Knowledgecultureplaysan
integralpartoftheagencyaswell.
Fromtheextratrainingprovided
to the weekly library hour,
AFFINITYstaffarewellequipped
withabove-parlearningtools.
“Ouremployeevalueproposi-
tionisthateveryonewillbecome
measurably smarter and more
capableduringtheirtenurewith
AFFINITY. We spendapproxi-
matelythreetimestheindustry
averageonexternaltrainingbut
it’snotjustaboutexternaltrain-
ing,rathera knowledgeculture,”
Smithsays.
“Ourindustrymovessoquickly,
wemakesuretheentireagency
shutsdowneveryweekforonehour
asa teamtoprovideeverysingle
personwithtimetolearnsome-
thingnewinself-directedlearning.
Phonesare divertedand email
auto-repliesgotoourclients.”
Furthertothis,thereisa fort-
nightly in-house training and
knowledgesessioncalledTheLab,
wheretalksaregivenfromboth
internalandexternalspeakerson
a varietyoftopicsthataddvalue
toboththeworkplaceandteam
members’mentalhealth.
Bootcampsareanotherunique
initiative.Smithsaysthese are
“money-can’t-buyexclusivetrain-
ing”programsoffered.
Asa data-ledagency,measure-
mentisineverypartofthebusi-
nessrightdowntotheculture.
SmithsaysAFFINITYmeasuresits
initiativestoensuretheyaresuc-
cessfulandifnot,assesseshow
theycanbeimproved.
“We’reconstantlylookingat
wayswecanbuildqualityandmet-
ricsintoourprocessesandassess-
mentofwhatwedo,”shesays.
“Thishelpsustolookatout-
comesfactuallytoshiftthelenson
whatwentwrongratherthanwho
messedup.We’vefoundit’samaz-
inghowthismindsetcanshifta
cultureforthebetter.”
Tokeepmoralehighandsup-
portthosewhomightneedsome
extraattention,ChiefMoraleOfficer
Milo– A.K.A.theofficedog– is the
cherryontopoftheA+culture.
“She’sempathicandalwayshas
anextracoupleofsupportivelicks,
andwillsleepunderthefeet of
those under pressure.”
Wethoughta lot
aboutadjacencies
ofdisciplinesand
builtinjusta little
bitoffriction ...
necessitatingyou
tominglewith
othergroupsyou
mightnotnormally
work closely withCo-FounderandCSO,
Angela SmithThepolicies
Flexibleworkingarrangementsareslowlybecomingthenormacrossthe
industry,asmorebusinessesrecognisetheimportanceofwork-lifebal-
ance.AFFINITYis noexception.
Asa “busy,workingmum”herself,Smithunderstandsthejuggling
actthatcanbeworkandfamilylife.Toretainthoseteammemberswho
arealsoparents,AFFINITYhasadoptedf lexibleworkingarrangements
forthosewhoneedit.
Thoseheadingoffonparentalleaveneedn’tfeelliketheyhavebeen
forgottenwhilethey’reawayeither.
“Aswe’reallaboutgrowingourselves,ourphilosophyonmaternity
andpaternityleaveistoprovideknowledgenurturingduringany
extendedleave,”Smithsays.
“Inordertoavoidthesocial,culturalandcognitivedisconnectthat
canhappen,ourteamarewelcomedtostayinthefoldandattendour
traininginitiativeswhileonthatleave– babieswelcome.”
Shealsoemphasisestheimportanceofdiversity,referringtoit aspart
oftheagency’sDNA.ForAFFINITY,diversityencompassesgender,cul-
ture,thinkingandageandmeanspayequalityforeveryone.Alllevelsof
theseniorteamshavea 50:50gendersplitaswell.
Movingawayfrom“f lashy”and“material”giveaways,theagency
focusesona morewholesomeapproachtorewardingstaff.
“Witha directcorrelationimplicatedbetweenengagementandmental
wellbeing,wereckonit’smoreaboutbaking-inanindividualisedapproach
intohowouragencyfunctions,toincreaseemployeeinterest,consulta-
tion,self-worthandrecognition,”Smithsays.
“So,wefocusoninternalpromotion,unpromptedsalaryincreases,
continuousperformancemanagement(ratherthanannualstaffreviews),
personalisedgrowthplans,a transparentbusinesshealthculture,all
withoneP&Ltofostergenuinecollaborationandengagementbetween
strategy,media,creative,production,techanddatateams.”
Lastbutcertainlynotleastintheline-upofinitiativesonofferat
AFFINITY,is therecentlyintroducedEmployeeAssistanceProgram(EAP)
tosupportstaffandtheirmentalwellbeing.
“Everyteammemberhasaccesstoconfidential,professionalcoun-
sellinganytimetheyneedit.WehavetrainedMentalFirstAidofficers
andregulartrainingonthelatestwaystoimproveourmentalhealth,”
Smithexplains.
“We’reaboutmakinga measurabledifferencetoourclients,ourselves
andthosearoundusinallwedo.Wework our brains hard all day every
day, but not our bodies past time.”Eventheinternal
spaces are filledBetter Workplaces