Build a team fit for tomorrow’s challenges
As we explored in Planning Your Powerhouse, the best teams start by tackling business-critical challenges. When scaling at the right time and in the right way, an in-house team can become a long-term strategic asset. The key to longevity is anticipating the skills and capabilities that will drive business success both for today and for tomorrow. In an industry defined by constant development, agility, adaptability, and continuous learning are paramount to ensure your team remains competitive and ready to tackle what comes next.
The roles and briefs of the future won’t just ask for new skills, they will demand new ways of thinking. This post looks at how to keep your eyes on the horizon - addressing today’s needs, but hiring tomorrow’s problem-solvers. Here’s how to build a team fit to stand the test of time.
Why it matters
The pace of change in creative, digital and marketing roles has never been quicker. Roles are no longer built around a single discipline; instead, they increasingly blend creative, technical and strategic responsibilities into something new. This aligns with The World Economic Forum’s Future of Work report prediction that by 2025, emerging professions would have grown to 13.5%. That’s 97 million new roles globally adapted to collaborative work between humans and technologies.
As disruptive digital technologies continue to infuse into the creative industries, they create a unique challenge for in-house teams. Since future-readiness remains a moving target, the goal isn’t prediction - it’s to prepare. As roles and technologies continue to evolve, businesses must recognise the growing significance of interpersonal skills - like communication, adaptability, creativity, and problem-solving. It’s these skills that empower teams to navigate complex challenges, collaborate effectively, and build more meaningful connections. With human capabilities placed firmly at the core of technological advancements, these tools can expand the reach of originality and emotional depth that defines creativity to drive lasting business success.
The people who will propel your brand forward should be able to connect dots and cross boundaries, adjusting their approach as markets evolve and challenges arise. That’s future-proof hiring in action.
What to look for
Although “future-proof hiring” sounds vague, these practical principles will fortify your talent acquisition and retention strategies. The tools and trends of the day will change, so instead, pivot your focus to the foundational skills able to keep up with new developments. With a skills-first hiring approach, you can expand your talent pool by up to 6x - providing you with access to a wealth of untapped potential. That’s how you find the people who can deliver the best work and adapt quickly.
Brand storytelling meets technology
The best creative ideas are only effective if they can travel through new and emerging channels to reach active audiences. Technology should become part of the narrative itself - enabling more immersive and interactive storytelling experiences. When an in-house team embraces how technology can amplify their creative ideas, they unlock deeper conceptual ingenuity. They start to develop new ways of approaching briefs - using data insights to create highly personalised campaigns across multiple channels.
Examples like Heinz’s AI Ketchup ad and Coca-Cola’s “Create Real Magic” platform highlight how creativity and technology can work in tandem, unlocking new storytelling dimensions. Powered by people who know how to wield emerging tools, these campaigns prove that technology doesn’t replace creative thinking; it expands its possibilities.
How to spot it:Ask candidates to describe how they’ve shaped ideas for new formats or how they’ve pushed a narrative beyond one channel. Look for those who naturally combine storytelling with experimentation, and get excited about it.
Future-proof through a learning culture
The most valuable asset in a rapidly evolving industry is a creative team eager to learn and develop new skills. Talent motivated to grow will be more likely to stay up to date with new tools, technologies and trends. Moreover, it avoids creative stagnation. You need daring thinkers brave enough to experiment with creative exploration.
Beyond hiring, it’s vital to foster a culture that values continuous learning. When leaders help employees feel encouraged as they adjust to new tools and processes, Gallup finds that they are 56% more motivated to acquire these new skills.
How to spot it: Candidates who demonstrate curiosity with a history of continuous learning (online courses, personal projects, certifications, etc.) will most likely take a proactive approach to staying updated. Ask what they’re interested in right now and how they keep their knowledge fresh.
Build for collaboration and diverse perspectives
Prioritise attracting a diverse talent pool. Diverse teams are more engaged, productive, and better at problem-solving. By including different backgrounds and perspectives, teams see challenges more clearly and, according to LinkedIn, make better decisions 87% of the time. That results in greater commercial success, as companies with diverse teams are up to 36% more likely to outperform on profitability. Diversity becomes a catalyst for the perseverance and progress necessary to conquer an industry in constant flux.
How to spot it: Look for individuals who demonstrate strong communication and collaboration skills by asking what they’ve learned from collaborating outside their core specialism or team.
Focus on problem-solving and critical thinking
Our 2025 Census found that already 60% of creative industries workers are experimenting with AI every week. With AI automating many routine tasks, in-house creative talent can and should be redeployed to focus on more conceptual work - the kind of work that can’t be automated. Moreover, these concepts need to be connected to broader commercial goals. Critical thinking can connect novel ideas directly to business impact to dissect complex challenges. This blend of originality and pragmatism is what helps in-house teams stay on track, ensuring creativity delivers real value.
How to spot it: Ask candidates about challenging projects they've worked on, how they approached the problems, and how they adapted when faced with obstacles. Look for people who talk comfortably about both creative direction and commercial context.
Attracting talent that makes a difference
Knowing who you need to hire is only the start. The difference between building a good team and a great team often comes down to what you can offer talent in return. Beyond competitive packages, today’s most in-demand candidates want the freedom to experiment, to develop, and to push creative boundaries. To fully harness the potential of your in-house team, make them part of how the brand shows up and evolves over time. When people can see that their ideas will influence the brand story, they are likely to be more invested in seeing that desired narrative rolled out successfully.
If you are ready to build a future-fit in-house team, whether permanent hires or freelance support, we’re ready to help you realise your ambitions. Our team specialises in connecting you with the talent equipped for tomorrow's challenges: talk@majorplayers.co.uk.
