For many companies, and in service industries in particular, salaries and employee benefits make up the bulk of operating costs. For that reason, smart capacity planning and future-proofed team structure development are crucial.
For small, scaling, and large companies alike, here are some of the most important things to consider when building out your marketing and communications team.
Communication between marketing departments
Have you designed a team structure that encourages employees to work across services, projects, and work streams? Not only does cross-functional communication encourage innovation through sharing ideas, it also bolsters morale and improves employee retention. Consider hiring employees who are purposefully staffed across teams or are responsible for connecting projects and work streams.
Years of Experience
Another important factor to consider when building a team is the necessary seniority and skill levels of your team members. It can be equally tempting to hire a number of seasoned specialists as it is to hire a group of junior (and thus cheaper) employees. But the reality is that a combination of those two groups can often be the best fit. Experienced employees in specialty fields often come at a premium, but junior employees can learn from those more seasoned team members. Consider a staff mix that allows for junior employees to make up the majority of resources, with the appropriate amount of oversight to ensure quality deliverables.
Diversity
When it comes to diversity, years of experience is only one consideration. Diverse teams are known to be more creative, more productive, and support team longevity. A business’ team structure should incorporate diversity of thought, of socio-economic background, and of work history. The varied approaches to problem solving that a diverse team brings are beneficial to any team structure.
Flexibility
When future-planning for your business, flexibility is key. As you hire to support your team structure, consider whether a full-time hire is needed for each new role. There may be situations in which you can hire an employee with a more flexible background who can support two business needs. Alternatively, hiring an agency can afford your business the ability to scale support up or down. Over the course of time, business needs evolve. Your team structure should be able to evolve, too.
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Long-term Vision
Each of these levers should be considered as part of long-term planning. Team salaries should be considered a long-term commitment for your business. If you aren’t sure whether your business is in the financial position to support additional hires for a long period of time, it may be wise to consider other approaches that allow you to pivot to meet changing business needs.
Agency support is a great way to take advantage of the benefits of a flexible team structure. Outside support can be negotiated in a variety of ways, and allows your company access to diversity of thought, specialty focus, years of experience, and more.
Marketing success begins with well-structured marketing teams. We’ve got that covered. Reach out today.
