People are kinda Emily Meekins’ thing. As the Founder of Workstrat, a people and talent consultancy built for ad agencies, Emily spends her days helping agencies build, retain, and grow teams that are cohesive, productive, and successful. These people skills were battled-tested in her upbringing-–as the youngest of four, Emily learned early on to navigate complex dynamics, personalities, and a house full of chaos. 

Today, it’s less chaotic but equally complex. From hiring and onboarding to engagement, retention, and leadership development, Workstrat helps agencies across a wide variety of people programs. Whether scaling, evolving, or refining culture, Workstrat partners with agencies to support growth and long-term success. 

We sat down with Emily to learn more about her background and offerings, why investing in your people is always good business, and ways to make the generational divide feel less vast.

WPI >> Tell me about yourself and your company. What types of agencies do you work with? What services do you provide? 

Emily >> As a Strategist in the world of people and talent, I’m equal parts big thinker, operator, and do-er. Partnering across all levels—from the C-suite to individual contributors—I build systems that bring clarity to chaos and deliver results that balance the needs of both the people and bthe usiness. Whether strategizing or executing, my goal is to bridge the gap between vision and action to drive meaningful impact.

At Workstrat, we combine our expertise in people operations, talent acquisition, and business strategy to deliver high-impact engagements for our clients. We specialize in supporting digital agencies (full-service, digital marketing, CX, design, and branding).

Our services cover a wide range of areas, including:

• People Operations: From onboarding to offboarding, we build programs that drive engagement, retention, and growth across each stage of the employee lifecycle.
• HR Business Partnership: We serve as internal consultants, 1:1 coaches, and change agents, driving alignment between people strategies and business goals.
• Recruitment: We deliver high-impact hiring solutions through contingency recruitment or retainer models, tailored to each client’s needs.
• Manager Training: Our three-series leadership program is designed to invest in and elevate managers across the organization.

WPI >> What are the biggest challenges you see your clients face today? 

Emily >> Many clients are entering a growth phase where the talent needs that were once handled by internal teams—like the CEO or functional leaders—have become too complex to manage effectively. These leaders need to focus on strategic priorities, but hiring and retaining the right team is still critical. The decentralized approach no longer works, yet a full-time hire to manage this isn't always feasible.

Another challenge is the fluctuating nature of agency needs. As sales pipelines ebb and flow, so do team demands. However, the people/talent function tends to remain static, making it hard to scale up or down quickly. This is particularly evident in recruitment but impacts other HR areas as well.

Our clients rely on us as a flexible partner who understands both the industry and talent market. Whether it's centralizing talent management or scaling up/down with fluctuating team demands, we step in when needed and scale back as business needs shift—ensuring the right support without the need for additional full-time headcount during short-term spikes or mid-term growth phases.

WPI >> What excites you about working with agencies on their people practices?

Emily >> What excites me about working with agencies is the opportunity to partner closely with businesses that truly understand the value of building great teams to deliver great work. This is at the core of the agency business model, and it’s incredibly rewarding to help our clients hire the talent and build the people practices that support that. 

Specializing in this space allows us to bring a unique, evolving perspective that grows with each engagement, whether driving recruitment or developing innovative retention and engagement strategies. The tier of work we get to contribute to within this industry is unmatched– and really allows us to push what's possible, which is super fun.

WPI >> Have you seen a shift in the types of services that agencies are requesting over the past few years?

Emily >> Definitely. When I launched Workstrat in early 2022, we were in the midst of a challenging time for the people/talent space in agencies. Job changes were at record highs, churn rates were soaring, and competing with the aggressive salary packages from PE-funded agencies, startups, and even corporate organizations was nearly impossible. Agencies were facing urgent people/talent needs and were eager to invest in solutions.

At that time, the focus was primarily on recruitment—getting people in the door, fast. Once that stabilized, attention shifted to internal team investments: how to support and retain new hires. Manager training became essential as organizations worked to ensure teams were set up for long-term success.

Over the last year, we’ve seen a shift where needs are less defined by broader industry trends and more shaped by each agency’s unique organizational needs. Many agencies are feeling the impact of election-year uncertainty, which is lasting longer than usual due to the speed and scale of change within the new administration. While some agencies are planning ahead for a busy Q2+, others are holding off to see how things unfold—mirroring the uncertainty many of their clients are experiencing.

Currently, the most prominent investments we’re seeing are in two key areas: organizational design and hiring. Agencies are focused on optimizing their teams for maximum impact, ensuring they have the right structure in place to drive growth. At the same time, hiring remains a top priority, especially in business development and key functional areas that will support both immediate needs and long-term success.

