Why PR Return is Fully Remote and Unlikely to Go Back
In January 2006, PR Return opened an office in Chicago’s bustling West Town neighborhood. We love this city. For 15 years, we strived to offer the best public relations services possible while also creating a healthy work environment for our employees in a physical office space.
Then the pandemic happened. Like most businesses, PR Return was forced to go remote, but after a few months, working from home no longer felt like an inconvenience. Our team flourished under our new remote work policies to the point where we officially closed our offices in late 2020.
The pandemic long over, the battle between remote and in-office work still rages. Even the compromise of hybrid work continues to cause more confusion than solutions. At PR Return, our team stands firm as a company that works remotely. Here’s why we love operating a virtual office and why it gives us a leg up on the competition.
Our Talent Pool Has Gone Global
Chicago has a thriving marketing and public relations community, but that doesn’t always mean the best person for a particular job lives down the street. By running a remote company, our team hires new members across the country – if not the world. There are 35 million digital nomads who work as they travel, which means our next great team member could be in Boston or Bali.
Our permanent remote work is also a direct response to applicant demands. In September 2023, for example, remote positions only made up 9% of jobs posted on LinkedIn. However, those jobs received nearly half of all the applications on the website. Many people want to work remotely and won’t apply to jobs that require in-office attendance.
We want our job postings to attract the best people. There’s no reason to isolate everyone who lives outside of Chicagoland. We welcome talented candidates who want to work remotely.
Remote Work Supports Our Dedication to Work-Life Balance
Even when we hire a Chicago-area employee, remote work gives them more flexibility and time back. They spend less time on the “L,” Metra or busy streets during their morning and evening commutes and instead enjoy more time with their families or relaxing after a long workday. This addresses some important challenges when it comes to work/life balance.
One 2021 survey found that 60% of employees cannot effectively balance their work and personal commitments while 77% of workers said they experience burnout at their current job. Workplace culture has a lot to do with this imbalance. When asked why they experience burnout and struggle to keep a healthy work/life balance, nearly 38% of employees mentioned either a culture of overwork or their supervisors.
Remote work empowers our team to take back their work week. The average American commute is 27.6 minutes one way. At PR Return, we give employees back nearly five hours of their time each week by allowing them to work from home.
Remote Policies Keep the Best People Around
While we always have an eye on employee recruitment, our remote work policies allow us to retain employees who would otherwise be unable to come into the office.
Nick Olsen, our account supervisor, was our guinea pig for remote work long before the pandemic started. Nick and his wife wanted to move to Tennessee, but we didn’t want to lose his valuable skills, expertise and many contributions to our clients’ success. Instead of saying goodbye, we embraced the change. He took his IP phone off his desk and brought it to Tennessee. With a dedicated workspace and a high-speed internet connection, his contributions to our success have only grown since his move. Little did we know we were charting our course for the future. Nick has been at PR Return for more than a decade now, thanks to the flexibility that comes with remote work.
Other companies shouldn’t overlook the power of remote work on employee retention. A 2022 survey by Clarify Capital found that 68% of workers would rather look for a new job than negotiate a higher salary because of return-to-office policies. When it comes to Gen Z, 79% of employees would rather look for a new job than return to the office.
For Our Employees and Clients
According to a 2021 survey by Future Forum, 75% of executives working remotely already wanted to return to the office three to five times each week. Only 34% of employees agreed. When it comes to returning to the office fully, 44% of executives were in favor of the move compared to just 17% of employees.
When Future Forum investigated this disparity, it found executives were building return policies that worked best for the C-Suite but not for most workers. Two-thirds of executives say their return-to-work plans were developed at the leadership level, without involving employee input.
At PR Return, our team members have a voice. Going forward, if our staff or clients require a physical office space, we will establish one. For now, remote work best serves our team and clients.
Remote Work is Essential to PR Return’s Success
I love Chicago and am proud to be here. We have found several talented employees in this city and continue to support local businesses when we can, but our future is remote. The remote work model gives us much more flexibility when it comes to hiring, production and retention. It allows us to better serve our clients and provide them with a talented, forward-looking team.
Clients win when we invest in our team and do all we can to acquire and retain top talent. Working remotely allows us to do this more effectively than ever, and we’re grateful for the many advantages it provides.