Inclusion is a central part of success and data teams are at the forefront of demonstrating the value of a diverse and inclusive team dynamic, with Digitas at the pinnacle. Digitas saw the need for inclusive backgrounds not as a problem but a solution, to see how individuals could come together to deliver better and more diversified work.
The Data Science and Analytics team at Digitas shifted its focus on how diversity and inclusivity is utilised within its approach, demonstrating a large degree of transformation with excellent results. The Digitas Data Science and Analytics team was able to highlight why it should win the title of Best Data and Analytics Team through incredible growth in team size, improved revenue, and decreased churn.
Changing the team and perhaps the industry
Digitas had a siloed data team and the shortage of data skills across the UK exacerbated the cycle where overworked team members struggled to retain the passion that made them join the team. In the second half of 2019, churn was at 40%. This was highlighted by the fact that even though the business was growing, data-contributed revenue remained flat as the data team was very busy, but not growing or evolving as a team.
In the world of data and analytics, a need for diversity and inclusion of underrepresented backgrounds has long been recognised – Digitas saw this as a solution to ensure better, more equitable work, while addressing a lack of data skills in the market. By embracing a new approach to inclusivity and diversity, Digitas has seen a growing team (up 66% to 90 practitioners) and revenue (improved 83%) in the last two years and reducing Digitas’ data team churn to just 14%.
The next generation
To make long-lasting change, Digitas needed to change its approach to recruitment at all levels. In 2020, the team leveraged the Level 4 Data Analytics apprenticeship programme and welcomed their first ever apprentices. By 2021, the programme had been expanded further to accommodate more apprentices and evolved targets.
In 2022, Digitas created its first class of entry level analysts, representing a shift in terms of who was being brought into the team and the process in which this was happening. The data leaders decided to exclusively bring in entry level talent at lower levels of the team and prioritise internal promotions. This helped build a stronger and more consistent culture, and the revenue growth would soon follow. The collaboration with external partners resulted in the placement of 35% growth in hiring level entry level analysts.
Elsewhere, Digitas looked at nurturing mid and senior levels through a series of new programmes and diversification of work, tools, and skills.
- In 2021 an online solution was made available for free to everyone that strips out identifying characteristics in CVs.
- A restructured Digitas India data team – previously “front office” (UK) and “back office” (India) into a single function – sharing all work and responsibilities and improving scalability with an expanded pool of resources.
- Class Meetings were created to break down silos between projects, foster collaborative problem-solving, and empower analysts to take ownership of their growth.
- AI Labs and Practice was built exposing all analysts to cutting-edge technologies like machine learning, deep learning, transformers, and more.
- L&D outside of the existing knowledge pool was introduced through partnership with DataCamp, including custom learning tracks.
- A redefinition of titles and pay to align to UK industry standards was put in place, ensuring banding was fair and equitable.
- Five specialisms were developed and aligned to existing and pipeline work, with coordinated learning tracks against each.
- Values used in hiring, goal setting, and reviews were established as a team.
Immediate impact
The impact of these new approaches has been profound and quick. In the last two years the team has grown by two-thirds, 2023 churn was substantially reduced to just 14% – a world away from the 2022 churn, and significantly below the industry standard of 32.5%. The average tenure has increased to four years (against a two-and-a-half-year industry standard) and Digitas’ analysts are more skilled and happier, scoring above the agency average of 7/10 in the latest engagement survey. There have been 15 promotions in the past 12 months (which is 34% of the department) and, most staggering of all, has been the growth in data-led revenue – up 83% since 2022 – all while guaranteeing salaries are benchmarked to industry standards, and reducing billable hours to 80%.
Elsewhere, externally the impact has been felt across a breadth of Digitas clients. One major electronic client implemented five analysts from within the programme as well as senior leads committed to a new way of working. The results have been remarkable: automation of their reporting, saving over one day per week, three-times the speed to insight, and a 1.3 times improvement in generated revenue in 2023.
By transforming the internal recruitment process, fostering a culture of collaboration and learning, focusing on improving retention, and integrating cutting-edge technologies – all through the power of diversity – Digitas has demonstrated how businesses can unleash the full potential of data teams from revenue to happiness.
