In-house Headcount Is on the Rise
A recent article in Campaign summarised the findings of our joint research with IHALC around the current growth state of in-house agencies and brands choosing to bring their creative operations under direct control.
The headline statistic reports that of approximately 50 UK Brands surveyed, almost half (48%) confirmed an increase in headcount over the past 12 months.
Our research also found that almost a quarter (22%) of brands with in-house agencies reported over half of their talent had swapped agency-side positions for client-side roles, with only 25% reported as internal hires.
Work/life balance and the scope for greater brand immersion and impact on the creative process were two of the most cited reasons offered by respondents who had made the switch, with others reporting the desire for a fresh perspective and a change from outdated agency working models.
“Once seen as limiting for creativity, IHAs (in-house agencies) are now demonstrating their creative capabilities, winning awards and challenging traditional external agencies.
We’ve witnessed top talent from some of the best external agencies choosing to move in-house, drawn by the opportunity to work more closely with the brands they’re passionate about.” said, Melissa Smith, founder and managing director, The Industry Club
However, the rise of in-house agencies has not been without its own frustrations, with a number of those surveyed commenting on the amount of time taken to recruit talent and the perceived lack of knowledge about the unique needs of a creative agency by in-house recruitment teams. This, in turn, leads to the not-uncommon issue of extra workload on in-house agency management created by higher volumes of poorly filtered CVs.
Melissa comments, “At The Industry Club, the challenge around identifying and attracting top talent, particularly in senior roles, is something we hear from our in-house clients on a regular basis, and it’s something that has taken time to overcome. However, over the last 12 months, we have noticed a positive shift in the perception of in-house agencies amongst many of our senior candidates."
If you’d like to read the full report on our research conducted with IHALC, and hear more about our perspective on the opportunities and issues it highlights, you canvisit our report page here.
