Transforming Agency Culture: How Socialize Leveraged OnLoop for Continuous Growth
Introducing Socialize and the culture challenge agencies face
In the fast-paced world of digital agencies, success hinges on a strong company culture that fosters growth, collaboration, and innovation. Socialize is an award-winning, socially-led creative and media agency in Dubai and part of the We Are Social network. With a diverse team of over 60 individuals from different backgrounds, Socialize understands the importance of nurturing a culture that values curiosity, imagination, and individual contributions. With an impressive client portfolio and a commitment to staying ahead in an ever-evolving industry, Socialize sought a transformative solution that would empower their team members and revolutionize their approach to feedback, growth, and development.
Shifting the Paradigm: From Traditional Reviews to Continuous Development
Socialize recognized that the traditional performance review model was no longer effective in driving growth and development in their dynamic agency environment. Seeking a more agile and continuous approach, they turned to OnLoop, an innovative feedback and goal-setting platform. By implementing OnLoop, Socialize revolutionized their feedback and development processes, creating a culture of continuous improvement that resonated with their diverse team.
"I was very skeptical, I'm not gonna lie, but now that I have some way to track my own self as well because I add most of the improvements on my profile and I share them … So when I share an improvement I actually acknowledge the fact that this is something I need to work on and I need to tell [my manager] that I'm working on it." - Amr, Director @ Socialize
3 collaborative initiatives between OnLoop and Socialize drove continuous impact:
1. Running talent reviews with Prisms:
Socialize and OnLoop collaborated closely to conduct talent reviews exclusively using OnLoop's Prism feature. Socialize's CEO took on the role of the main champion and sponsor, driving the adoption of the new review process. The leadership team effectively communicated the changes to their functional organizations, ensuring clarity and understanding. OnLoop provided guidance and support throughout the process, creating a bespoke execution plan aligned with Socialize's needs. Regular check-ins and nudges further reinforced the progress towards Prisms, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
2. Monthly team awards based on OnLoop's data:
Socialize and OnLoop identified key behaviors aligned with the company's culture and importance. Through the use of OnLoop's data, three awards were designed to drive and celebrate these behaviors. The "Celebrated Rockstar" award recognized individuals who received the most Celebrate Captures, acknowledging their outstanding achievements. The "Cohesion Hero" award rewarded team members who actively shared their Captures with others, promoting collaboration. The "Improvement Champion" award recognized those who consistently captured and worked on self-improvement. A customized dashboard tailored to Socialize's needs showcased and celebrated these behaviors, fostering a positive and growth-oriented environment.
3. Personalized workshops based on Socialize's values:
OnLoop delivered tailored workshops and training sessions to address Socialize's most sought-after values. These workshops were customized to address specific and timely needs within the organization. Weekly education assets and reminders were provided through email to reinforce the learnings and encourage continuous growth. Specifically, "How to set the right Goals" workshops, utilizing the issue trees framework, equipped team members with effective goal-setting techniques. OnLoop offered support to leadership members, helping them break down company goals into manageable pieces for their team members, ensuring clarity and alignment in the pursuit of growth.
“OnLoop is proving to be monumentally important in kick-starting conversations that weren't happening. We're also seeing people start to re-frame the negativity they associate with 'feedback' into something more positive, viewing it as 'guidance' that they are actively seeing out amongst their peers.”Ailidh Smylie, MD @ Socialize
Results that Speak Volumes:
Habitual Feedback and Goal Setting:
With OnLoop, Socialize witnessed a remarkable shift in behavior. Instead of the occasional review meetings, team members embraced a habit of providing and receiving feedback and setting goals throughout the year. On average, Socialize team members now engage in approximately 20 activities per month, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.
Empowering Individual Ownership:
OnLoop's intuitive platform empowered team members to take ownership of their personal development journeys. Through self-reflection and capturing their improvements, team members acknowledged areas for growth and shared them with their managers. This sense of accountability and transparency not only fueled personal growth but also nurtured trust and collaboration within the team.
Integrated Culture of Feedback:
OnLoop's impact went beyond individual development, transforming Socialize's agency culture. The platform became an integral part of their daily interactions and conversations. Team members embraced "OnLoop slang" as a way to celebrate successes, seek feedback, and encourage growth. This shift in language and mindset cultivated a culture where feedback was embraced, valued, and celebrated.
AI-Generated Prism Summaries:
Leveraging the power of AI-generated Prism summaries, Socialize streamlined their full performance reviews. These automated summaries provided comprehensive insights into team members' performance, highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and growth opportunities. This data-driven approach enabled managers to have meaningful conversations and make informed decisions during performance evaluations.
"Now we have OnLoop slang. It's funny like a joke now, we will say give me an OnLoop rating, give me an OnLoop after a meeting or if someone does something very well would say, oh, this is going OnLoop. I think some part of our culture, it has become part of our ecosystem." - Amr, Director @ Socialize
Inspiring Transformation in the Digital Agency Landscape:
Socialize's success with OnLoop serves as an inspiring example for other digital agencies seeking to reshape their company culture, drive continuous growth, and empower their team members. By embracing a culture of continuous improvement and harnessing the power of technology, agencies can unlock their full potential and thrive in a rapidly changing industry.
Conclusion:
Socialize's journey with OnLoop is a testament to the transformative impact of a people-centric feedback and development platform. By replacing traditional performance reviews with continuous feedback and goal setting, Socialize fostered a culture of growth, collaboration, and innovation. The results speak for themselves: increased engagement, stronger relationships, and a vibrant agency culture that embraces feedback as a catalyst for success. As digital agencies navigate the ever-evolving landscape, the case of Socialize and OnLoop offers valuable insights and inspiration to revolutionize their approach to feedback, development, and culture.
