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Is the Work Culture At Your Digital Agency Evolving?
Lot has changed and lot will, not only for the client’s but also for agencies. As brands seek potential
partners, they look for agencies that stand out from the pack and offer a good fit between their brand
and agency team servicing them. Many clients consider “chemistry” to be essential for flow of
implementable ideas to make their businesses grow.
While agencies want opportunities to do great work and be fairly paid for their contribution to clients’
businesses, it is impossible for either of these to happen without a strong relationship between both
parties.
In order to obtain a strong relationship, an environment must be created that will breed success. It is the
responsibility of agencies to create this environment within. An agency’s true points of differentiation
are often grounded in its vision, value creation, creativity and other behaviors that are reinforced either
formally or informally within the culture.
Knowing who you are and what is important to you, industry you want to cater to and clients you can
work with is a fundamental step before an agency of any size or discipline, even before it can effectively
solicit new business in the marketplace.
In order for agencies to stay relevant, they must evolve, embrace and feed a unique agency “Culture”.
As an agency work force we chase deadlines and work long hours. It might not be a written
requirement, but for decades it has been understood that if you want to make it in an agency of any
discipline then you’d better be prepared to dedicate a decent portion of your life to your career,
something highly romanticized by many movies and sitcoms.
There’s no evidence that longer hours actually result in superior work. Research and scientific studies
show that rest is absolutely paramount to kindling creativity, passion and commitment, which are
cornerstones to agency’s value creation.
The inconvenient truth is, this gruelling work schedule is a choice and a bad one at that. It’s a culture
that some suggest is ultimately detrimental to both agencies and their clients in the long run, as staffers
get burned out and the quality of their work begins to suffer. But to be fair sometimes there are
advantages to being around colleagues for extended periods, as often it helps in forming deep
relationships and friendships within the team.
They might take long lunches, play foosball and indulge in conversations about the latest movies,
trending topics, viral videos and Internet meme, but that interaction will ultimately benefit the quality of
their work and spirit of collaboration.
So what is the true agency culture? Answer is very simple and on your face, an agency which firmly
believes in adding value to the discipline they serve, understands that value comes from the spirited
contribution of their people and strives to create a unique “Culture” different from the competitive
landscape.
Cultural fit is effective screening criteria for new hires and a training mandate for individuals to align
within their organizational cultures.
Culture grows deeper than the cubicles and awards that you see, you can judge an agency culture by
how people feel as they prepare to come in each day and how they feel when they leave each day. Build
a good one and you’ll have employees for the long haul and friends for life. When you walk through such
an agency’s doors you should feel the surrounding energy and opportunity.
An entrepreneurial spirit that fosters creativity and invites innovation. A culture of work hard and play
harder, building a collaborative and supportive ecosystem of passion, courage and ability, simply put a
place where you can build a future. One which invites ground-breakers, trend-setters and thought-
leaders to work with them and usher in future cutting-edge ideas and innovations.
Agency with such a distinct culture has greater chances of success and fostering such culture is a daily
task of the management.
We do live in exciting times, where things change within a blink of an eye. What keeps all of us who are
a part of an exciting discipline called marketing on the go is our undying passion, that adventurous
streak, our affinity for challenges and that gush of adrenalin when it all falls together…Those ‘moments
of truth’, knowledge of a work well done and we all are ready for the next challenge….aren’t we? That in
nutshell is our culture.
By Prateek N. Kumar is the Founder & MD of NeoNiche Integrated Solutions Pvt. Ltd.