Say Hello To Hybrid

EPIC Creative has always been at the forefront of technology, but it wasn’t until March 2020, when the pandemic forced us to work from home, that we really saw how much our team thrived in a hybrid environment. After working remotely for nearly two years, I am proud to say that our entire team has embraced this new way of life, and we are committed to making sure everyone is comfortable with where they’re working. As you’ll see below, there are many benefits—both personal and professional—that come along with a hybrid work environment.

Benefit 1: Less Windshield Time

West Bend is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. That said, a lot of EPIC’s employees commute everyday from places like Wauwatosa, Brookfield, or Bayview. We’ve found that our team members are happier and more productive when they don’t have to travel 30-45 minutes each way every day—especially if it’s not necessary! Now that we’ve switched to a hybrid working environment, those who like to commute can continue to, those who prefer not to drive don’t have to, and those who can’t make up their mind are free to come in some days and stay home on others.

In our hybrid working environment, those who like to commute can continue to, those who prefer not to drive don’t have to, and those who can’t make up their mind are free to come in some days and stay home on others.

Now, of course, there are certain client and in-person meetings that require us to get together. However, instead of being limited by time or place, we can now have meetings whenever and wherever they are most convenient for everyone involved.

Benefit 2: More Deep Work

There has been a lot of talk recently about the power of “deep work”—that is, the ability to block off time to work free from the distractions of our phones, the internet, chatty Chief Strategy Officers, etc.

For some of us—especially social cats like me—an office packed full of people usually leads to me interacting with people more during normal work hours and having to do my actual work in the early morning or on the couch late at night.

EPIC always allowed employees to work from home when they need to focus, but our switch to a hybrid work-from-home model allows our team to truly focus when they need to get things done, without the distractions of the office.

While EPIC has always allowed employees to work from home when they need to focus on a project, our switch to a hybrid work-from-home model allows our team to block off time and truly focus on projects when they need to get things done, without the distractions of the office.

Benefit 3: Freedom!

We’re human. There are always times when we need to run our pet to the vet, take the kids to school, or pick up milk from the store.

Having a hybrid work-from-home model allows our employees to schedule their days however they need in order to accommodate everything that is going on outside of work hours. This way no one feels guilty about being sick, having an unforeseen obligation pop up at home, or simply needing an hour of mental health.

Benefit 4: Vanishing Office Drama

I’m going to be really candid: every office everywhere in the world has some sort of drama. It’s inevitable. So-and-so is dating so-and-so, someone is upset they didn’t get invited to lunch, or a neighbor in an adjacent cube is listening to their podcast too loudly.

As soon as the pandemic sent us home, complaints about those types of issues have all but disappeared. And our team members seem happier and more productive because of it. Sure, there will always be issues—everywhere, not just at EPIC—but not sitting next to one another 40+ hours a week for nearly 50 weeks a year has made people friendlier to one another and frankly happy to see each other when we do have an in-person meeting.

Benefit 5: Bigger Talent Pool

The lack of a mandatory commute each day means that we can attract the best talent in the area without the commute being the deciding factor. We now have extremely talented employees who live in Milwaukee, the Fox Valley, and even Madison who would not have otherwise applied. We are truly grateful for this diversity of talent, skill sets, and experiences within our EPIC team.

As an aside, I would like to personally thank our IT team for shouldering the immense tech load during this transition and making this all possible. I’d also like to thank the rest of our employees who adapted quickly, communicated frequently, and are committed to making this model work.

We’ve seen the benefits of our hybrid work-from-home environment firsthand, and we believe that it is just right for our employees. If you are interested in joining the EPIC team, hop over to our Culture or Careers pages where you can learn more about what we have to offer.