Build a Media Firm Where Creative Talent Thrives
Your creators, producers, sales reps, and editors are the heart of your output. When they're burned out, disengaged, or looking elsewhere, your content - and your reputation - suffers.
At elevatehx, we help media firms design employee experiences that reduce turnover, improve wellbeing, and strengthen culture. No generic perks. Just strategic touchpoints that address the real pressures your people face.
67% of media workers say their employer does not adequately support their mental health, and 58% report feeling burned out at least once a month.
Ofcom's 2024 Media Nations Report
Why Media Firms Are Losing Their Best Talent
The media industry is in crisis when it comes to talent. Reuters Institute's 2024 Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends Report found that 42% of media professionals are considering leaving the industry entirely - citing burnout, poor pay, and lack of career progression as top reasons.
The cost of this exodus? CIPD's 2024 Resourcing Report shows media has a 31% annual turnover rate - one of the highest across all sectors. Each departure costs firms between £25,000–£60,000 when you account for recruitment, onboarding, lost institutional knowledge, and disrupted projects.
The friction points we see repeatedly:
Relentless deadline pressure: 24/7 news cycles and content demands with no breathing room
Burnout as badge of honour: Overwork is normalised, and asking for support feels like weakness
Unclear career paths: Talented creatives and journalists hit a ceiling or don't know how to progress
Toxic newsroom culture: Bullying, harassment, and lack of psychological safety remain endemic
Precarious contracts: Freelancers and short-term contracts create instability and disengagement
Perks that miss the mark: Free coffee and "passion for the work" don't compensate for poor conditions
As The Guardian's 2024 State of Journalism Report notes: "Media organisations that fail to prioritise employee wellbeing and development will lose their best talent to industries that do."
And Ofcom's 2024 Media Nations Report found: "67% of media workers say their employer does not adequately support their mental health, and 58% report feeling burned out at least once a month."
You can't rely on passion alone. You need to create an environment where people can do great work - and actually want to stay.
How elevatehx Helps Media Firms
We don't bring a corporate playbook that doesn't understand the creative chaos of media. We listen to your journalists, producers, editors, and leaders—then co-create solutions that fit your culture, output demands, and commercial realities.
Our 5-Day Sprint Includes:
Step 1: Discovery & Listening
Confidential interviews with editorial, production, commercial, and leadership teams
Optional anonymous pulse survey
Culture and team dynamics audit (including freelancers and contractors)
Step 2: Journey Mapping & Analysis
Map every employee touchpoint from hire to exit
Identify friction points, burnout triggers, and "moments that matter"
Benchmark against media sector data
Step 3: Co-Creation Workshop
Bring employees and leaders together to design solutions
Prioritise quick wins (high impact, low cost) and strategic initiatives
Build buy-in across editorial, production, and commercial teams
Step 4: Roadmap & Recommendations
Prioritised action plan with ROI analysis
Visual employee journey map
Diagnostic report with cost/impact recommendations
Leadership summary presentation
Investment: from £5,000
Duration: 5 days delivery
Why This Matters: The Business Case for Employee Experience in Media
Improving employee experience isn't soft and fluffy - it's essential for survival in a rapidly changing industry.
The evidence is clear:
Gallup's 2024 State of the Global Workplace: Engaged media employees are 18% more productive and produce higher-quality content with fewer errors
WAN-IFRA's 2024 World Press Trends Report: "Media organisations with strong employee experience see 35% lower turnover and 40% higher employee advocacy"
Deloitte's 2024 Media & Entertainment Outlook: 71% of media professionalswould leave for a company that better supports work-life balance and mental health
PwC's 2024 Global Entertainment & Media Outlook: Replacing a senior journalist or producer costs 1.5–2x their annual salary when you include recruitment, onboarding, lost contacts, and editorial disruption
Common Moments That Matter in Media
Every company is different, but we consistently see these touchpoints make or break the employee experience:
Onboarding: Do new hires get proper induction, contacts, and mentorship, or are they thrown straight into the fire?
First big story or project: Is there editorial support and feedback, or sink-or-swim pressure?
Deadline and breaking news pressure: Is workload manageable and fairly distributed, or a burnout factory?
Promotion and career growth: Are criteria clear and fair, or does it feel like a black box?
Freelancer and contractor experience: Are they integrated and valued, or treated as disposable?
Mental health and wellbeing support: Can people ask for help without stigma, or is it all talk?
Editorial independence and ethics: Do journalists feel supported to do their best work, or pressured by commercial interests?
Exit conversations: Are you learning why people leave, or just ticking an HR box?
We help you identify your moments that matter - and design them intentionally to retain and engage your best creative talent.
What Makes elevatehx Different
We're not a massive consultancy that doesn't understand the realities of media. We're Lee and Lawrence - two consultants who understand the pressure, pace, and passion of creative industries.
Our approach:
Fast and focused: 5 days from discovery to actionable roadmap (we know you move fast)
Employee-led, not top-down: We listen to your engineers and data teams, not just your exec team
Commercial mindset: Every recommendation links to measurable business impact (retention, velocity, quality)
You own the journey: We equip you to implement and sustain change, no endless retainers
Who We Work With
We partner with media firms across the UK, including:
Digital news and journalism outlets
Broadcast media (TV and radio)
Production companies and studios
Publishing houses and magazines
Content agencies and creative studios
Podcasting and audio production teams
Typical client size: 50–500 employees, though we work with firms of all sizes.
Bigger than 500 employees? We would still love to work with you - contact us for custom proposal and pricing.
Ready to Transform Your Employee Experience?
The media industry is changing fast. The organisations that survive and thrive are the ones that create environments where journalists, producers, and creatives can do their best work - and actually want to stay.
FAQs
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Confidential interviews, anonymous surveys, and psychological safety in workshops. We're independent - people trust us because we're not "management" or HR.
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That's common in media. We help both sides understand each other's needs and find compromise. Sustainable change requires buy-in from everyone.
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No. We prioritise quick wins (high impact, low cost) and strategic initiatives (longer-term investments). You control the pace and implementation.
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You own the roadmap and can implement it internally. We're available for ad-hoc support if needed, but there's no ongoing retainer or dependency.
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Absolutely. We include freelancers and contractors in our discovery and co-creation process - they're often the most honest about what's broken.
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We sign NDAs and operate with full confidentiality. Our focus is on employee experience and culture, not editorial content or commercial strategy.