Adhesive publicly publishes salary bands as part of culture code overhaul
As part of its recent rebrand, independent PR and comms agency Adhesive has created a new culture code, focusing on safety, development, and transparency – including sharing its monthly financial performance with the team and publicly publishing salary bands for the first time ever.
Having recognised that the industry has changed, the agency has changed, and clients’ needs have changed, Adhesive’s founder and MD, Mike Maurice, knew he needed to look at Adhesive’s brand with a fresh perspective.
Also recognising the agency’s success has always been in direct parallel with how strong its culture is, he knew any kind of refresh would come out of its purpose, which in turn, informs culture.
Developing a new culture code was a priority to Maurice, as working in a culture that “delivers on the positive” is a must-have for self-preservation, innovation, and collaboration. And the reality was, the agency never had a formal culture code – it lived and existed informally.
“While I don’t believe there was anything wrong with the approach, we’re an agency that’s constantly looking at itself and trying new things,” Maurice told Mumbrella. “A large part of being at Adhesive is giving something a go and we’re not afraid to fail.
“For thirteen years, we have always tried to lead with clear expectations, empathy but also having fun at every possible point along the way,” he continued.
“Those who know us well enough would – I hope – say we’re fun to be around, try to see the positive in everything but are serious and passionate about what we do.”
Adhesive’s new purpose – ‘Create Impact Through Storytelling’ – communicates the agency’s ‘why’, as “storytelling has, is, and will continue to be a powerful practice to make a positive impact both commercially and socially”.
And the impact comes across three key areas – client, staff, and community. Breaking those down, there are three common themes that continue to surface – safety, development, and transparency.
Safety
Starting with safety, Maurice said he has learnt over the years that a culture code needs to assume there is a lot about a person that a workplace doesn’t know, and will probably never know.
The safety section reminds staff that they have the choice to disclose their own ‘why’ – without judgement – and the agency will support them no matter what.
“Don’t assume that work is their be-all-and-end-all. Don’t get annoyed or frustrated if work is simply a means to fund a different purpose in their lives. It’s hugely liberating for all when there’s just some honesty around this,” he said.
“At Adhesive, we encourage team members to be honest and say what they want. It’s much easier for us to build your career development in collaboration with us, rather than dictate KPIs that might not serve your purpose at all.”
Development
Falling out of safety is development. Maurice explained that once someone feels safe, they’ll be in a better mindset to develop.
Staff are given standalone development plans and budgets, tailored to their person goals.
“Again, we encourage honesty here. I’m not naive to think that all my staff will be at Adhesive for the rest of their lives. Adhesive may be a very helpful stepping stone to their next venture,” he continued.
“I have had many staff in the past be honest and say they are thinking about Europe, an in-house role or a specific niche. That doesn’t mean they hate me or Adhesive. They are entitled to pursue their own goals and ambitions because they have more clarity in what they want to chase or they feel they may have simply outgrown us. None of this is bad or should be awkward.”
While it may sound counterintuitive, Maurice described it like “collaborating on an exit strategy from day one”.
He explained: “I’ve worked with staff on a collaborative exit strategy that will help them get that next role. We’ve had staff that have given us a 6 month heads up because they want to go in-house. That’s fine – let’s rework your KPIs for your remaining time with us to upskill you in areas needed for when you apply for that new role.”
Transparency
And finally, transparency. We all know a lack of transparency can lead to distrust – and Maurice recognised that’s an unwanted weight to carry.
“There’s often a lot of secrecy around all sorts that in reality aren’t really that important when you think about it,” he said. “So at Adhesive we are very transparent across a couple of areas.”
Every month, Adhesive will disclose its financial performance to staff, giving them insight into how the agency is doing, where it is performing well, and where it might need to improve.
Meanwhile, Adhesive will publicly publish salary bands for each level within the agency.
Described as a “really transparent way” to show what value you’re putting on specific roles, Maurice said the decision to do this came about as a solution to some industry talent challenges.
“Post Covid, the talent market was a free-for-all. Every agency was looking to hire, few talent were looking to move and this was all wrapped up in huge fear and uncertainty,” he explained. “Throw into the mix the subterfuge around gender pay gaps and we compound the distrust.
“It’s also such a waste of everyone’s time. Isn’t it much easier to know what someone is prepared to pay before starting a long potentially energy-sapping process? By doing it this way, you’re now both in the room aligned and aware of salary, meaning you can now spend the time talking about how you can fulfil each other’s ambitions. It’s a lot more comfortable and productive.”
While he acknowledged that this may make the agency vulnerable to counter offers or talent poachers, he backed the decision, adding: “…we pay very competitive salaries and as part of the broader offering we should be able to retain and attain the best.”
Publishing salary bands is one of the best moves an employer can make, according to recruiting expert and founder of Latte Recruitment, Dean Connelly.
“When job seekers are considering making a move, they look for businesses that show them what it’s like to work there, not tell them,” he commented.
“This bold move by Adhesive shows the transparent culture they have created. It helps to minimise the gender and diversity pay gap and allow team members to have more productive conversations around salary when it comes to review time.”
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