Why Spark is one of the top five UK PR agencies to work for

For the second year running, we are over the moon to be named as one of the Top Five UK PR Agencies to Work For by PRovoke Media. This category is not only judged by a panel of experts, but also on the results of a survey of the Spark team. For that reason, it’s extra special, because the wellbeing of the Spark squad is our number one priority.

This year also just happens to be my tenth at Spark, and as I look back on a fantastic decade of growth, I can truly say this is an excellent place to work. That’s why I’m still here! And I’m not the only one. The average length of service at Spark is six years. Eleven of our team have been here for more than five years, and six have been here for more than ten. In an era of job mobility and the Great Resignation, that should tell you something. So, here’s a closer look at some of the reasons why Spark is the place to be for any PR pro.

- Putting people first. Spark’s culture and operating model is centred on the team. We safeguard the work-life balance by ensuring no one has more than 55% of their time allocated to client work. We leave time free for personal development, training, coaching, and creative thinking, and to banish any risk of burnout.

- Health and wellbeing. Hand in hand with putting people first means that the happiness and health of our team outside of work is critical to us. Last year we invested in further benefits to help the team thrive, from private health cover to a number of the team becoming certified Mental Health First Aiders.

- Hybrid as standard. Flexible working was a Spark mainstay even in the BC times, but we’ve embedded the principle deeper in the last 12 months. 100% of Spark work in a hybrid model with a fifth fully remote; we’ve also invested further in equipping staff at home to ensure a stress-free and healthy working environment.

- Family and fur-babies. Flexible working lets the team work around childcare or other family support needs, and our “paw-ternity” policy means folks can work from home while new fur-babies are being bedded in. Plus, Spark dogs come to the office regularly and the Spark cats run our social media feeds.

- Investing in development. Approximately 10% of each person’s salary is invested in training yearly. We have a dedicated and bespoke induction programme, training designed for every level, and attend many external courses. And it works – a third of the Spark team were promoted by one level or more during 2021.

- Inclusion and diversity. This is fundamental to Spark. Our two agency owners are from minority communities, and we work hard to build a culture where everyone feels they belong. We also practice inclusive hiring; more than 90% of our team are from state-educated backgrounds.

- Causes and communities. We care about our communities and supporting the charities and causes that matter to our team. We run charitable challenges throughout the year, like our March Spark, March stepathon and Vegan Month, where the winning team chooses a charity to receive a donation from Spark.

The Spark team is continuing to grow and we recently welcomed even more new starters as we expand the work we do for clients both current and new. From content services to events to exceptional media relations, our team has the skills to deliver.

If you want to work at a place where you can learn every day, work on exciting media campaigns, develop your skills, or have heated conversations about the best place to go for lunch near to our Oxford Street HQ – get in touch.