FIVE WAYS WE PROMOTE LEARNING AT SPLENDID
Our purpose at Splendid is to produce creative work that connects with real people and makes a positive impact. We call our approach ‘People-First Creativity’ and so by definition, the start point is always an understanding of people; the uncovering of fresh insights about the people our clients want to reach.
Stepping into the shoes of the audience
Learning about people, their interests, motivations, lifestyles and wider culture is something everyone participates in. While we have a team dedicated to creative strategy and digging deep into data and research tools to uncover these insights, we encourage everyone to ‘walk in the shoes’ of their target audiences to generate insights before any idea generation session, ensuring our work remains real and relevant, avoiding the trap of falling into the often-referred-to ‘London Bubble’.
Being ‘in the know’
We run a number of initiatives in the company which are designed to keep everyone up to date with the latest developments in our industry and the wider world beyond it.
Splendid Loves is one meeting that everyone looks forward to, and not just because it’s on a Friday and involves snacks and drinks! This is where we look at work from all corners of the creative universe and discuss and debate its merits. What makes the meeting so special is the discussion; it’s entirely democratic and everyone’s voice is heard. At the end of each session, we choose three examples deemed worthy to be given Splendid props, which then get a shout out on Twitter (keep your eyes peeled and follow us on @SplendidComms to keep up to date with them!).
To make sure we keep our fingers on the pulse and stay on top of innovation and best practice, we have specialist teams who update the agency every morning. Our media experts get their eyeballs straight into the breaking news of the day and our digital whizz kids are all over social media to get a digest of the latest developments out – all before the day truly gets started.
Training is key
Then of course, we invest in training for all staff, which ranges from on-the-job coaching to bringing in specialist trainers. This starts as soon as new feet hit the office floor at the induction stage and continues throughout their Splendid career; we love learning new skills, as individuals and as a company.
In fact, we’ve just finished flexing our creative minds in a six-part training programme on creative thinking which has left us brimming with ideas and new ways to unlock our client briefs.
Placing personal development at the forefront
Career development is super important to us, so each and every person can fulfil their potential. Everyone gets a career development manager who is experienced and will help them navigate the next stages of their career with us.
We mix regular conversations and helpful feedback with more formal annual reviews and SMART objectives so next steps feel achievable and everyone has the tools to develop.
Objectives will link to the business but we’re as interested in personal development, so out of work goals are there in the mix, meaning that every year, we all have one personal objective. From running a 5k, to taking on a new skill such as jewellery making or reigniting a language skill from your teens (Japanese, anyone?) anything is possible. And we put our money where our mouth is, by giving everyone a personal allowance towards their goal to lighten the load and help make it happen.
We like to think that the fact that in 2019 nearly half of our staff gained a promotion shows that the system works., and we look forward to spotlighting more promotions and personal growth in 2020!