VCCP Sydney and OMD to let employees work anywhere in the world
Both OMD Australia and VCCP Sydney have announced initiatives to allow employees to work anywhere in the world.
VCCP Sydney’s initiative, VCCP Reunite, allows for its employees to work anywhere in the world for up to two months, in order to reconnect with loved ones they have not been able to see due to ongoing border closures.
The initiative will be in place until 2022, however with ongoing variants and lockdowns, it may be extended depending on the circumstances of the pandemic.
The initiative is called VCCP Reunite
VCCP Sydney’s managing director, Suzie Roberts, said: “This pandemic has impacted so many in our industry. All of our employees have loved ones in different states or abroad. We’ve had many employees make a mad dash interstate as borders open and shut at the drop of a hat. Once borders open up for Australia, we want our employees to feel supported and not disadvantaged for wanting to be with their loved ones – many of whom they may not have seen in years.
“We have successfully worked remotely through two lockdowns which has proven that our team is not only capable of remote work, but thriving… which is why we have such confidence in our employees.”
In terms of working across different time zones, dependant on the role, VCCP aims to provide as much flexibility as possible with internal meetings. However, VCCP will not be flexible with client meetings.
The VCCP initiative is available to all employees regardless of tenure.
Mumbrella understands the initiative is only for VCCP Sydney, not any of VCCP’s global offices.
For OMD, the initiative is called OMD Heartlands, which lets its employees work remotely using a combination of annual leave. Similar to VCCP, the initiative is in place for the next 12 months, with the option to extend it.
The OMD initiative allows OMD Australia employees to work from any OMD office, where appropriate, in order to see family and friends. Where there is no OMD local office, the employees may work from home.
OMD staff are expected to work the local hours wherever they are based, with the expectation that each day there is a couple of hours crossover with their original team. For example, a Sydney-based employee working in London will be expected to work London hours with a couple of hours in either the morning or evening with their Sydney team.
OMD Sydney’s managing director, Laura Nice, said: “The initiative was created by listening to our people and from seeing how many of them have been impacted by the border closures. I know firsthand the feeling of loss after missing important family events and milestones over the past two years, both good and bad. Normally I would have jumped on a plane to be with my loved ones, but instead, I’ve never felt so far away. We wanted to allow all OMDers the opportunity to maximise the time with their families once borders reopened, and so OMD Heartlands was created.”
OMG CEO ANZ Peter Horgan commented on the initiative: “We know our people are desperate to get home and spend time with their loved ones. OMD Heartlands is a wonderful initiative that recognises our people come from all over Australia and the globe. OMD has had an established flexibility policy since 2017, proving that OMDers can deliver for our clients and our business wherever they are, and what better place to do this than beside the friends and family they’ve missed for so long.”
