MEC ordered its Australian staff to work from home for one day last week as part of a larger initiative to promote flexible working conditions.

The initiative, called ‘The Floor is Closed’, is part of a broader initiative run by parent company GroupM.

MEC is the first GroupM company to carry out ‘The Floor is Closed’ initiative, with Maxus following suit on 27 April. GroupM, Plista, Xaxis, AgencyM, Mindshare and MediaCom in Australia will also join in over the coming weeks.

The program was announced by chairman and CEO John Steedman last month and was created by GroupM’s NCo committee of employees aged under 30. It is part of a broader programme aimed at promoting diversity and better work/life balance.

It also aims to address the misconception that people who work flexibly or remotely do not produce the same level of output as those who work 100% of their working hours in the office.

To help employees “realise their potential and ability to work remotely”, GroupM will close the floor of all its companies in a symbolic gesture to demonstrate the group’s commitment to removing this perception and creating more flexible workplace conditions.

Steedman said: “We work in a fast-paced, dynamic industry in which the ability for flexible working can contribute to innovative thinking and positive staff morale, while helping our employees achieve a better work / life balance. We have the technology and the tools to close the floor, and I believe it will be a great way to remind people how much they can achieve when working remotely.”

MEC UK introduced a similar ‘Smarter Working’ initiative last year. Clare Alger, director of people and culture at MEC said to M&M Global: “We introduced a new Smarter Working initiative at MEC UK last year with the objective to increase virtual working practices to increase productivity and creativity and to improve employee WLB. This was regarded as a step change in the way we work.”