Slack
Microsoft Teams.
Fast enough for agency pace
Recognition takes seconds—not meetings or approval chains. Perfect for teams that are always moving.
Employee Recognition for Agency Teams
Reduce agency burnout and improve retention. Help your creative, marketing, or digital agency team feel valued—even when client work never stops—right inside Slack and Microsoft Teams.
What Is Employee Recognition in Agencies?
Employee recognition in agencies is the practice of acknowledging contributions across creative, marketing, and digital teams—especially the invisible work that keeps client projects on track but rarely gets celebrated.
Why Recognition Matters Even More in Agencies
Agency work creates unique recognition challenges that standard workplace programs don't address.
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The pace never stops
Agencies operate on client timelines, not internal rhythms. There's always another deadline, pitch, or revision. Recognition gets lost in the constant churn.
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Credit goes outward
Great work ships to clients who celebrate it as their own. The team that made it happen rarely hears the praise—they're already onto the next project.
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Invisible effort compounds
Late nights, client saves, revision rounds—this work keeps agencies running but rarely gets acknowledged. Over time, unrecognized effort leads to burnout.
Why Agency Burnout and Turnover Are So Common
70% of agency professionals[1] report experiencing burnout. Industry turnover averages 30%[2]—the second highest of any industry. And 45% of those who leave[3] cite lack of recognition as a key reason.
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Always in crunch mode
Deadlines are constant. Projects overlap. There's always another pitch, another revision, another client ask.
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Clients get the credit
Great work goes out the door and the client celebrates. The team that made it happen rarely hears the praise.
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Siloed by project
Teams form around clients and accounts. Good work in one silo doesn't get seen by the rest of the agency.
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Invisible effort builds up
Late nights, revision rounds, client saves—this work keeps the agency running but rarely gets acknowledged.
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No time to pause
When one project ends, another begins. There's no natural moment to recognize contributions.
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Talent walks out
45% of agency employees who leave cite lack of recognition. Unappreciated people find agencies that value them.
Case Study
How Acadia Builds Connection Across 300 Employees in 19 Countries
When Acadia, a digital marketing agency, acquired Bobsled Marketing, they needed recognition to work across a newly distributed global team. HeyTaco became central to keeping people connected.
The result?
Recognition aligned to core values (community, candor, can-do, curiosity), a monthly "Taco Champion" program, and donations to causes like the UN World Food Program.
"When you're remote, those little moments of appreciation matter more than ever. HeyTaco lets us recreate that old-school feeling of someone walking by your desk and saying, 'Great job!'—even if they're thousands of miles away." —TiAnna, Acadia People Team
From onboarding rituals to gamified leaderboards and reward redemptions, Acadia embedded recognition into their culture—proving that even a 300-person global agency can feel close-knit.
Signs Recognition Is Breaking Down at Your Agency
These warning signs often go unnoticed until they're already hurting retention and morale.
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Work Ships, Teams Feel Forgotten
Client work goes out the door. The team that made it happen is already on the next project without acknowledgment.
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Late Nights Go Unacknowledged
Someone stayed late to hit a deadline. The client celebrated. The team member heard nothing.
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Credit Flows to Clients
Great work becomes the client's success story. The agency team rarely gets public recognition.
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Only Partners Recognize Work
Recognition is top-down. Peers rarely acknowledge each other across accounts and teams.
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Project Silos Hide Good Work
Creative doesn't see what account did. Strategy doesn't know what production pulled off. Wins stay invisible.
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Burnout Builds Between Deadlines
The pace is relentless and effort goes unnoticed. People start running on empty without anyone realizing.
How to Build a Better Agency Culture
Recognition works best when it doesn't feel like another deliverable.
Visible across departments
Creative sees what account did. Strategy sees what production pulled off. Appreciation flows across the agency.
Peer-driven, not top-down
The people closest to the work know who made it happen. Everyone can recognize great effort.
How HeyTaco Supports Agency Teams
HeyTaco is employee recognition software built for the pace and pressure of agency work.
Instant recognition
Someone saved a client relationship? Crushed a deadline? Recognize them in seconds, right in Slack or Teams.
Makes invisible work visible
The late nights, the revisions, the internal saves—peer recognition catches what clients never see.
Connects across accounts
Recognition flows between teams, breaking down project silos and building agency-wide culture.
Fights burnout
Regular appreciation builds resilience. People stay longer when they feel valued.
What Agencies See When Recognition Works
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Better Retention
People stay at agencies where they feel appreciated, even when the work is demanding.
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Stronger Collaboration
When teams recognize each other across departments, silos break down and work flows better.
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Healthier Culture
Visible appreciation shifts the vibe from grinding to thriving. People actually enjoy coming to work.
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Less Burnout
Feeling seen and valued builds resilience against the constant pressure of client work.
Why Agencies Choose HeyTaco
Because it works without adding process or overhead.
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Built for speed
Recognition in seconds, not processes. Perfect for agency pace.
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Creative & fun
Tacos add personality. Recognition feels celebratory, not corporate.
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Where you work
Lives in Slack and Teams. No new tool to learn or adopt.
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See the patterns
Analytics show who's giving and receiving. Spot burnout risks early.
Reduce Turnover. Fight Burnout. Build Culture.
Try HeyTaco free for 30 days. No credit card required.
4.8 on G2 • Trusted by 3k+ teams worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about agency burnout, retention, and culture.
How do I reduce burnout at my agency?
70% of media, marketing, and creative professionals report experiencing burnout[1]. It often starts when effort goes unnoticed. Regular peer recognition helps people feel seen and valued, building resilience against the grind of client work and tight deadlines.
Why do agency employees quit?
How do I improve culture at a creative agency?
Agency culture improves when appreciation becomes visible and consistent. Peer recognition lets everyone—creative, strategy, account, production—see and celebrate each other's contributions, building connection across project silos.
How does HeyTaco work for agency teams?
HeyTaco lives inside Slack and Microsoft Teams. Agency team members can recognize each other instantly—whether it's for crushing a deadline, saving a client relationship, or helping a teammate. Recognition is public, lightweight, and takes seconds.
How do you recognize work that clients never see?
HeyTaco is perfect for recognizing the invisible work—the late nights, the revisions, the internal saves. Peer recognition catches the effort that doesn't make it into client presentations but keeps the agency running.
Will recognition software add to our agency's workload?
No. Recognition takes seconds and happens in the tools you already use. There's no process, no forms, no meetings. It's designed to fit agency pace, not slow it down.
Can recognition align with our agency values?
Yes. HeyTaco lets you create custom tags that reflect your agency's values—whether that's creativity, collaboration, client focus, or going above and beyond. When someone gives a taco, they can tag it to reinforce what matters most to your culture. Learn more about values →
What kind of work gets recognized in agencies?
Everything from crushing a deadline to saving a client relationship. The late-night revisions, the creative breakthroughs, the behind-the-scenes problem solving. HeyTaco captures the work that keeps agencies running—not just the work that makes it into case studies.
Sources
- 2024 Mentally Healthy Survey – Agency burnout rates across media, marketing, and creative sectors
- The Drum – Advertising industry turnover rates (30% annual average)
- Workamajig – Agency employee departure reasons and recognition statistics