We are now a few months into 2021, so where are we; what’s going on within the creative market? Is there an end in sight to the struggles and difficulties of the last year? What does the year ahead hold for us? Are better days ahead? 

The simple answer: Month on month, quarter on quarter, we’re are slowly moving forward and into a much better place than the previous month/quarter. However, we still have some way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels.

In my opinion, March to October 2020 has to be the darkest and most unpleasant period I’ve ever experienced. It was quite frankly heartbreaking to witness the damage to the creative industries and to hear from individuals I have worked with for many years recount their individual stories of difficulties that had arisen from the pandemic. 

However, in Q4, despite intermittent and ongoing lockdowns, there was a slight uptick in work coming through, and some fortunate companies began the slow job of rebuilding their studios. 

Q1 so far has seen that handful of clients, who now have sizeable chunks of work signed off, grow (with many more predicting that into Q2). As they budget for their growing teams, the next natural step has been to look at their teams’ size and shape, their current structure, and where their team needs to be to meet the new demand from their clients. Common questions clients need to ask themselves are:

Do we have the right skills? The right structure? The right people? Are we in the best place to secure the work we’re gaining visibility of? Are there additional permanent or freelance support required to meet this demand?

We’ve also started seeing strong candidates we are working with begin to become in much greater demand again (both perm and freelance). In talking to clients about the months ahead, nearly all anticipate needing to bring in additional support with the volume of work that most studios expect to pick up in the next 6-8 weeks. 

There is a real sense that the creative industries are finding their feet again; end clients are starting to crystallise needs and therefore projects for the year ahead. In many ways, given the lows we hit last year, there is a real possibility we’ll see some major highs again over the next 12-18 months. The creative market’s return is likely to result in the fight for talent we have been accustomed to over the last few years, especially in the short to mid-term. If the market continues on the trajectory that it appears to be taking, everyone will be looking for the same calibre and types of candidates all at once. 

So - to answer the opening questions - we’re still on the slow but steady road to recovery, although this appears to be gathering pace. It looks like we’ll likely be back in full swing of things by May/June (as long as the market stays the current course). 2021 should be a fairly busy year, enabling studios to ensure they have the right talent, in the right place, at the right time. Yes - there certainly seems to be better days ahead of us, I’m optimistic for the year ahead and hopeful that our thriving industry continues to innovate and deliver solutions for the economy as a whole. I’m especially excited to get out and see people again; have those normal coffees, beers, lunches, and dinners. I genuinely am looking forward to hearing all about the last 12 months, but more importantly, looking at how I can best support you for the next 12 months and beyond. 

I’d love to discuss the above with you, look at where you sit on the road to recovery, and how we can best support you. Please let me know a suitable time and day to chat. Looking forward to catching up soon!