Employee Relations for Marketing, Advertising and Creative
Two routes — one for complaints, one for conduct — kept separate.
What this looks like in marketing, advertising and creative
The parts of employee relations that are specific to this sector, rather than general.
Relations in a Client-Pressured Environment
Where the client's behaviour becomes your staff's problem.
What this coversHide
Relations in a Client-Pressured Environment
Where the client's behaviour becomes your staff's problem.
What this coversHideAgency relations issues frequently originate outside the agency. Client conduct, unreasonable demands and last-minute changes land on staff, and the agency decides whether to absorb or pass them through.
- Client behaviour toward staff addressed by the agency, not endured
- Workload and utilisation disputes handled honestly
- Credit and attribution disagreements resolved explicitly
- Interpersonal and team conflict addressed early
- Harassment and conduct concerns routed formally
- Consistency across accounts and teams
- Freelancer and contractor relationships handled distinctly
- Central record independent of the account team
An agency that will not raise a client's conduct with the client teaches its staff that the agency's commercial interest outranks their working conditions, and the good ones leave first.
The general method — what employee relations covers, the questions it answers and what an engagement produces — is the same whatever the sector, and is set out on the grievance and disciplinary process page. What is above is the part that differs for marketing, advertising and creative.
Other HR topics for marketing, advertising and creative
Where to start
Most engagements begin with a review of how this runs in your business today, then a written process and the sequence to implement it.
See all HR topics for marketing, advertising and creative, or another industry.