Stefan Felsing is the CEO at SPORTFIVE, global sports marketing agency. The company was named one of the Most Attractive Employers in Sport by a report recently published by iWorkinSport. This is one of five interviews with top recruiters in the industry featured in the publication. Although Felsing is not a recruiter himself, his leadership as CEO plays a crucial role in driving SPORTFIVE's overall success, significantly contributing to its esteemed position in the iWorkinSport rankings.
The study surveyed more than 1,600 people from 83 countries representing all continents, with the majority already working in sport, and asked them a simple question: “If you could choose to work anywhere in sport, where would that be?” At first, the respondents chose organisations divided into ten categories and, at the end, they indicated one single preferred choice, overall – the “Employer of their Dreams”.
The publication features rankings of the most attractive employers in sport divided in the following categories: Football Clubs, Sports Teams (other than Football), Sports Teams in the USA, Sports Leagues, Sports Governing Bodies, Event Organisers, Sports Marketing Agencies, Sponsors, Sporting Goods Companies and Sports Tech.
Additionally, the report presents the aspects that candidates rate as most important when deciding where they would like to work.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT HERE.
Interview with Stefan Felsing, CEO at SPORTFIVE
SPORTFIVE has been a Top Employer in the MAES Survey for multiple years now. Why do you think it consistently finds itself so highly ranked?
At SPORTFIVE, we believe that our greatest strength as a business is our people. We invest a great deal of time to ensure that our people, and the environments they work in, reflect our values of fearlessness, freedom, unity, resilience and openness.
This values-led approach echoes throughout the organisation and fosters an open, belonging and supportive culture that our people can be proud of. Crucially, we also seek to promote a ‘structure-first’ way of thinking, putting less emphasis on hierarchy and instead providing our people with the right structures to thrive in.
In addition to our amazing people, as a full-service sports marketing agency, we are also privileged to be able to work with all corners of the sports industry, from rights holders and brands to media platforms and fans, allowing our employees an unmatched insight into the most exciting industry in the world.
The global scale of our business, with over 50 office locations across five continents also gives the SPORTFIVE team around the world the ideal network to connect, develop and produce market leading work - no matter the sport.
Our research shows that SPORTFIVE does well at attracting talent. What strategies do you have in place to ensure you retain your best talent?
We are dedicated to fostering a culture and work environment that empowers our people to thrive and feel valued. Here’s how we do it:
- Communication - We establish clear and transparent communication channels that encourage open dialogue and feedback. Through providing regular organisational updates and feedback on performance and development, we ensure that our employees have the opportunities to achieve their goals and objectives.
- Empowerment - We encourage our employees to take ownership of their work and provide them with the resources and support they need to be successful. We aim to give them autonomy and trust their abilities.
- Recognition - We recognize and reward our employees for their hard work, achievement and the value they deliver, by celebrating milestones and accomplishments, as well as showing appreciation for their contributions.
- Work-life balance - We encourage our employees to have a healthy work-life balance, supported by providing flexible work schedules and creating a culture that values self-care.
Employee desires and needs are changing. Can you speak to the changing trends you are seeing? (And how is SPORTFIVE evolving its HR strategies to address these needs?)
The ever-evolving needs and desires of the workforce is essential to progress, it pushes the working landscape forward and keeps organisations and industries moving with the times.
Current trends see employees put a greater demand on employers, where they expect to be aware and involved in broader organisational topics. These topics vary depending on what region of the world you are in, but typically centre around: sustainability, professional development, diverse teams, company values and well-being.
At SPORTFIVE, we believe that the two most fundamental parts of ensuring that we are aligned with these evolving desires and needs are to ensure that our people are aware of what we do as a business and why, and that they are part of shaping our actions.
These two fundamentals are ingrained in our values through our “Openness” and “Unity” pillars.
The sports industry has become an extremely appealing career choice. As the industry continues to professionalise, what advice do you have to offer those trying to break into the industry?
- Do your research - Research the sports industry to understand its trends, key players and challenges. The industry is filled with exciting opportunities. Take the time to understand which one suits you best, and make sure you research any prospective employers, what are their values, who are their people and what is their purpose?
- Network - Dedicate the time to build relationships with people in the industry. Attend networking events, connect on LinkedIn and don’t be afraid to ask questions to gain a better understanding of the industry. If you’re just starting your career in sports, seek out volunteer opportunities or entry-level positions to gain practical experience and build your CV.
- Be yourself - Instead of ‘casting a wide net’, use your research and networking to understand which employers match you and your values. You are interviewing the employer, just like they are interviewing you.
Can you talk about the importance of ongoing education in the sports world? What do you like to see on the CVs of prospective employees regarding education? And what ongoing education opportunities are you offering your employees?
A successful career is built on the foundation of continuous education - the pursuit of knowledge and new skills is never-ending. Life-long learning enriches both our personal and professional lives, and showcasing this on your CV can be highly beneficial.
Learning and personal development is key in every job and every industry, but particularly so in the sports industry where we have a lot to learn from industries that have been around for much longer.
This ‘always wanting to learn’ attitude is something we value greatly at SPORTFIVE where we seek to recruit people who want to continue developing as they progress through their career.
We aim to facilitate learning and development opportunities through providing access to our internal network of global knowledge sharing. A huge amount of our learning comes from within our organisation of globally talented individuals, who together provide access to a wealth of industry experience.
We equally support our people with a number of qualifications and education platforms, as well as dedicated excellence programmes,mentoring opportunities, industry networking and personalised learning journeys.