Ask any business owner and they’ll tell you one of their biggest challenges is getting (and keeping) the right people on the bus. Prosper Strategies is growing and we’re currently looking for our next superstar. This has led me to really think about what it takes to compete for and retain our talent.
Our current team is stellar through-and-through, and I couldn’t be more thankful. However, as with everything, we’re also constantly learning. As I’m sure many of you are in the same boat, I thought I’d share some of the things we’ve come across while building our strategy to attract and retain PR and marketing talent.
Give them something they can’t get from the big firms
I’m biased, but I think there are major advantages to working at a boutique agency, especially for those just starting out in their careers. Being part of a tight-knit team often means working closely with the top. This type of access and exposure to leadership also goes a long way in helping companies keep their best employees.
As agency owners, we have direct control over how and where we spend our time. People are our biggest asset, so my role as a mentor and teacher is equally as important as my role as a boss and CEO. With this in mind, Alyssa and I make an effort to be both accessible and transparent and to show our team we care about them as humans!
Communicate their career path
This past fall, we made a mistake. We had an awesome associate account executive who was moments away from being promoted when she was swept away by a big firm. We were so disappointed we hadn’t acted sooner. Through ongoing conversations with her and other members of our team, we quickly realized that all of the growth opportunities available at Prosper were not being well communicated. We cultivate an entrepreneurial environment that’s amazing for go-getters – but letting our team know what there is to “get” is a key part of the equation. In fact, PWC conducted a study on millennials in the workplace, and 52 percent cited future growth opportunities as a motivating factor.
Luckily after several months at the big agency, our awesome associate account executive rejoined our team as an account executive and is now expanding her horizons and spending more time on business development. But this was a serious wake-up call for us!
As a result of her departure and subsequent return, we’ve changed the structure of our quarterly reviews. Now, we lay out each team member’s role and job description and evaluate them based on their current responsibilities. We also take a forward-looking approach and share the job description for their future role and providing feedback about what they need to do to effectively level-up. We do this with the hope they can see, and we can openly discuss, their vision for the future at Prosper Strategies.
Make work meaningful and purpose-driven
Significant research shows organizations that adopt an impact focus can be more appealing to potential hires. This is especially true among millennials, where more than 50 percent say a company’s involvement in various causes influences whether or not they accept a job. This is also a big part of why we recently became a B Corporation – legally holding ourselves to the commitment of building a business that’s both purposeful and profitable. Additionally, 90 percent of millennial employees also have the desire to use their own skills for good.
We’ve made it our mission to work with changemaking companies that want to use marketing to drive more revenue, and in turn, positively impact their communities. We’ve also adopted a hard stance: In order to be a Prosper client, you have to be doing the type of innovative, impactful work we can really get behind. All of this reflects our values as an employer and provides our team the amazing opportunity to use their skills for good.
Make it about more than money
According to a recent survey from Glassdoor, a higher salary only makes employees a little bit happier. That’s not to say money doesn’t motivate, but there’s more to overall employee satisfaction. ZaneBenefits recently shared a list of the benefits employees want, and they ranged from more flexibility to the ability to dress casually at work to office snacks. At Prosper, we provide them all. We’ve also instituted summer Friday hours, paid time off between Christmas and New Years and our favorite, Wine Fridays, a time for the whole team to come together and unwind after a long week.
It is our hope that we can build and grow a team of public relations, digital and inbound marketing leaders who can truly use their talents to help our clients achieve greater heights. While we’re constantly looking for ways to improve, we’re hopeful the environment we’ve created here at Prosper is one our employees are excited to be a part of each day.
If you know anyone who might be interested in joining our team, please share our job opening!
