Perks don't build happy teams. This does.

"If business performance is the goal, sustainable engagement is the lever."

Featured in Telum Media's Perspectives series — sharing what really drives engagement in PR agencies.

I was recently invited by Telum Media to share my perspective on what moves the needle on engagement in PR and communications agencies. The piece ran as part of their Perspectives series, and the response it got reminded me that this is still one of the most misunderstood challenges in the industry.

The commercial case you can't ignore

A newly released CPRA Agency Leader Sentiment Survey found that business performance is the number one priority for agency leaders in 2026 — selected by 82% of respondents. Efficiency and productivity follow close behind.

But productivity doesn't operate independently of engagement. It depends on it.

The chain looks like this: Happiness → Engagement → Discretionary effort → Business performance.

And the risk is real. Culture Amp's latest PR and Communications benchmark shows that 30% of agency employees are either thinking about leaving or actively looking for another role. But turnover isn't actually the biggest threat — it's presenteeism. Employees who are technically present, but operating well below their potential.

What drives lasting engagement (it's not what you think)

When productivity dips, the instinct is to reach for visible morale boosters: a team lunch, a new perk, a wellbeing initiative. These aren't inherently bad, but they rarely address the root cause.

What really sustains engagement over time comes down to five structural levers:

1. Roles designed for autonomy, meaning, and growth

People engage more deeply when they understand what "good" looks like, where they have real authority, and how their role connects to something bigger. Without that clarity, even talented people default to reactive task execution.

2. Strong manager capability

Manager quality is one of the single strongest predictors of team engagement. Regular check-ins, strengths-based feedback, genuine investment in people's development — these outperform annual review processes every time.

3. Fair and sustainable conditions

Engagement can't sit on top of instability. Transparent pay, manageable workloads, and genuine flexibility are foundational — not optional extras. In high-pressure agency environments, happiness cannot offset chronic exhaustion.

4. Connection and recognition that's embedded, not bolted on

Belonging, inclusion, and everyday appreciation are directly linked to lower absenteeism and higher retention. The most effective agencies build these into how work is led — not just how it's celebrated.

5. Removing friction

This one is consistently underestimated. Slow approvals, unclear processes, unnecessary meetings, constant context-switching — these small, recurring irritants drain mental energy over time and quietly erode engagement. Removing friction frees people up for the high-value work that actually drives performance.

One question worth asking your team this week

If you want to move beyond awareness-day gestures and connect engagement to real performance outcomes, here's a simple place to start.

Ask your team: "What is one friction point in your work that, if removed, would materially improve your productivity?"

Then act on it.

That's it. No survey platform required, no workshop, no budget. Just a leader making visible progress on something that matters to the people doing the work.

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