December 8, 2021
They say when one door closes, another opens. And, although it was hard to say goodbye to our home for the last 16 years in West Des Moines, to say we are thrilled to open our new doors is an understatement.
Anthologic, our parent company, along with all the companies within the collective (Performance Marketing, Shift Interactive, Blue Traffic, Vector Haus, and Flatout), now call the East Village in Des Moines, Iowa, home. 600 E. Court Avenue, Suite 180, to be exact.
Not only is this a new chapter in a new space, but it’s the first time our employees have the opportunity to collaborate in person in nearly 20 months. For nearly 40 of our employees added throughout the pandemic, it's one of their first opportunities to speak to their teammates in person, rather than on a screen.
“This new space is going to afford us the luxury of working organically, where people can truly meet their creative potential,” says Jim Swanson, Chief Culture Officer and Anthologic Partner.“ And by ‘space’ we really mean so much more than just physical location.”
Des Moines’ Historic East Village is both vibrant and diverse, full of some of the city’s finest shopping, dining, nightlife, and businesses. Nestled between the Des Moines River and the Iowa State Capitol building, this beautiful neighborhood offers both residents and visitors a one-of-a-kind experience.
Walkability and an overall welcoming culture are what drew Anthologic to this neighborhood. “With a new space we wanted to be more immersed in something bigger than ourselves,” says Matt Glynn, Anthologic COO. “To be in the heart of our community is so important, and it’s a responsibility we are proud to have.”
As we make a move back to a physical office, the new East Village space exemplifies the beauty of a new way to work. Collaborative, creative, and culture-focused, this space will continue to evolve to reflect the most up-to-date theories on how to best work. We planned it that way.
“We recognize we are working in a different world than we were two years ago,” says Glynn. “Our goal with this new office space is to create a homebase for our employees to collaborate in person when and how it works for them.”
The Court Ave. office space includes shared desks, team working spaces, personal lockers, ergonomic furniture and technology that makes collaboration with remote clients and coworkers effortless. All of these features — coupled with the more traditional office features of large conference rooms, shared kitchen spaces, and a location that makes travel for both clients and employees convenient — help us to create a space we can proudly call home.
The entire leadership team is ecstatic to welcome people back into the office. “At the core of our culture is our people — and it’s our people who have inspired this new space,” says Glynn. “It’s been incredible to see how each individual is using the space in a unique way that works for them — it is exactly what we intended.”
Anthologic doesn’t stop with just a new office space. Because of the pandemic, we have embraced an entirely new way to work, and some of those changes we intend to make permanent. One of the most substantial changes has been the ability to work from home, or rather — from anywhere.
Today’s technology allows us to hire employees located in every corner of the U.S. and our collective now includes individuals in Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, New Jersey and Wisconsin! We look forward to continuing to expand our workforce to some of the top talent in the nation, with location no longer a barrier in the hiring process.
Swanson notes, “One thing we’ve learned throughout the pandemic is our culture doesn’t mean we’re all in the same spot, but we all have the same values, the things we do for clients, and the way we treat each other.”
The ability to work from home can also positively impact our local employees. Our new space is collaborative in nature, both with the use of technology and physical space. This means although employees can work in person and enjoy everything the office and neighborhood have to offer, they don’t have to. We are encouraging our employees to work wherever they operate best. That could be in the office every day of the week, a hybrid schedule that includes some days in the office and some at home, or being fully remote.
Finally, Anthologic is excited to introduce a flex week schedule, allowing our employees to find a greater balance between work and personal life. The idea that employees can only work 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday is outdated and simply doesn’t work in today’s hybrid world. To adjust to that change, we have created core hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, when all of our employees are asked to be available. From there, employees are able to get their 40 hours in however works best for them. This schedule allows employees to be fully present in all facets of their life, including their work life! A fully engaged employee allows for better work for our clients.
It’s been a big few years of changes for us:
This is just the beginning. We recognize that meaningful change helps us continue to be a company that both clients and employees seek out. No matter what those changes entail, two things will always remain the same – we will continue to find the things that unite us, and we will continue to put our clients and employees first. If you would like to learn more about Anthologic, the companies in our collective and our new way of working, reach out!
