Why homeworking has hit some creatives hard

For those who have seen the hit US show ‘The Office’ (or the UK original), it is clear that nothing would ever have been accomplished without the presence of office culture and their unconventional workplace dynamic, which can be said for any industry.

However, the effects of Covid-19 have shifted what was once considered the ‘norm’ when it comes to how we operate as a unit. The pandemic has disrupted the workplace dynamic and culture of millions of people, urged by the government to work from home if possible. Kitchens, living rooms and even bedrooms are our new offices as we seek to adhere to lockdown rules.

Zooming in on Covid’s effect on the creative industries, it is clear that many in the sector have had to assimilate to working in isolation at home while still trying to adhere to their usual collaborative patterns and processes. Which has alternatively more so now than ever before made it clear that, in some ways, this shift in working environments can and may demolish the integral structure of office culture along with workplace dynamics.

A study conducted by the CreativePool during the first national lockdown indicated that “88.5% of creatives are currently working from home,” while the onset of recession in the teeth of the pandemic meant “45.2% of the industry has experienced considerably less clients.”

When it comes to considering whether this environmental shift has the power to restructure office culture and workplace dynamics in the creative sector, it is pivotal to note that, for creativity to thrive, its practitioners need to be able to share, discuss, and connect. Without these, their productivity and mental health will suffer.

Companies may well have a kind of ‘force’ about them which arises from their values, goals and ethical approach, and this can be easy to pack up and take home with you. However, the skills, talents and practises of your peers are not as easy to replicate or bring to what you produce when working in isolation.

On the other hand, it is self-evident that this is the everyday practice of many freelance creatives who work outside of the office environment, independent from any workplace culture.

Arguably, though, what made their pre-Covid lives different from that of people now transitioning into regularly working from home, is that they could still connect with others in the industry when curating the final product. At present, even that is not necessarily possible for many creatives stuck at home.

According to the survey by CreativePool, this has left “25.3% of people [in the creative sector] feeling more apart,” and like fish out of water.

Despite the increasing use of video conferencing platforms and technologies that facilitate sharing the workload on projects, it is clear to see how challenged the creative industries have been by the effects of the pandemic on the professional lives of it workforce.