April: The Trends That Stuck, the Trends That Flunked
1. Culture has become a huge initiative for many companies – especially those in the media and advertising industry. With the pandemic coming to an end, many are feeling stripped of their “work-life balance” that they felt they were given due to RTO. How is your agency or company managing culture/work life balance in 2024?
Innovare Medical Media values a work hard/play hard mindset, and loves to see our team succeeding while having great fun, both working and playing…even when it is hard. In recent years, the traditional nine-to-five office model has undergone a remarkable transformation. The rise of remote work has revolutionized how we perceive productivity, collaboration, and work-life balance. In 2024, many companies and agencies are prioritizing the well-being of their employees as they transition back to more traditional work settings following the pandemic. Flexibility, Scheduling, Communication, and Time Off are all part of the equation of how Innovare Medical Media is managing culture and work-life balance for its team of Innovarians.
- Flexibility: Innovarians have a hybrid schedule that allows them to work remotely part of the time and be in the office part of the time. This flexibility enables our team to better balance their work and personal lives while being productive and contributing to both.
- Scheduling: Innovare has seen some benefits as we continued the work from home hybrid model as it allows our team to have more control over their schedules and less commuting stress.
- Communication: Transparent communication from leadership regarding expectations for work hours, availability, deadlines, and performance helps the team manage their time effectively and reduces stress. Providing clear guidelines on when the team is expected to be available and when they can disconnect helps establish boundaries and maintain work-life balance.
- Time Off: Our team is encouraged to their paid take time off in order to recharge, spark creativity, and prevent burnout. In addition to PTO, Innovare offers the team a number of four-day extended holiday weekends throughout the year.
However, while remote work offers unparalleled flexibility, it’s essential not to overlook the importance of being in-office to foster culture and strengthen the idea sharing. Being at Innovare HQ, there are numerous opportunities for the team to engage where you see new opportunities for spontaneous interactions, as well as camaraderie, collaboration, and celebration. The backbone of our team is formed by the VITALS in which they live by. Similar to company values, the Innovare team operates on a core set of VITALS that become more evident with face-to-face interactions which facilitate solid relationships and cultivate a strong sense of belonging within our team. In addition, Innovare schedules frequent team building events in the office as well as offsite to celebrate coming together as a team as well as their hard work and success.
As Innovare continues to grow, we will navigate the evolving landscape of work, embracing flexibility while nurturing in-office culture. With the right balance in a hybrid model, we believe Innovare is able to maximize our team’s performance in what will continue to be an ever-changing, dynamic world.
About Innovare: Innovare Medical Media is partnered with close to 300 Hospitals and healthcare venues nationwide in over 30 states to deliver a community showcase advertising program on hospital campuses. This program, delivered at no cost, provides hospitals with a marketing opportunity, a mobile phone charging patience service, and a new unrestricted revenue stream. To sponsor the program, local, regional, and national businesses participate to advertise their products and services to the valuable demographics of healthcare professionals, visitors and patients. Learn more at www.innovaremedia.com.
About the author you can find Mike outside of work on a field or court coaching and playing with one of his three kids, hanging out with his wonderful wife, or teeing it up on the golf course.