Invest in the Team

After we built out the proper reporting lines and overall studio structure, there was a new problem to solve.

Issue: Because the reporting lines were so flat for so long, individual contributors didn’t have a way to visualize their career trajectory. With the rapid studio expansion from 10 to 27 in under 2 years, employees were looking for clear goals and a defined overview of work to date and their growth opportunities.

Solution:

I developed a simple yet comprehensive growth and title tier structure that would offer an individual contributor a crystal-clear career path. We worked with the HR department to ensure it lined up with the publishing arm's tier system to reduce discrepancies and compensation issues.

Here is a more detailed look at a few of the discipline structures.

You can choose your focus as you develop with the studio. Stay focused as an individual contributor and an ambassador of the discipline. Mentor new employees on best practices and optimal output. Take the leadership route and become a manager of your chosen discipline. Ensure your team has the tools they need to perform and excel.

This employee growth system was met with an extremely positive response by the majority of the studio. One year later, we've seen major jumps in employee motivation and growth across the board. We were able to issue 2 mid-year promotions and 7 end of the year promotions. All well-earned and well-deserved.