Media agency Atomic 212° to shut down internal staff emails as part of its ‘Talk First’ initiative
Today Australian media agency Atomic 212° will shut down all internal email communications permanently. It is a new initiative to boost office vibes and shift its dynamics, getting people to “talk first”.
Jason Dooris (left), CEO of Atomic 212° believes that emails are no longer an efficient tool for the workplace. More often than not, it encourages people to deflect their responsibilities onto others. Not to mention the tone of messages can be easily misinterpreted, creating bad morale among staff.
The initiative is also designed to give employees their other (non-working, social) lives back. Emails keep staff constantly linked to the office, whether they are out at lunch, on a walk or even sleeping. Without emails they can rest easy knowing work stays with work. Happy staff makes for a happier work space.
It will be a huge change for staff, Atomic 212° is the largest independent Australian full service media agency, but Dooris believes it is going to work wonders: “This is one of the most exciting things we have done in our business.
“In the early days of my working career the office was a-buzz with conversation and people on the phone. There was an energy that made working really different and interesting every day. I think emails are the reason that that energy has disappeared.”
Atomic 212° will be welcoming all intrigue, and be encouraging media and industry alike to come down and speak with the staff. They are on Hickson Road in the Rocks, Sydney.
Atomic 212° have had a run of success recently with account wins, staff grabs, also recently being shortlisted for every category entered in the Campaign Awards. The company says its forward thinking performance-based model has been the key driver behind the Australian-leading growth rates.
3 Comments
Great idea,
At Invisible Artists we use Hangouts and Slack to chat as it’s not always possible to take between timezones.
In principle, this is the way things should be.
this is the future! pass it on…
While I don’t disagree with many of the reasons cited for getting rid of emails, I can’t help thinking that banning them might be an over-reaction.
There’s a lot of good that comes from email used properly in business. Keeping a proper record for one thing.
Probably harder to implement, but ultimately better would be to insist on using email well, having respect for your coworkers, not playing pass the buck, and understanding that just because you have sent an email to (whoever) it doesn’t necessarily mean (whoever)has read or is acting upon whatever it was you had wanted.
I do thoroughly agree people working in an office should talk face to face for most things…. otherwise, why make the trek into work at all?
I would ban the BCC though, and the ‘Reply all’ needs reigning in.