Claire Menzies: Leadership and Work-Life Balance in the Design Industry

Written by Claire Menzies, Group Chairwoman & Founder at Istoria Group

Modern Leadership in Design

We’ve all heard many horror stories of design agencies where the culture focuses on output, void of balance, well-being and creativity. The impact is not only costly to the business through a high staff turnover, but leads to a lack of confidence in clients and a bad reputation in the industry which can take years to undo. I truly believe the role of considered leadership in design agencies is rapidly evolving and not before time.

Every business owner has a decision they can make about the type of leader they want to be, and the type of culture they want to foster. At Istoria Group, we implement considered leadership, a leadership style that looks beyond financial goals. This leadership style places an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and honest communication. This leadership style values humanity, authenticity, fairness, respect and leads with humility.

In practice, considered leadership is about creating a culture of human connection, collaboration and reflection. It sounds like a lot of buzz words, but it comes down to allowing experiences to shape us, having a willingness to evolve, and to surround ourselves with an excellent team that provides continuous checks and balances. We ensure we create space to safely share ideas where they can respectfully be challenged and discussed, ensuring different perspectives are considered and built upon. By facilitating this open dialogue, we help nurture creativity and collaboration within our teams.

The outcome? Well, we’re proud to have over 28% of our current team be employed by Istoria Group for 5+ years and this number is looking to grow. 2 freelancers have joined us as full-time employees and 3 people who left during the pandemic have since returned. Paired with exceptional client feedback and winning multiple awards over the years, it’s easy to see the considered leadership approach has created a culture where designers can deliver exceptional creative solutions, sustainably.

Don’t just ask me …

“As a designer, I love flexibility – not just in working across different interior design sectors like hospitality and exhibition design but flexibility in terms of my time and working hours. This allows me to be the best creative I can be, like having a rush of creativity at 10pm.” Jon Brookes, Lead Spatial Designer at Ignition (part of Istoria Group)

“We have the autonomy to manage our time, which fosters a sense of ownership. The culture is also one of nurture, where an environment has been created which actively supports personal growth and creative exploration.” Hannah Jardine, Sustainable and Development Director, Istoria Group

Promoting Work-Life Balance

In a high-pressure creative environment, striking a work-life balance is key to preventing burnout and ensuring sustained innovation. Practising considered leadership allows us the room to support employees’ well-being, ensuring a balance that boosts morale and creativity, without the looming distraction of short-term financial impacts.

To strike an effective work-life balance, we offer an employee wellbeing programme that reflects this ethos. Our bi-monthly ‘Happy Hour’ sessions offer staff a break from routine, and can range from chair yoga to graffiti classes in the park. These activities, paired with our quarterly staff happiness surveys, summer and winter parties and knowledge share sessions, not only allow employees to recharge but also foster team bonding, helping to maintain a positive work culture. The result? A healthier, more engaged workforce, leading to improved productivity and creative output.

Work-life balance goes beyond the occasional happy hour though. We provide work-life balance through an enhanced annual leave scheme that encompasses time dedicated to learning, time to give back to charities, and personal days (for those pesky tasks, like moving house, or going to the vets). This enhanced annual leave scheme sits alongside flexible working hours, so our team can sign up to the gym class or drop the kids off at school, in a way that suits them.

Impact on Creativity and Innovation

Considered leadership paired with a true work-life balance drives business success. We truly believe that a healthy workplace culture has led to increased innovation and better client outcomes. As the numbers mentioned earlier highlighted, we’ve seen that our employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing our staff turnover, and in turn can build exceptional relationships with clients with continuity at the core.

As I often say, “A happy company is not only more productive but creates a better experience for staff and clients too. Investment in people always makes impeccable – and sustainable – business sense.” When employees are burnt out, creativity suffers. Conversely, those given time to recharge are more likely to deliver high-quality, innovative work. This contributes to a happier, more productive company overall, where both employees and clients benefit.

Leadership is Holistic

So, if there is one takeaway from this, it’s to review your leadership style. Consider if you are the type of leader you would want to follow? Does your leadership team value, respect and share values? Is your leadership one that drives change forward? If you’re not happy with the answer to these questions then I urge you to explore considered leadership and assign your business with a noble purpose. You hold the power to start making changes from the ground up. At the end of the day, as business leaders we hold a duty of care and we need to recognise and live up to these duties.

Ultimately, my vision for leadership in the design industry should be about more than just business acumen. It’s about creating environments where employees thrive, where well-being and creativity go hand in hand. By investing in people and prioritising their well-being, we improve not just the health of our business, but also that of the entire industry. I believe the future of design leadership lies in this holistic approach, where success is measured by both creative output and employee satisfaction.