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Research by The Creative Group and AIGA Outlines Strategies for Overcoming Hurdles

• Most creative and marketing professionals rate their company's digital strategy fair or poor
• A majority of creative and marketing professionals say their teams are understaffed
• Report highlights skills in demand, staffing best practices from companies with strong digital programs

MENLO PARK, CA, Nov. 1, 2017 /CNW/ - To help creative and marketing teams overcome common barriers to digital innovation at their organizations, The Creative Group has published a new white paper, Step Up Your Digital Game: Lessons From In-House Creative Teams, available at www.roberthalf.com/research-and-insights/workplace-research/tips-from-top-creative-teams. It provides insight into how leading companies such as A+E Networks, Microsoft and IBM Watson are approaching digital initiatives, as well as tips for building high-performance teams.

Among the key findings:

• Room for growth: More than half of creative and marketing professionals (55 per cent) rated their organization's digital marketing strategy as fair or poor. When asked which department is responsible for planning, executing and evaluating digital marketing initiatives, only 29 per cent reported a dedicated digital team.
• Hiring hurdles: Seventy-one per cent of creative and marketing professionals said it's challenging to find talent with up-to-date digital skills. The technical skills most lacking on their teams include:

1. Data science, data analysis and A/B testing
2. Web and user experience (UX) design
3. Content creation and content marketing
4. Search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM) and pay-per-click (PPC) marketing

• On the brink of burnout: Nearly one-third of respondents (31 per cent) said they work more than 50 hours a week, and nearly half (47 per cent) feel they work more hours than colleagues in other departments.
• Help wanted: Seventy per cent of creative professionals said their teams are understaffed, and the top areas they would like to hire are web design and production and print design and production. More than six in 10 marketers (64 per cent) also reported being shorthanded, and the top areas they would like to hire are digital marketing strategy, SEO and SEM.

"A primary challenge for many creative and marketing teams looking to expand their digital capabilities is finding people with the right hard and soft skills and a passion for problem solving," said Diane Domeyer, executive director of The Creative Group. "Top digital talent is rare in today's competitive employment market. When hiring managers come across promising candidates, they need to move quickly and be prepared to negotiate salary and perks or risk losing them to competing offers."

About the Research
The survey was developed and conducted by The Creative Group in collaboration with AIGA, the professional association for design, and Graphic Design USA. It includes responses from nearly 600 creative and marketing professionals with hiring authority.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in connecting interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations talent with the best companies on a project, contract-to-hire and full-time basis. For more information, including job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's blog, visit roberthalf.ca/creativegroup. Follow us at roberthalf.ca/blog and @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter for additional workplace news and hiring trends.

About AIGA
AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage and vital cultural force. As the largest community of design advocates, AIGA brings together practitioners, enthusiasts and patrons to amplify the voice of design and create the vision for a collective future. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all. Learn more at aiga.org.

SOURCE The Creative Group