Greenhouse Creative Agency

Success Story

How Sleek HR Transformed EDI Strategy to Drive Business Growth for a Mid-Size Creative Agency

A mid-sized creative agency with 65 employees was facing a critical challenge—while they valued diversity and inclusion, they lacked a structured, long-term EDI strategy to turn this vision into reality.

The Back Story

The leadership team identified several gaps:

Lack of workforce insights—they had no clear demographic data to understand representation and progression gaps.
Struggles with attracting top diverse talent—they were not reaching underrepresented talent pools, limiting innovation and fresh perspectives.
Employee disengagement and retention risks—employees from minoritised backgrounds felt career progression was unclear, leading to concerns over inclusion and long-term retention.
Outdated policies and unclear accountability—without a structured EDI roadmap, their approach lacked consistency, potentially putting them at risk of legal and reputational damage.

Without intervention, the agency faced talent drain, increased recruitment costs, and weaker positioning in a highly competitive industry where clients increasingly expect inclusive workplaces.

The Solution: A Data-Driven, Business-Aligned EDI Strategy

Sleek HR partnered with the agency’s leadership team to develop a three-year EDI strategy, fully integrated with their business objectives and talent strategy.

How We Did It

Workforce Data & Benchmarking: We conducted a deep dive into their workforce composition, collecting demographic insights and benchmarking against competitors to identify gaps in hiring, progression, and retention.
Clear EDI Targets & Accountability: Set measurable goals focused on improving representation across all levels, with leadership buy-in and clear accountability.
Inclusive Policy & Culture Audit: Reviewed and refined recruitment, progression, and workplace policies to eliminate bias and ensure a truly inclusive employee experience.
Employer Brand & External Positioning: Strengthened external messaging by actively engaging with diverse professional networks and ensuring their EDI values were visible across all their channels.

Key Outcomes & Business Impact

Stronger Employer Brand & Market Positioning

The agency became widely recognised as an employer of choice, leading to:

A 40% increase in applications from underrepresented talent pools.
More inbound interest from high-calibre candidates looking for an inclusive workplace.
A positive ripple effect on their client relationships, as clients valued their commitment to inclusion.

Higher Employee Engagement & Retention

Employees felt more valued and saw clearer career pathways, leading to:

A 30% increase in engagement scores in employee feedback surveys.
Higher retention rates, particularly among ethnically diverse and disabled employees, reducing recruitment and training costs.

Data-Backed Decision-Making

A newly implemented EDI dashboard enabled real-time tracking of diversity metrics, helping leadership to measure progress and adjust strategies proactively.

Stronger Leadership Buy-In & Long-Term Strategy:

Initially hesitant, leadership fully embraced the strategy once presented with data showing both business risks of inaction and competitive advantages of a diverse workforce.

Had the agency not taken action, they risked:

Loss of top talent—without a clear EDI framework, they would struggle to attract and retain the best people.
Weakened client trust—as businesses increasingly expect inclusive partners, the agency could have lost key accounts due to a lack of diversity efforts.
Lower employee morale & engagement—disengaged employees often lead to lower productivity and innovation.
Reputational risks & compliance issues—without inclusive policies, they risked legal and brand damage

Learn more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) >

Protect Your Business & Strengthen Your Workplace Culture

This agency’s transformation highlights that EDI is not just a moral imperative—it’s a business advantage. A strong inclusion strategy not only attracts top-tier talent but also enhances your brand reputation, strengthens client relationships, and boosts employee engagement.

Want to make your business an employer of choice?

Let’s talk. Book a call today and take the first step toward a smarter, data-driven EDI strategy.

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