Manchester-based, full service digital marketing agency Embryo has already made huge strides in 2021 with rapid staff growth including 16 new hires this year, an expected turnover of £2.5m and an aim for a head count of 45 within the business in 2021. With a proud ethos of ‘we see what others don’t’ the marketing agency continues to develop forward-thinking strategies for success.
The latest development comes as operations manager, Cicely Ward, has created and implemented a new development plan, which is not only innovative in management guidance in the current climate of isolated working but is also aimed at account managers and executives in the company. The digital marketing agency prides itself on a brand delivery messages that hones in on innovation and progression and here’s why Embryo thinks that other industry leaders could benefit from their Development plan
Embryo’s development programme
Embryo strives for an ‘above & beyond’ approach, not only for our clients but also for colleagues and the business in general. A key aspect of Cicely Ward’s role as operations manager is guiding people on how to progress both personally and professionally. Her role became particularly reactive in 2020 as remote working impacted the landscape of the people profession. Towards the end of the year, Embryo’s team was rapidly increasing which also meant that the management team was also growing quickly and providing the correct management guidance was of importance.
‘This is when I realised I wanted to launch the Embryo People Development programmes’ says Cicely Ward, ‘Not only did it benefit all of us, but It also set a high standard for the business and to show any new members of the team how much we value the importance of personal development’.
The development programme is twofold with an overall structure to aid company progression and support the workforce. A tailored program specifically for managers to implement provides guidance in managing a team across their departments and clients while investing the team to help them reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses. The second programme targets account managers and executives to help them with their own career development and executive management processes seamlessly. ‘This programmes’ says Cicely Ward, ‘will help them learn new skills, reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and perfect their own.’
‘This is something that the management team deliver every single month with their own departments tailoring it specifically to their speciality’ says Cicley, ‘The aim of this programme is to help them learn new skills, reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and perfect their own day-to-day duties’
Navigating the challenges for HR during remote working it is extremely important that employers maintain regular contact with employees and create an open space to raise concerns and are fully briefed on their workload. The development plan tackles these issues head on as the programmes are delivered on a monthly basis, including the workbook programme time, be it a skills reflection workshop, and 1-1 time to discuss the month previous, the month ahead and any other topics the want to share.
Why other business should be trialling this in the workplace
In light of the effects of the pandemic on business, HR leaders pivoted and adapted the ways they work and how staff workloads and company working were organised. The structures of the development programme help to accommodate employees transitioning to the new normal within the business landscape of working from home seamless. Embryo believes other businesses should be trailing their development plan in the workplace to not only help teams progress as much as possible with these adjustments but also to provide as much support for them in doing so.
Key issues for HR leaders to target while working from home involve remote support and supervision, while also keeping staff engaged. This is something that the digital agency suggests is addressed by the 1-1 monthly meeting with teams, specifically tailored to each department and speciality. For embryo, this branches across teams including digital PR, SEO, PPC, Social Media, Web etc. The limitations of a remote workforce are also challenged by the second management programme, delivered by operations manager, Cicely Ward, which assists in management processes, accommodating personal and professional goals to be revised and reflected on.
Part of the management programme offers guidance in supporting mental health in the workplace. This recognises how companies need to balance workloads as well as providing an interest in well-being alongside productivity.Mental health related work places absences in 2020 soared to a rocket cost of £14bn, increasing by £13.4bn from 2019, as reported in a study conducted by Westfield health. Embryo recognises the issues faced in navigating the current working climate and believes that their development plan aids their employees by providing a continued point of focus.
The development programme is extremely useful for companies experiencing rapid company growth as we see society and business across the UK begin to get back on their feet after the turbulent economic impact from the pandemic in 2020. Embryo has seen a rise in headcount of 16 new starters this year alone which is expected to continue to increase, calling for changes in internal HR, employment and management structures.
Cicely Ward comments ‘Towards the end of 2020, not only was our team getting bigger, but this also meant that our management team was also growing quickly. Therefore, providing the correct management guidance was really important to me’
Write up Embryo strives to go above and beyond, not only for clients, but also for the company by investing in our people, offering them support, and guiding them on how to progress both personally and professionally. Companies utilising the development programme set a high standard for the business and show any new members of the team how much the importance of personal development alongside professional goals. The monthly 1-1 structure again accommodate a seamless settling process to the internal communications and working of the business with the chance to reflect on personal development from the last month and set goals for the month ahead.
When
As we move further into new workings in 2021 business leaders and HR professionals must become more aware and conscious of ways in which workers can stay both professionally and emotionally connected. The development plan shines a spotlight on which companies can aid in both team and management professional and personal development and will potentially see an increase in interest from business leaders hoping to achieve a structure to accommodate this.
