This case study explores how we helped a leading global retail brand transform their creative and marketing resourcing model.
When one of the world’s most recognisable retail brands faced the need to reinvent how their creative and marketing teams worked, the stakes were high. We were invited to help them navigate this transformation, delivering on a smarter, leaner, and more flexible model that would allow them to deliver world-class content and campaigns without the cost burden of a traditional resourcing model. One that not only solved immediate challenges but laid the foundation for a future-proof, agile workforce.
The challenge ahead
Our client, a global retail brand, house internal creative, marketing and digital teams. We have been working with them for over 10 years, supporting them with ad-hoc freelance support and some contractors to fulfil project needs and manage workflow peaks.
Some 18 months ago, the brand undertook a review of the structure and strategy of their teams, based on changing needs within the business. This resulted in a strategy to establish a smaller, leaner permanent team in the UK and move some roles into other global offices. The UK would blend this smaller permanent workforce, with flexible contract resource to ensure cost efficient and exceptional delivery of planned and ad hoc projects. There were several considerations to factor into the most effective way to move to this model.
Click to download full transcript
The reality check
- To reduce costs, they would need to reduce their reliance on external agencies. Using freelancers made business sense.
- Being a global business, they didn’t have a well-established structure or capability to pay contractors directly. They’d need to build in a payment solution.
- They had some known freelancers on their roster but were aware their fixed payment terms were not favourable to those freelancers, and they would need more freelancers onboarded who they could rely on
- They predicted an increasing need to deliver digital assets across social media, and therefore needed to source new skill sets, including freelance Motion Designers and Social Content Creators
- They also had plans for longer-term digital creative hires but wanted to integrate a viability check into their new working model. They would use short term resource before committing to long-term, permanent hires.
The solution
Based on the existing relationship and trust that had been built with us here, at Beyond The Book, we were consulted as to what we could deliver against their needs and considerations.
It was established that:
- Our dedicated Contracts team had the capacity and experience to fully manage this large and important project
- Our access to a vast number of varied skill sets, would enable quick sourcing of fresh freelancers
- Our experience of IR35 legislation would ensure all freelancers and contractors would meet IR35 compliance stipulations
- Our access to vast numbers of freelancers meant we could select only those who could work within strict budgets, and still deliver people quickly
- With our capability to pay the freelancers and contractors, they could seamlessly outsource the payment, including their own existing freelancers/contractors
What happened next
Our client decided this fully-managed service would be the most efficient path to make their new blended work model thrive, and quickly.
We went on to work with various line managers across the creative and marketing teams to understand what their unique needs were and sourced and introduced the right contractors that aligned perfectly. And we continue to do so!
We have successfully implemented a new timesheet system that allows us to pay the contractors within 7 days of invoicing, once moved across to the new system.
We are managing 19 contractors across the various teams ensuring contract and compliance details, IR35 determinations and payments and processes are adhered to stringently.
The result – what a feeling!
It’s been a journey and one that has solved multiple problems through our one-stop solution, and we continue to enjoy working with their teams. Our clients within the business feel confident and secure in our ability to enable them to meet their internal objectives, which can be ever changing and challenging.
