The Charles is committed to a culture of care, community and transparency.
On Sunday, March 8th, 2020, following mounting concerns about the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) to major cities in the US, the executive team decided to put in place a Work From Home (WFH) plan and temporarily close both our New York and Chicago offices, effective Monday the 9th, March 2020.

“Samantha, Bradley (our Operations Director), and myself had been planning for a scenario like the one we’re seeing now since the start of the New Year, when Coronavirus cases in Asia didn’t seem to be going anywhere but up,” says Aaron Edwards, CEO of The Charles Group. 

The health and safety of the team is paramount, in addition to the agency’s commitment to maintaining optimal client workflow. Shutting down offices may sound extreme to some; but to The Charles it felt like a proactive step towards preparation. 

“After commuting back and forth to New York over the last 4 years, I’m no stranger to working remotely. And neither is the team, as one of our longest-serving employees has always been remote,” says Samantha Edwards, Chief Creative Officer. “We’ve worked really hard over the last four years to cultivate creativity and community in the New York and Chicago office, even when I’m not there at the same time. So the transition to video conferencing with each other didn’t feel that foreign or jarring to the team. Between Slack and Whereby, we’re able to communicate, be creative AND maintain our company culture.”

 

This might not be the right decision for every company, but as the days ahead remain uncertain The Charles has the utmost confidence that the team, clients and community will weather this storm by coming together. 🙌🏽