It’s our Sweet 16th!
That’s right, Agent was born 16 years ago! And what a journey it has been.
To celebrate our big day, we asked the team what they love most about working at Agent. We could go on forever, but to mark the occasion, we’ve picked our top 16…
1. We care.
We care about our clients. We care about the causes we choose to support and shout about. We care about what we attach our name to. We’re passionate about our beliefs and we’re not scared to let that be known. We have an amazing team of people who all care about what we do and equally, if not more importantly, we care about each other.
2. We get to unleash our creativity.
We have such a diverse range of clients at Agent. From environment, education, and charity, to transport, legal and the public sector – we cover a huge amount, which means the work we create varies greatly.
No two days or projects are ever the same and we love that about our work!
3. We’re part of a supportive, collaborative team.
It might sound cliché, but we’re truly lucky to be part of a team that has each other’s backs. Our team has grown significantly in the recent years, but that growth has only built a stronger and more supportive team.
Whether we need help with a project or simply an ear to listen; there will always be someone on hand to help. We’re a family, not a workforce.
4. Achieving big client wins and incredible results.
Having the opportunity to work alongside like-minded people who all strive to achieve industry-leading results is one of our biggest motivators at Agent. It’s what makes us, us, it’s why we work so well together and it’s why we have an extensive list of loyal partners who rely on us to make their businesses more successful year in, year out.
We love making good work, and our team put in 100% every day to make sure that happens.
5. Opportunity to pursue our personal passions.
More often than not, if you have personal passions, you take them up outside of worktime – not here. Here we merge our work with our passions and even sit on boards and represent the causes we care for.
We have Sana, who sits on the board for Be One Percent; Ben, who is an advisory board member for the Race Equality Support Group for LCR; Harriet, who is an advisory board member for Savera UK and Paul, who is deputy chair of Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (among his other roles!), plus many others who, because of Agent, get to be a voice for the things they care about.
6. Our actions speak louder than our words.
We know how difficult it can be to land a career in the digital and creative industries. In 2014, after recognising young people were battling a skills gap between education and the working world, we decided we wanted to offer a solution – and with that, Agent Academy, was born.
Since its launch, Agent Academy has helped hundreds of people not only get their foot into the door of the industry, but also become incredibly successful within it. We’re so proud of the life-changing impact it has had on young people all across the North West!
7. Opportunity to progress.
There is so much scope to grow at Agent and everyone has equal opportunities to do so. We know that standing still is often what leads to lack of motivation and desire; instead, the opportunity to climb the ladder is accessible and encouraged for all!
8. Learning and development.
Just like progression, learning and development is hugely prioritised at Agent, giving us the ability to develop on our existing skills as well as learn a whole range of new ones. Every year, every member of the team has 50 hours of designated learning and development time, where we can take the opportunity to learn something completely new, or build on our existing skills.
9. The work-life balance.
There is a big emphasis on work-life balance at Agent, and that comes from being part of a business that has the health and wellbeing of the team at its core. We’re encouraged to take breaks, go on holidays and rest. You can’t make good work if you hit burn-out, and we acknowledge and cater for that.
10. Regular cake and treats (and by regular, we mean daily).
It’s no secret that we love our sweet treats. Birthday? Cake. Big client win? Cake. Celebrating a personal milestone? Cake. It’s Monday morning? You guessed it, cake. What can we say, cake is a huge motivator here…
11. The dogs, obviously.
Let’s face it, working in a dog-friendly office is something most of us wish for, and we’re fortunate enough to live that dream. You all know our Head of Security, Leo; well, he’s not the only four-legged Agent that steals our treats, scares our delivery drivers, and demands attention all day long. We have a whole pack of pooches that attend the office regularly!
12. A true team spirit.
While we’re experts in our field, we’re not perfect and there are times where we need extra support from each other. We love that through the environment we have at Agent, we’re not scared when this happens. It doesn’t full us with dread like it could elsewhere. Instead, we know we can call on the help of others who will offer support through the situation and help find a solution. There’s no competition, just togetherness.
13. Freedom, equality and diversity.
Freedom comes in so many forms, and we channel it all. The freedom to express and present new ideas and feel listened. The freedom to try new things and learn new skills. The freedom to be our true authentic selves and be respected for whoever we are.
We’re a diverse bunch at Agent; from experience, background, and education to culture, lifestyle, and beliefs. We love the fact we all bring something completely different to the party and we’re all equally valued for what makes us unique.
14. Our culture.
As you can gather, our people and culture are the foundations of what makes Agent, Agent; from our elaborate birthday ceremonies, our Agent jukebox, our regular social outings and business events, our weird and wonderful humour, and the overall individuality of our team, when we’re together, there is never a dull day.
15. Our studios.
We have the added bonus of boasting two incredible spaces in both Liverpool and Manchester’s city centres. Sitting in the social hubs of both cities, we’re never too far from a coffee shop, café, restaurant, or bar for those after-work drinks!
16. Making good work.
We don’t just talk about the causes we care about at Agent, we put our money where our mouth is. With a roster of leading clients who share our values, we’ve had the privilege to be part of a host of impactful campaigns that truly make a difference.
Over the last 16 years, we’ve worked on projects and put the spotlight on incredibly important issues including as racism, diversity, equality, mental health, famine, deforestation, and climate change.
We can’t wait to see what the future holds and how we’ll continue contributing to making a difference.
16 years later and we’re still as passionate, inspired, driven and nutty as we were back on day one. In the words of our CEO, Paul, “you don’t have to be mad to work here, but it helps!”.
Happy birthday, Agent!