Talent Talk: Why Mona Munayyer Gonzalez Believes ‘Listening’ Is Her Agency’s Superpower
Between global pandemics, a remote working revolution and global movements calling for greater diversity, equality and accessibility in the creative industries, there has never been such a focus on talent in our business as there is right now. This series dedicated to the future of creative teams is supported by Partners in Crime (PiC). Founder of PiC, Stephen ‘Goldie’ Goldblatt, is throwing open a discussion on what’s next for talent. Hearing from some of the industry’s most forging agency leaders, heads of talent, culture and diversity, we will explore what leaders think we really need to do to retain and attract the best creative minds in the business AND deliver what clients need, in one fell swoop.
In this edition of Talent Talk, LBB’s Addison Capper speaks with Mona Munayyer Gonzalez, chief growth officer at Pereira O’Dell and Serviceplan Americas. She speaks about issues caused by job descriptions’ insistence on ‘agency experience’, the virtues of listening as a business, and the importance of balancing company changes with moments of stability.
LBB> What would you say is the most outdated belief system affecting the way agencies hire and retain talent?
Mona> Adding ‘agency experience’ as a boilerplate to every job description. Sometimes, this is a valid request. Other times, particularly for entry or mid-level positions, we need to assess if spending time at another agency is truly critical, as it might discourage folks from non-traditional backgrounds from even applying. In general, putting rigour around how we craft job descriptions is critical to challenging the status quo ‘requirements’ and thinking about how they can create barriers of entry to this industry.
LBB> How would you describe the unique way that Pereira O’Dell attracts creative talent?
Mona> We talk a lot about how our agency superpower is the ability to listen. Not just to what’s being said, but what’s left ‘unsaid’ in conversations. This is very much true in our recruitment experience. Prospective talent absolutely care about compensation and titles (as they should), but the bulk of our conversations are helping to answer their questions about our culture, growth opportunities, policies, etc. We do listen to what’s being said on Fishbowl and Glassdoor, because whether agencies want to credit it or not, it is the main place where employees talk about what’s important to their work experience.
If you listen, it’s clear that attracting talent means giving them an accurate view of what’s inside the house, and our director of recruitment, Allison Lu, does an amazing job of that. What’s in order? What are we still working on? Who are the people, what are their stories? Do we have shared values? So, providing a clear picture of our environment to potential employees is critical.
That could mean having them come visit our spaces and see the energy themselves. It might be a non-traditional interview process that gets to what’s at the heart of their decision, like introducing a prospective talent to an employee who also has young kids to share about what it’s been like as a working parent here.
We are paying attention. That shows in Allison’s recruiting work.
LBB> When it comes to retaining that talent, what are some key elements of the working environment and culture that play into that?
Mona> Retention is a balance between constant iteration and the feeling of stability.
Our ‘People’ team is constantly evaluating what’s most valuable to our employees. We’re independent, which gives us the ability to quickly change. Could that training have been better? Good, let’s look at some new ways to ensure continuous learning. Are the teams inspired with the work we’re doing? Let’s see if anyone has a passion they want to bring forward and build it into our work.
This is a double-edged sword, though. If we pivot too quickly or often, it can give our people whiplash. So we balance the changes with what we believe is the number one contributor to emotional stability in an agency — a strong community strategy. Creating cultural moments where teammates can hear each other’s stories, learn from each other, just FEEL the community they are a part of, reminds us that we are not alone. In today’s environment, that is invaluable.
LBB> The 2023 global economy is in a tricky place. Naturally, this is impacting different companies in different ways, but I’m intrigued to know if it is having any impact at all on your staffing models at Pereira O’Dell? If so, how?
Mona> We just celebrated our 15th anniversary, and in that time we’ve been able to become a seasoned independent shop, which is pretty unique in the industry today. We’ve felt the ebb and flow of the economy, how it deeply affects our brand partners and what works/doesn’t. Especially in a time where clients are feeling more pressure and taking on more individual responsibility, it’s critical that we quickly show them how we can build their business. It’s not just about how we provide creative excellence, but also excellence in business strategy that secures budgets and calms organisational fears.
LBB> The agency is expanding - you recently acquired a minority stake in L&C NYC, and both agencies now make up the creative arm of Serviceplan Americas. Expansion is obviously a positive thing, but what are some key things to consider when it comes to keeping company culture intact, and staff happy and productive?
Mona> This is exactly why we chose to define my role as ‘chief growth officer’ to address growth of the business and of our people. If you expand while having an unhappy team, the runway on your expansion will be pretty short. As an executive team, we are constantly asking ourselves, “How will this decision affect our employees’ experiences?”
Growth of our people means a few different things. It means that despite expansion, our individual agencies should be able to express their own brands. The L&C proposition differs from Pereira O’Dell’s, and that’s a beautiful way for us to deepen our creative bench for both agencies.
It also means doubling down on performance (how am I doing?) and development (where am I going?) discussions. In moments of growth, your talent wants to know where they stand, what they can work harder at and if they’re valued. Right now, we’re investing not just in new talent, but tools and resources to keep these conversations helpful and equitable across Pereira O’Dell.
LBB> How does Pereira O’Dell ensure it is creating an inclusive environment for all employees?
Mona> Our mission as it relates to inclusivity is three-fold, with each challenge directly impacting how our employees experience the agency:
- How are we changing the behaviour of our agency to be a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive place to work? This comes down to our policies and practices – our beliefs in action – that protect and inspire our teammates.
- How are we making sure that the work we share into the world is positive, progressive, and leads to change? This makes sure employees are proud of the work they touch.
- How are we influencing the advertising industry as a whole? This gives folks a chance to look outside of our walls to build and learn.
LBB> What is the secret to forging long-lasting cultural impact?
Mona> There is no secret. That’s the beauty of this industry. Advertising has some of the best creative minds who are actually influencing culture, and there’s still no guarantee as to what will last and what will fade away. It’s fun to be surprised by what has staying power.
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