January 25, 2023
Study Finds Only 2% Of Marketing Execs Want 'Full Return' To Office
- by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, June 7, 2021
Only 2% of marketers would like to see a "full return" to the office following the COVID-19 pandemic's work-from-home protocols, according to a survey being released later this month by We Are Rosie, a community of marketing executives.
While full details of the study won't be released until June 23, a sneak peak released to the press indicates 100% of those surveyed would at least like to have the option of working from home in the future.
More than two-thirds (68%) said they felt they were "doing their best work" while working from home during the pandemic.
The survey was based on responses to 423 anonymous marketing executives by Rosie Report, which claims 7,000 independent marketing executives among members of its community.
“COVID expedited a great awakening to the incredible potential and viability of remote and flexible work,” Rosie Founder and CEO Stephanie Nadi Olson said in a statement, adding, “More than just a means of adaptation or a way for employers to reduce overhead, deploying hybrid models is good for workers: it promotes diversity, and fosters growth and creativity."
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Recently, the Association of National Advertisers released findings of its second executive travel survey following the COVID-19 pandemic and found that 87% of respondents have been vaccinated, but a significant percentage still have no plans to travel for business or personal use.
2 comments about "Study Finds Only 2% Of Marketing Execs Want 'Full Return' To Office".
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"More than two-thirds (68%) said they felt they were "doing their best work" while working from home during the pandemic."
It would be interesting to find out if their peers/supervisors/customers felt like "they were doing their best work."
Being in such a creative industry, everyone I have spoken to agrees that nothing can replace in-person meetings where we can riff and read body language or have spur of the moment conversations at lunch or around the water cooler. While most would agree that figuring out more flexibile schedules can be a benefit, I have yet to meet anyone who thinks zooming it in is just as good as sitting in the same room as your colleagues.
I think that it all depends on the kind of work involved. If the worker basically functions in almost total isolation ---like some researchers I know----and there is no benefit by exchanging information or ideas, then maybe working more from home is OK. But if this is not the case---as in brand managing, media sales, media planning, etc. I think that Dan has a point. Too many people seem to be looking for yet another "sea change" or "tipping point" in the way we conduct business. Small, evolutionary adjustments---sure---but complete reversals---I'm not convinced that's a good idea.