M&C Saatchi employees can walk into any office in the world

Going on a holiday to a new city or country isn’t the same as living and working there. Sure, you get away from home, but you don’t really immerse yourself in the culture.

We just might change that – for our people at least – with our “Work from Anywhere” program introduced in 2022. It allows everyone the opportunity to spend 30 days each year working from any locale of their choice. All employees have to do is secure a good enough internet connection to be able to do their job and the world is their oyster.

We introduced “Work from Anywhere” in 2022 in the spirit of original thinking. It’s a way to encourage and support our people in exploring new places and perspectives. It’s about helping our people “Walk In Other Worlds”.

Bec Matlioski and Billie Gurr put their hands up to be the first to do it and we gladly made it happen. The team wanted to work from London, so we introduced them to the UK team over email and organised it all for their arrival. For Bec and Billie, it was just a matter of hopping over there, navigating the tube and wandering into the grand M&C London office in Golden Square. Not only did they receive a warm welcome from everyone in the office, but were given a tour and access to the Saatchi & Saatchi gallery. On top of the pub, lunch, and coffee invites, of course. 

The pair said of the experience “We both have family over there and after covid and lockdowns it was incredible to not only be there visiting but embedding ourselves into the day to day of being a Londoner. It's a really different experience to being a tourist.

You're also in one of the biggest cities in the world so there's always something on. We headed out to galleries, shows and a huge concert in the middle of Hyde Park. The city was always buzzing in the middle of summer. There was an electric energy that was infectious and so inspiring. It gave us an idea that we are working on proactively that we hope to get off the ground with the support of the FEMM&C network within the agency.”

Their advice is to “try and stay in the same timezone or close to. London is incredible but the 12-hour time zone difference is tricky. And make sure you keep up comms with your team back home to ensure everything runs smoothly.” 

Bec and Billie found that “Working in another country was such a refresh and a privilege. It really gave us a taste-test of what living over there would be like and we're both so grateful for the experience.”