Agency Correspondent, Heather Nicholls, spoke to Jackson Clark, managing director of Patch Marketing, about the importance of workplace culture within agencies.
At Patch Marketing, a full service digital marketing agency, a strong workplace culture is the foundation for everything—shaping how the team works, the clients they partner with, the technology they use, and how they develop talent. It’s a people-first philosophy that prioritises wellbeing, autonomy and long-term fulfilment.
Managing director, Jackson Clark said: “My business is an extension of me. The idea that someone could come in and hate being here? That’s horrifying to me. I want people to enjoy coming to work, too feel empowered and excited. If I can make this environment as friendly and fulfilling as possible, that’s a win for everyone—for them and for the business.”
Optimising work-life patterns
For Patch Marketing, work life balance is a must. In a bid to foster a healthier, more productive workplace, the agency has reimagined traditional work structures, from flexible hours to a four and a half day week, placing wellbeing and autonomy at the heart of its culture.
Having originally operated at a usual five day working week, during COVID the company went down to a four-day working week at 80% salary to keep the lights on. Clark said: “As a consequence of that, I felt our output was the same and the quality of work was better because people weren’t exhausted.”
Post pandemic, the agency opted for a four and a half day week, finishing at 1pm on a Friday. Clark says: “If a client emails Thursday afternoon, it isn’t good enough for them to not hear from us until Monday… whereas a one o’clock finish on a Friday means people can properly switch off. It was a bit of a balance around what the working world does and what’s actually going to get us what we want — a well-rested team that comes in on Mondays feeling refreshed.”
The company also offers flexi time, which means employees can start work anytime between 8am and 10am and finish accordingly, between 4:30pm and 6:30pm. This allows employees to work at the time that best suits them, whether they work better in the evening or want to start after the school run in the morning, Clarke says: “If you’re feeling listened to, empowered and doing what you love, you’re going to enjoy work. All these bits together make a great culture.”
He continues: “I prioritise the team’s wellbeing above anything else. If they’re looked after, they’ll do their best work and that’s brilliant for the client.”
Since implementing these policies, Clark explains that he’s seen less mistakes from his employees as they are less tired and working at the times that suit them best.
Partnerships that energise
Patch Marketing also ensure that it only partners with clients that don’t bring unnecessary stress, through a ‘client test’. Clark says: “Chemistry is a big deal for us. When we’re pitching, it’s a two-way process. We want to work with people we get along with—people who share our values. It’s about having that personality fit.”
The agency also set up regular review points to reflect on how things are going from both sides. Clark says: “It’s not just about the fee; it’s about the relationship. If something’s causing stress or feels unfair, that can have a ripple effect on the whole team.
“We always try to have open, honest conversations. And if it’s not working, we’re not afraid to walk away—politely, of course. We might suggest other agencies that could be a better fit. But yeah, we’d rather bow out than keep going with a bad fit.”
This approach ensures that every partnership is built on mutual respect, aligned values and a shared commitment to long-term success, whilst also ensuring the wellbeing and work life balance is at the centre of every partnership.
Technology that serves, not disrupts
In terms of how the agency uses technology within its work, it ensures that the technology supports but doesn’t replace, giving its employees the ability to continue to be creative whilst also having tools that can help to streamline work and speed up processes. The agency also makes sure it invests in the right software, so it doesn’t have to have lots of different tools. For example, it uses Click Up’ as a task management system, a tool which encompasses everything needed within a task management system.
Clark says: “Our ethos is: it should help, not disrupt. We did a big internal project around AI tools and how they can support us—not replace us. Think co-pilot, not auto-pilot. Its about being efficent and effective without losing our creative edge.”
By being intentional with its tech choices, Patch ensures that innovation enhances its work rather than overwhelms it, keeping creativity at the core of everything it does, whilst making the more menial tasks easier.
A fresh approach to talent development
At Patch Marketing, talent development goes beyond traditional career ladders and job titles—it’s about unlocking individual potential through self-awareness, motivation mapping, and skills-first thinking.
One standout example is the agency’s use of the “ABCD” framework, which encourages employees to categorise every aspect of their role based on energy and proficiency—from the tasks they love and excel at, to those that drain them. This approach helps shape roles around strengths rather than expectations, allowing people to thrive. Clark says: “It’s a great way to understand what truly motivates someone and it means we can shift responsibilities to create happier, more effective teams.”
The agency also encourages a skills-first mindset, flipping the traditional CV model to lead with capabilities rather than chronology—particularly empowering for early-career talent. By identifying and nurturing individual strengths while offering exposure to new disciplines, Patch helps team members evolve into more rounded professionals, ready to take on future challenges with confidence.
So, how does all of this come together to create a great workplace culture? By prioritising wellbeing, fostering flexibility, building values-driven partnerships, using supportive technology and focusing on individual strengths, Patch Marketing creates a workplace culture where people feel empowered, energised and genuinely enjoy coming to work.
Clarke says: “I think it’s simple really. If people feel listened to, empowered, and are doing work they love, they’re going to enjoy coming in each day. None of these things work in isolation—but together, they build a strong culture. We treat people with respect. We stay human—that’s one of our core values. And I’ll always prioritise the wellbeing of my team. If they’re happy and supported, they’ll do their best work. Clients stay longer, staff stay longer, and we don’t waste time and money on recruitment churn.”
He concludes: “At the end of the day, I just want to create a lovely place to work. And I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.”
