Industry Insights

Look at your current digital marketing team. Do you marvel at the talent you’ve assembled for your company? Does it fill you with pride?  

Does it also fill you with a sense of dread that someone might someday leave unexpectedly?  

Turnover is always a concern and employee retention a constant challenge to be met. When it comes to digital marketing talent, once you have a team of highly talented, creative, and capable people working together, you want to do everything you can to keep them together.  

Here are a few ideas on how to do that.  

1. Reset your thoughts on pay. Salary is important, yes. People will talk and find out if someone in the department is making more or less than they are for roughly the same job. That can be problematic. They’ll also compare numbers with people in similar jobs at other companies. But what you can do to help address this before it becomes a problem is to do this research yourself. If people are making a little above the average salary for their position, and for their tenure, they’ll feel less pressure (or interest) in changing jobs. 

2. If pay is non-negotiable, get creative with other benefits. Pay isn’t the only reason people come to work for a company. What’s your position on volunteer days? How is your health insurance coverage? Do you cap the amount of time off a person can take or earn in a year? More employees are increasingly interested in a better work-life balance and, especially after the past few years, want to make sure they’re prioritizing their home and family life. Does your company have policies in place that respects that shift? If not, it’s time to reconsider.  

3. Provide the tools employees need to do their jobs well. Some companies limit the websites employees can access while using the internal internet. These might include market research websites your team needs in order to stay on top of trends, learn new skills, check in on what the competition is up to, etc. A marketer who can’t research the latest viral video or marketing campaign is working with one hand behind their back. Make sure your team has access to anything and everything they need to be the creative geniuses they are and clear any hurdles they find as soon as they’re mentioned.  

4. Be flexible. More companies are bringing their entire staff back in-house after the pandemic. But if your team has been crushing it while working at home, or on modified schedules, have a team conversation about how they want to proceed. Employees who feel like they have a voice in decisions like this, and that their views are considered and respected, will feel more invested in their careers and the work they’re doing. Creatives don’t always thrive between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.; if you’ve got a brilliant designer who does their best work at 11 p.m. and can have deliverables waiting for you in the morning, try to make that work.  

5. Offer training or access to it. Creatives and marketing specialists, almost more than any other kind of work, need to stay on top of trends and to keep their skills sharp. It’s a competitive industry and the only way to stay on top of the game is to stay on top of the trends. If a new product or tool comes out, make sure your employees have your support in taking a class or purchasing new software. The more they can learn under your proverbial roof, the more that will help your company, your digital presence and it will keep your team happy without fearing that their skills are getting stale.  

When your digital marketing team feels valued, appreciated and respected, your team will be able to continue doing great work together, without looking for an exit.  

If you’re looking to add to your team and want to find great talent that will stay for the long-term, call Method Recruiting. We’ll put you in touch with highly skilled marketing professionals who can bring their expertise to your company. Contact us today and let’s build your team of tomorrow.