reinvigorate and refresh. Perhaps it simply creates a bit of breathing room to rest and remember that we’re more than just our work identities. It can make us more reflective, more thoughtful, more able to see the big picture or even more eager to reconnect. Trust that it served its purpose and will continue to serve its purpose.
Embrace the aftermath
You know that contingency plan you built? It’s sort of like carrying an umbrella to ward off the rain. The tasks that actually come through will more than likely be minimal—copy updates here, design tweaks there. The core team will be on hand to field as necessary.
Prepare to be envied. Because that’s exactly what will happen as clients ping you after the fact to let you know they’re jealous or ask about the experience.
Lastly, take pride in the fact that you’ve done something bold for the benefit of your team. You didn’t conform to what’s expected or let the hustle culture of this industry dictate what your agency is capable of or how you’re able to operate. You forged a new path, and that in and of itself is what creatives do best.
