Agency correspondent Heather Nichols spoke to Jackson Clark, managing director of patch marketing, about the importance of workplace culture within the agency.
At Patch Marketing, a full-service digital marketing agency, a strong workplace culture is the foundation for everything and shapes how teams work, partner clients, technology to use, and how talent can be developed. It is the first philosophy of those who prioritize happiness, autonomy and long-term implementation.
Managing Director Jackson Clark said: “My business is an extension of me. The idea that someone can come and hate being here. That’s scary to me. I want people to come and feel empowered and excited.
Optimizing work-life patterns
When it comes to patch marketing, work-life balance is a must. To develop a healthier and more productive workplace, agents rethink traditional work structures from flexible hours to four and a half days, placing health and autonomy at the heart of their culture.
Originally operated on a normal five-day service, the company went down to four-day service on an 80% salary to maintain the lighting. Clark said: “As a result, we felt that our output was the same and that the quality of our work was better because people weren’t tired.”
After the pandemic, agents opted for a four-and-a-half week week, closing at 1pm on Friday. Clark said: “If a client sends an email on a Thursday afternoon, it’s not enough to not be able to contact us until Monday. A 1 o’clock finish on Friday means people can switch off properly.
It also offers Flexi Time. This means that employees can start work anytime between 8am and 10am and 4:30am and 6:30pm. This allows employees to do the best job for them, whether they want to work hard in the evening or start running school in the morning. Clark said:
He continues: “I prioritize the happiness of the team above everything else. If they take care of them, they do the best job, and that’s great for the client.”
Since implementing these policies, Clark explains that employees are not tired and therefore less mistakes are coming from employees.
Energy-giving partnership
Patch Marketing also ensures that through “client testing” you will only partner with clients that do not cause unnecessary stress. Clark said: “Chemistry is a big deal for us. When we’re pitching, it’s a two-way process. We want to work with the people who are with us. People who share our values.
The agency also set regular review points to reflect how things are going from both sides. Clark said: “It’s not just about fees, it’s about relationships. If something feels stressful or unfair, it can have a ripple effect on the whole team.
“We are always trying to have open and honest conversations, and if it’s not working, we’re not afraid to leave. Of course we might suggest other agencies better.
This approach builds on mutual respect, aligned values and shared commitment to long-term success, ensuring happiness and work-life balance are at the heart of all partnerships.
Technology that provides services rather than confusing
In terms of how agents use technology within their work, it ensures that technology is supported but not replaced, and gives employees the ability to remain creative while they have the tools that help them streamline their work and speed up their processes. Agents also don’t need to have many different tools to ensure they invest in the right software. For example, use Click-Up as a task management system, a complete tool that covers everything you need within a task management system.
Clark said: “Our spirit is: It should help. Rather than being confused, we did a big internal project on AI tools and how they can support us.
By being intentional about high-tech choices, PATCH ensures that innovation does not overwhelm it, but enhances work, keeps creativity at the core of everything, and makes smarter tasks easier.
A new approach to talent development
In patch marketing, talent development goes beyond traditional career ladders and job titles. It is about unlocking individual possibilities through self-awareness, motivation mapping and skill-first thinking.
One outstanding example is that agencies use the “ABCD” framework. This encourages employees to classify all aspects of their roles based on energy and proficiency. This approach helps shape roles that are more powerful than expected, allowing people to thrive. Clark said: “It’s a great way to understand what really motivates someone, and it means you can change your responsibility to create a happier and more effective team.”
Agents also encourage skill-first thinking, turning over traditional CV models, they have capabilities rather than chronology. It especially empowers early talent. By identifying and cultivating individual strengths while being exposed to new fields, Patches are ready to evolve team members into more rounded professionals and take on future challenges with confidence.
So how do all this come together to create a great workplace culture? By prioritizing happiness, promoting flexibility, building value-driven partnerships, using support technologies and focusing on individual strengths, patch marketing creates a workplace culture where people feel empowered, energized and enjoy coming to work.
Clark said: “I think it’s really simple. If people feel they’re listening, empowered and working, they enjoy coming every day. These things don’t work in isolation. But together we respect people. We treat people. Don’t waste your time and money on canceling recruitment.”
He concludes: “At the end of the day, I just want to create a nice place to work, and I will do whatever I can to make it happen.”
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