For one of our most recent projects, Nottingham Business School (part of NTU) asked us to create a campaign theme and marketing materials for their research into organisational culture. Some of the stats their research unearthed, like the fact that only 18% of employees think their workplace’s values and culture align, got us thinking – what makes a positive workplace culture? And what do we love about our own culture at One Studio?

Here’s how we work to build a positive workplace culture in our small, female-led agency in Nottingham and Sheffield. 

We practice what we preach

Or, as we like to say, ‘we don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk’. A positive workplace culture is about how you show up from the top-down. So, we set the bar high. We’re not a bunch of creatives who just got lucky, but seasoned pros who love what we do, and have been working in this industry for decades. Our passion counts just as much as our great experience, and everything we make becomes a collaboration between our creatives and our clients.

We love to celebrate

If you follow our socials, you’ll frequently see posts that mention new clients, new projects and even new team members. We believe that shouting about the great people behind our great work – not to mention what we achieve for our clients – is all part and parcel of a positive workplace culture. These might be concrete figures that show a boost in online community engagement, to more abstract areas, like designing a brand that really captures what a business is all about and helps them build the right audience. 

Each month, the team gets together in person. It’s a great way to toast our recent ‘wins’ and any projects and campaigns that have drawn to a successful close (or have led to even more fantastic work). And, it’s a chance to share the great feedback we get along the way (after all, we’re all about the service). At the same time, it reminds us how important each person is to the future of our agency. We always have our sights set on doing things even better for the next brand we work with – which includes valuing the amazing work our team produces, and finding ways to make managing a busy workload even easier. 

We empower our people

A huge part of creating a positive workplace culture at One Studio is through ‘women supporting women’. This includes working with other women in business (whether female-founded companies, or for sectors focused on women’s health and wellness), and working with female creatives (from freelance copywriters to illustrators and photographers). Over the years, we’ve also employed graduates to get more young women on the creative career ladder, and we’ve got big ideas for the future – with a dream to host events for women in business, across both our neighbourhoods of Sheffield and Nottingham.

It’s also no secret that our core team is made up of working mums – so if calendars need to be shuffled to pick up a poorly child or attend a school performance, the team pitches in to support. 

We flex where it counts

Following on from our theme of support, we want working at One Studio to give all our team the right work/life balance – it’s one of the main reasons we’re a remote agency. And while getting our heads down gives us focus, we know that creativity often goes hand-in-hand with problem-solving and strategy, which means getting our heads together, too. 

Our core team works from home – or wherever suits them best (think coffee shop, city centre workspace or even the local park through a phone hotspot). But, we do like to meet up in person – particularly when we’re working on a project that needs close client involvement. 

Once again, being parents means that sometimes, flexibility is a necessity. But that’s also true for our clients, where some projects or campaigns need support beyond the typical 9-5. Importantly, it’s always something we work out between us to ensure that not only does it meet the needs of our clients, but that it’s fair for our team as a whole.

We look after each other

We’ve noticed that lots of companies don’t shout about their employee benefits, even when they’re building (or living) a positive workplace culture. Yet, these can make all the difference between someone staying and someone moving on. For our team, it’s all about:

• Professional development: Finding ways to train and upskill our people and play to our strengths as an agency ensuring we continue to grow and develop, and we all move forwards. 
• Flexible working: We know people do their best work when they’re free to work in the best way. Flexibility around our teams’ hours means that for our teams, when life gets in the way, we come together. And for our clients, it means delivering on their projects, even if deadlines are tight.
• Extra time off: Being a small agency, long, paid sabbaticals for our team members just aren’t possible. But, every year, we give every employee their birthday off as an extra thank-you.

We never stand still

We know there’s so much more to positive workplace culture than even this list. And it’s why we always aim higher – for our people, for our clients and for our agency. If you’re looking for branding, design, content, web development, photography and more – and want to work with a team with care and collaboration at its heart – you’ll find it all at One Studio. Take a look at our latest work, follow us on LinkedIn, or get in touch to book a chat with the team: 0333 444 0638.