Turning insight into action
These pitfalls share a common theme:
Recruitment campaigns fail when they start from the role, not the reality.
Getting it right means understanding what really motivates people – belonging, pride, support, opportunity – and then building campaigns that reflect that. It’s about connecting strategy and empathy; audience insight and creative craft.
That’s where our Whole Picture Thinking™ approach comes in. We uncover the human truths behind workforce challenges and turn them into campaigns that attract, retain and inspire.
If you’d like to explore how, we’d love to share more. Get in touch via the form below.
Spotlight:
Greater Manchester i-THRIVE
A career in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is one of the most impactful choices a person can make. But across Greater Manchester, NHS trusts were struggling to fill critical roles. In partnership with these trusts, GM i-Thrive came to us looking for a campaign that would change perceptions and broaden the appeal of working in CAMHS.
As part of the i-THRIVE programme, we worked with NHS partners to develop a targeted campaign that would make children and young people’s mental health roles feel more visible, accessible and rewarding. Our creative approach focused on showing the day-to-day reality of working in these roles — not just the responsibilities, but the pride, purpose and peer support behind them.
And it worked.
Between January and June 2025, recruitment success rates increased significantly:
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) appointments rose from 69% to 79.3%
- Greater Manchester Mental Health appointments jumped from 59.3% to 95.8%
- Pennine Care appointments soared from 27.7% to 73%
By combining human-centred storytelling with strategic clarity, we helped shift perceptions and results.
Spotlight:
Cambridgeshire County Council
To help Cambridgeshire County Council attract more qualified social workers, we began by listening. Through in-depth workshops with current staff and competitor analysis across the region, we uncovered what made working for the Council distinct, and where the opportunity lay to do things differently.
As well as attracting new social workers, we wanted to make sure that the campaign recognised the Council’s existing social workers and everything they do for the organisation. Our ‘we couldn’t do it without you’ concept did just that. It spoke directly to both new and existing social workers, by celebrating the contribution of current teams while inviting new candidates to be part of something meaningful.
Spotlight:
Cambridgeshire County Council
To help Cambridgeshire County Council attract more qualified social workers, we began by listening. Through in-depth workshops with current staff and competitor analysis across the region, we uncovered what made working for the Council distinct, and where the opportunity lay to do things differently.
As well as attracting new social workers, we wanted to make sure that the campaign recognised the Council’s existing social workers and everything they do for the organisation. Our ‘we couldn’t do it without you’ concept did just that. It spoke directly to both new and existing social workers, by celebrating the contribution of current teams while inviting new candidates to be part of something meaningful.