You would be hard-pressed to find someone who would disagree that your environment, and the people you spend your time with, affect your general disposition to life. On average we dedicate 40 hours a week to work ; sometimes more. PR is not an easy industry, and it’ll never be the right fit for anyone that’s satisfied with a 9 – 5, clock off and check out kind of job. We’re always on, with an eye on the news even when we’re off the proverbial clock.
Many weeks, we spend more active time with our colleagues and teammates than we do with our loved ones. And it really matters who you’re spending most of your waking hours around. If we’re all the average of the five people we spend the most time with , wouldn’t you want them to be good ones? I certainly do.
I’ve worn multiple hats across my career, as an agency executive, an in-house consultant, as well as an independent practitioner, all of which have had very different environments and practices. Company culture plays a significant role in how much you enjoy your gig, or don’t. If I were to boil it down to a couple of things, here are what we’d find at the bottom of the pot.
A Basketful of Good Eggs
Work culture ultimately stems from who your teammates are as people. Archetype’s leadership team has carefully created a warm, people-first environment built on our pillars of Ambition, Curiosity, and Kindness. It guides how we relate to each other, to our clients, to the media, and other parties that make up this whole ecosystem. Here, doors are open, and we have worked hard to foster a collaborative atmosphere where everyone works and breaks bread side-by-side, regardless of levels or designations.
Our work often involves creating and enriching communities, and I think we’ve successfully developed one of our own right here, where we have space to grow, personally and professionally, and climb as high as we’d like, knowing there are some great people cheering us on.
It has to be a Good Fit
As much as I dislike it, the old cliché of a workplace being like home, and colleagues being like family, rings true, to a certain extent. If we’re talking about the model family, that is. The one where you can be yourself, where you’re accepted with open arms, and you’re supported in what you do.
No matter how long you’ve been with the company or what level you’re at currently, you feel valued here for your whole self. This parallel with the family unit is also why less-than-stellar work environments have been as uncomfortable as they have been unsustainable.
Joining Archetype after more than a year as a freelancer, it was a little bit of an adjustment to realise I had a team, a bunch of people I like, respect, and can work with, who have had my back through the ups and downs of the past 18 months. It’s a wonderful feeling when you find that soft landing space, one where you don’t dread going in the next day.
And Cue, Pandemic
I’d only be telling half the story if I didn’t mention the pandemic. Half of my career at Archetype has been pre-pandemic, and a half has been during it; I celebrated my first work anniversary a few months into the pandemic. Going into the movement control order of March 2020, we didn’t know we were seeing each other, in the flesh, for the last time in a really long while. Just a few months prior, we’d had a company offsite in Penang, celebrated Christmas with Thai food, gathered for a Chinese New Year dinner, and welcomed a lion dance troupe to our new office for oranges and blessings.
We were only in the office and meeting in person for a few weeks before the lockdown hit again, in January this year. But we’ve found that the glue that holds us together really pulled its weight for the better part of the past 11 months, as we stayed connected, mostly over text and video call. In the three quarters since the coronavirus was categorised a pandemic, we’ve celebrated birthdays and promotions (with cake sent via courier!), pitched new business ideas, hosted media briefings, and had business updates over Zoom. No one would deny that the adjustment was challenging at times, but we realised how lucky we have been, especially compared to others in our industry and our communities.
We’re a global strategic communications consultancy, and no matter how far and wide we grow, our strength lies in our people. And we all realised, this year more than ever, that we’re part of a network that tried it’s best, and succeeded, in keeping the ship afloat.