WPI >> Many agencies already have internal HR teams that handle recruiting, performance reviews, and training. What more do you give them to enhance these practices? 

For agencies with established HR teams, our value lies in offering specialized support and strategic flexibility during periods of change. Whether it's rapid growth, fluctuating talent needs, or challenges from an uncertain market, we provide the expertise and additional bandwidth necessary to help them adapt quickly.

By partnering with us, HR teams can continue to focus on their essential duties while we manage increased demands during peak business periods. From scaling up recruitment efforts to supporting retention/engagement strategies, we deliver targeted solutions that keep agencies agile and prepared for both immediate and long-term challenges.

WPI >> You offer various services from hiring to strategic consultation to fractional talent to leadership development. Is there one area you enjoy the most or find the most rewarding? 

Emily >> Each area of the business is rewarding in its own way. The variety is what drives me, giving me fresh energy and perspective to step into different functional areas with a full cup. That said, this isn’t the norm. Most people in the people/talent space tend to gravitate toward one area, and that’s true for the majority of our team here at Workstrat as well.

WPI >> It’s been a challenging few years for many organizations. Historically, when times are tough and budgets get cut, the first things to go are professional development and cultural programs. What do you say to organizations to get them to understand that these programs are essential to the bottom line?

Emily >> For agencies, it’s critical to remember that their operating model has two halves—clients and people. The challenge is aligning these sides for optimal stability and margins, but it’s not always clear what short-term adjustments will protect us now without putting us at a disadvantage later.

Every organization has its own tolerance for risk, and understanding this is key to decision-making. Once you’re clear on your tolerance, you can weigh impact and cost-saving measures side by side. People investments—like leadership development or manager training—aren’t just “nice-to-haves.” They’re tools that directly impact retention, engagement, and productivity, ultimately protecting the bottom line. For example, investing in manager training now can improve retention and reduce turnover, which helps control costs and maintain productivity through uncertain times.

Cutting costs for stability is necessary, but it’s crucial to ensure you’re not eliminating programs that will center and optimize your team during both turbulence and growth. People programs strengthen your team’s alignment, resilience, and readiness, which ultimately leads to long-term success and a healthier bottom line.

WPI >> It’s no secret that younger generations have vastly different work perspectives and priorities than older generations. We see this across the globe, regardless of agency specialty, geography, size, remote work policy, etc. Do you have any advice for agencies trying to bridge this gap?

Emily >> The gap between generations is real, but I think the challenge agencies face isn’t about choosing one perspective over the other– it’s about creating space for both to thrive. Younger generations often prioritize flexibility, purpose, and work-life integration, while older generations tend to focus on stability, career advancement, and structure. The good news is: this doesn't always call for radical change– small shifts in how you structure roles, rewards, and career progression can go a long way.

There's also a really big opportunity for cross-generational collaboration. Older generations have a wealth of experience and institutional knowledge. This knowledge transfer is so important in developing younger talent and driving long-term continuity within your organization. When you create space for mutual learning and respect, you also might find that the generational divide feels a bit less extreme. This not only strengthens your culture, but it also drives a more cohesive, engaged team across all levels.

WPI >> Everyone is talking nonstop about AI. Your thing is people. How do you react to the sentiment that AI is going to take people’s jobs?

Emily >> AI is certainly a game-changer, but I think it’s important to recognize that AI isn’t here to replace people – it’s here to augment what we do. In the people/talent space, the work we do requires a human touch: empathy, judgment, relationship-building, and understanding context. AI can handle repetitive tasks, analyze data at scale, and provide insights that help us make better decisions, but it can't replace the nuanced work humans bring to the table.

In fact, I see AI as an opportunity to free up time for people to focus on higher-value, creative, and strategic aspects of their roles. Instead of focusing on "job loss," there's a greater opportunity to evolve how we work– embracing AI as a tool that enhances and supports our efforts, allowing us to work more efficiently and make better use of our teams' talents.

WPI >> In three words or less, what is the future of people?

Emily >> People-as-a-Service. 

The future of people in agencies is about applying the same strategic mindset you use to deliver exceptional client work to managing your people strategy. It’s clear on the client side: there’s a whole business built around acquiring, retaining, and growing clients. Agencies that apply this same model, mindset, and rigor to their people operations will be poised for success, with engaged clients and strong, resilient teams supporting them.

This article is an installment in a series where Worldwide Partners speaks with experienced consultants and service providers who are part of our WPI Faculty. Check back for more interviews with our industry’s leading consultants in PR, business development, financial services and more.