Building in-house teams with flexible talent

At our IHALC breakfast on 25 March, in partnership with YunoJuno, Pepsico Sips & Bites CCO Matt Watson told us how he had used a mix of flexible and fixed talent to build his award-winning team. Following his talk, the assembled in-house leaders split into groups to discuss their own approach to building a creative culture and using flexible talent to support it.

We’ve brought together key insights from the ensuing discussion here to give an overview of the key challenges and strategies at play.

How do in-house agencies balance perm and freelance staff?

In-house agencies (IHAs) employ various strategies to balance permanent and freelance staff, driven by factors like skill gaps, flexibility, workload fluctuations, and budget considerations. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and the ideal balance often depends on the IHA’s size, the nature of its work, and its strategic goals

Key considerations include:

• Addressing Skill Gaps: A primary reason for hiring freelancers is to access specialised skills that may not exist within the permanent team. This allows IHAs to bring in experts for specific projects, such as cultural creatives, brand design specialists, social media content creators, or 3D visualisers. This targeted approach helps elevate the quality of work and introduce new perspectives.
• Providing Flexibility and Managing Workload: Freelancers offer IHAs the flexibility to scale their teams up or down based on project demands and busy periods. This is particularly useful for handling peak workloads, rebrands, or the launch of new brands. Instead of permanently increasing headcount, which can lead to idle resources during quieter times, freelancers can be brought in for specific durations.
• Strategic Blends and Ratios: IHAs experiment with different ratios of permanent to freelance staff. Some aim for a blended model, with a 60% permanent and 40% freelance split being not uncommon . However, this can vary significantly depending on the IHA’s focus. For instance, an IHA heavily involved in production might have a higher proportion of freelance partners. Conversely, an IHA with a consistent, predictable workload might lean towards a predominantly permanent team.
• Long-Term Freelance Engagements: Some IHAs utilise long-term freelance contracts, sometimes spanning six months to a year or even longer. These freelancers often become highly integrated into the team, functioning almost as extensions of the permanent staff. However, these arrangements need to carefully navigate regulations like IR35 to ensure compliance.
• “Permalancers” and Cultural Integration: Many IHAs consider their regular freelancers (“permalancers”) as part of their family and actively integrate them into cultural initiatives. Their fresh perspectives and stories are valued. This approach helps foster a sense of unity and shared purpose, even with a flexible workforce.
• Balancing Cost and Expertise: While permanent staff provide consistent brand knowledge and team cohesion, freelancers can offer access to top talent without the long-term financial commitments of full-time employment. IHAs must weigh the cost-effectiveness of each model against the specific needs of their projects and the desired level of expertise.
• Addressing Concerns of Permanent Staff: IHAs need to be mindful of how the use of freelance specialists might be perceived by their permanent staff . Concerns can arise about job security or the feeling of being less specialised . To mitigate this, IHAs emphasise that bringing in freelancers is often for learning opportunities and to broaden the skills of the permanent team, rather than a reflection of their capabilities.
• Impact of Corporate Red Tape: Corporate procurement processes, HR policies, and regulations like IR35 can influence the ease and frequency of hiring freelancers. Lengthy onboarding processes and payment terms can deter some freelancers. Some IHAs have found ways to circumvent these hurdles, such as working with specialised agencies or classifying freelancers as individual suppliers.
• Evolution of the Model: The balance between perm and freelance staff can evolve as the IHA matures. Newer IHAs might rely more heavily on freelancers to build capacity and demonstrate their capabilities . As they grow and gain trust within the organisation, they might shift towards a more permanent structure or a refined blended model.

In essence, in-house agencies strategically leverage a mix of permanent and freelance talent to achieve their creative and business objectives. The optimal balance is a dynamic consideration, influenced by a multitude of internal and external factors, requiring careful planning and management to ensure both efficiency and a positive team culture.

How are freelance creatives onboarded into in-house teams?

The onboarding of freelance creatives into in-house teams involves several key strategies to ensure they feel welcome, become productive quickly, and understand the team’s culture and the brand(s) they will be working on.

Here are the common approaches:

• Welcoming and Integration:

◦ Freelancers are often treated as part of the “family” … and integrated into cultural initiatives .

◦ Efforts are made to make them feel welcome, similar to new permanent staff.

◦ This can include informal connections and making them feel part of the team.

◦ Inviting them to relevant meetings from the start helps them learn the culture of the place by observing how everyone behaves .

• Buddy Systems:

◦ Implementing buddy systems is a common practice where a new freelancer is paired with a permanent team member (or sometimes another freelancer).

◦ The buddy can help with practicalities like where to go for lunch, how to find assets on the server, and understanding internal processes .

◦ Buddies also provide a point of contact for any questions, including the “is this just me or is this really weird?” type of queries

◦ For freelancers, buddying up with other freelancers can be helpful for navigating things like timesheets and protocols .

◦ The buddy might also be responsible for shaping the new freelancer and ensuring they are integrated .

• Brand and Project Onboarding:

◦ Providing freelancers with clear brand guidelines and information about the brand’s history, creative strategy, and any previous work is crucial

◦ This helps them understand the brand’s identity and avoid pitching ideas that are off-brand or have been previously rejected.

◦ For established brands with extensive guidelines (eg a 70-page brand book), ensuring freelancers understand these is important for maintaining brand consistency.

◦ In some cases, a quick “showreel” or presentation of the broader business’s creative work is shared to bring the creative crew up to speed.

• Logistical and Practical Information:

◦ Onboarding includes showing them around the physical workspace if they are working on-site, such as a campus tour.

◦ Providing access to necessary tools, systems, and assets is essential for them to do their work

◦ This might involve a resource assistant showing them processes like picking up a laptop.

• Cultural Immersion:

◦ Bringing freelancers into the office, even if just for one day a week, is seen as beneficial for building team culture and allowing them to absorb the environment

◦ Inviting them to social events or informal gatherings can help break down barriers and foster better relationships.

• Adapting to Different Engagement Lengths:

◦ The onboarding process might need to be adapted based on whether the freelancer is engaged for a short period (e.g., one week) or a longer term (e.g., several months)

◦ For longer-term freelancers who become almost an extension of the permanent team, a more comprehensive onboarding experience might be necessary

The in-house leaders present emphasised that effective onboarding is not just about the practicalities but also about making freelance creatives feel like valued members of the team, enabling them to contribute their skills and fresh perspectives effectively while aligning with the in-house agency’s culture and brand objectives.

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