Nearing the end of the year and holiday celebrations means we are approaching a season of giving and gratitude! How does expressing gratitude apply to the work space?

Every year we regularly interview hundreds of Agency staff members for our Agency Assessment service where we analyze an Agency’s Client partnerships and internal team dynamics. In those interviews, we’ve found that retention rates and general enjoyment correlates with how valued employees and partners feel. We ask teams to rank how valued they feel at their Agency, and our data shows that, on average, Agency staff members feel valued at 8.1 out of 10. We also ask Clients about their satisfaction with their Agency relationships on a scale from 1 to 10, and the average of all the Clients asked (which is well over 100) is 9.1 out of 10. 

Whether you’re an Agency or Brand marketing leader, or the point person (Account Services/Project Manager) in an Agency-Client relationship, it’s important to make people feel valued. We’ve compiled notes from these countless conversations on what makes a relationship sustainable, and what can ruin it. 

Advice for Leadership

We often say that an employee's enjoyment of their job is a reflection of their feelings towards their manager. 

Bad Manager = Disgruntled Employee = Low Retention Rate + Unproductive Workforce

How can managers value their teams better?

We heard that teams feel most valued when there is:

• Transparency: Leadership is honest and transparent about decisions, company goals, and vision for company and team members. 

• Opportunity: Staff members are provided with opportunities to grow. Whether that is having their voice heard in meetings or trusted with leading Client projects, given a breakdown of the company’s growth structure, or provided professional development opportunities. 

• Recognition: Regularly acknowledging team achievements, both big and small, in meetings or company-wide channels makes team members feel valued. Recognizing contributions—whether a successful campaign launch or a creative idea—boosts morale.

• Empathy: Team members want to feel heard and a part of the team, that their work makes a difference. Feeling a part of the team includes having boundaries and encouraging a healthy work-life balance. Demonstrating respect for personal time by encouraging realistic deadlines and promoting flexible schedules shows leaders understand the importance of balance, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and retention.

How Leaders can Improve Team Recognition:

1. Develop a strong recognition culture; consider establishing a Peer to Peer bonus program to drive acknowledgement + recognition of great effort/ outstanding work.

2. Prioritize recognition/rewards to improve morale, motivation + show the staff that they are appreciated.

3. From junior to seasoned, team members would benefit from training, connecting on goals with leadership, guidance to fill gaps on Client teams + ongoing team recognition.

4. Verbal + monetary recognition motivates staff from burnout.

5. The team appreciates financial, title + verbal recognition. The more appreciation you show for them, the more they feel valued.

6. Formalized, regular feedback + recognition lead to less internal staff struggles.

Advice for Recognition in the Agency-Client Relationship

Client teams appreciate partners that are collaborative and flexible, but they can feel undervalued if partners don’t fully understand their Brand vision or adapt quickly to feedback. They’d like partners to show more alignment with their goals and a deeper commitment to their long-term vision – partners who act as an extension of the Client’s teams. As we know, relationships are two-way streets. So how can Agencies and Clients work together to make this happen?

1. Go Beyond the Brief: When Agency partners proactively bring new, creative ideas to the table - even if it’s outside the specific scope - it shows commitment and a shared vision for success. It also reinforces the partner’s dedication to the Client’s long-term growth. Asking questions to fully understand the Client, their needs, and their industry goes really far, but Clients need to bring the Agency into conversations. 

2. Communicate Regularly and Transparently: Agencies appreciate partners who keep them in the loop with honest feedback and updates, rather than only during formal reviews. This fosters a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility for outcomes. Clients want to know pitfalls or timeline delays when they happen. Everyone needs to stay connected in order to produce the best work possible. 

3. Show Flexibility and Adaptability: Marketing teams appreciate partners who understand the dynamic nature of marketing and are willing to adjust their approach to meet shifting priorities. Agencies that can adapt demonstrate empathy and commitment to the Brand’s success.

We hope that by implementing these practices and being aware of pitfalls, leaders and partners can go beyond expressing gratitude during this season and foster an everlasting positive, collaborative environment where marketing teams and individuals feel truly valued and motivated to perform at their best. A shout out can go a long way.