The Marketing labor market in Vietnam is witnessing an alarming paradox. Companies are always in a state of “thirst” for true talent, ready to pay attractive salaries to recruit the best “warriors.” However, the rate of staff leaving the company after just 3 months of probation is at a record high, creating an endless recruitment vortex.
The Marketing Team Management Effective In-house management is becoming a challenging puzzle, causing headaches for many SME business owners. At DPS.MEDIA, with real-world experience since 2017 and having successfully served over 5,400 customers, we deeply understand this pain point of businesses.
According to reputable human resources studies, the actual cost to replace a mid-level Marketing personnel can reach up to 1.5–2 times the annual total salary of that position. This enormous figure not only includes recruitment and retraining costs from scratch but also the intangible losses due to disruptions in campaign operations.
This in-depth article will not share hollow management theories from books. We will distill and deliver to you the most hard-earned experiences, proven real-world strategies to help you build a Marketing team that is not only battle-hardened but also long-term cohesive.
Understanding the Root Causes Why Marketing Staff "Leave Abruptly" Early
To thoroughly address the issue of early staff turnover, first, those in charge of Marketing Team Management must courageously face the root causes head-on. Why do personnel rush to leave before they even "settle in"? Real-world experience shows the answer often lies not in salary and bonuses, but in the work environment and operations themselves.
Unrealistic Expectations and Ambiguity from Leadership
Many SME owners make a serious mistake by expecting a Marketing personnel to "handle" the whole world. They hope to hire a "superhuman" who can write million-view content, run ads that generate orders non-stop, and also handle graphic design and TikTok video editing.
When the daily reality of the job differs greatly from the initial job description, personnel will quickly feel deceived. They become overwhelmed by having to force themselves to do tasks outside their main expertise or strengths. This disappointment and sense of exploitation is the fastest poison to kill work motivation.
Moreover, ambiguity in strategic direction is also a fatal cause. If leadership cannot paint a clear picture of business goals, the Marketing team will work like blind people groping in the dark. This lack of clarity makes them feel their work is meaningless and does not create real value.
Lack of Clear Career Advancement and Development Path
Marketing personnel, especially young Gen Z, often have very high career ambitions and desire continuous development. If after 3 months they still don't see a specific career progression path or opportunities to improve skills, they will start looking for a new landing spot.
A work environment that only knows how to "squeeze dry" labor without focusing on training or nurturing talent cannot retain top people. They need to know that if they give their all, what position they will achieve, what income level, and what they will learn in the next 1-2 years.
Toxic Work Environment and Lack of Deserved Recognition
Corporate culture is the deciding factor in employee loyalty. A toxic work environment full of jealousy, cliques, or micromanagement will make personnel feel suffocated. They cannot unleash their creativity – which is the lifeblood of Marketing.
Additionally, the absence of praise or timely recognition when the team achieves results is a common mistake. Marketing personnel often work under high pressure; if their efforts are taken for granted, they will quickly lose fire and feel unappreciated.
List of Early Warning Signs That Staff Are About to Quit:
- Frequency of sudden leave requests or coming in late increases significantly in a short time.
- Reduced interaction in team meetings, fewer contributions of ideas or new suggestions.
- Work attitude becomes indifferent, only completing the minimum to get by.
- Frequently complaining about workload, processes, or other colleagues.
- Unusually updating professional profiles on networks like LinkedIn.
Real example 1: A fashion company recruits for "Content Marketing Specialist". However, upon starting, this personnel is required to also handle page messaging until 10 PM and pack goods when the warehouse is overloaded. The result: they quit after just 2 weeks due to burnout and feeling not allowed to work in their specialty.
Real example 2: A Marketing team lead at a tech startup left after 4 months because the CEO kept changing business goals every week. One week focused on user growth, the next demanding immediate profit optimization. This inconsistency prevented the team from building any long-term strategy.
Action lesson: Conduct regular monthly "stay interviews" (retention interviews) with new personnel instead of waiting for "exit interviews" when they submit resignation. Sincerely listen to their difficulties and commit to immediate action to improve the situation.
Effective Marketing Team Management Starts with Accurate Recruitment
Many issues in the process Marketing Team Management are actually consequences of mistakes right from the recruitment stage. Hiring the wrong person is like trying to fit a mismatched gear into a machine; it will cause damage to the entire system. To retain personnel long-term, you must select the right person from the start.
Build a Detailed and Realistic Candidate Persona
Never start recruiting with a job description (JD) copied superficially from the internet. Take time to sit with relevant departments and build a detailed candidate profile. You need to know exactly who you're looking for, what hard and soft skills they need.
More importantly, clearly identify personality traits that fit your company's current culture. An overly introverted person may struggle in a dynamic, constantly communicating Marketing team. Conversely, an overly individualistic person may cause conflicts in a harmony-focused environment.
Absolute Transparency About Challenges and Pressures During the Interview
A classic mistake of recruiters is only "sugarcoating" the company to attract candidates. They paint an ideal work environment with wide promotion opportunities but hide the tremendous KPI pressures and nights of OT (overtime) to meet campaigns.
At DPS.MEDIA, we always apply the principle of absolute transparency. In interviews, we openly share the difficulties and challenges the position will face. This filters for candidates with enough resilience and steel spirit, while avoiding "culture shock" when they officially start.
Use Practical Competency Tests Instead of Relying Solely on CVs
In Marketing, a shiny CV doesn't always match real work ability. Many candidates excel at "polishing" profiles but flounder when on the job. Thus, applying specialized skills tests is an essential step in recruitment.
Tests should be designed based on real situations the business faces. For example, ask candidates to create a content plan for a new product or analyze a failed ad campaign and propose solutions. Their approach and problem-solving will reveal their thinking ability.
Thoroughly Assess Cultural Fit with the Company
Technical skills can be trained, but attitude and cultural fit are hard to change. A technically skilled personnel with a negative, uncooperative attitude becomes a "rotten apple" spoiling the whole barrel.
In interviews, use behavioral questions to deeply probe personality and values. Observe how they interact with interviewers, how they speak about past companies or colleagues. These small details often reveal much about their true character.
Comparison table: Old-style recruitment vs Modern recruitment for Marketing team
| Comparison Criteria | Old-style Recruitment (Traditional) | Modern Recruitment (Practical) |
|---|---|---|
| Job Description (JD) | Generic, copied from the internet, requiring too many unrelated things. | Specific, realistic, focused on expected key results. |
| Evaluation criteria | Relies heavily on degrees, years of experience on CV, and intuition. | Relies on actual skills through tests, problem-solving thinking, and cultural fit. |
| Shared Information | Only talks about the good things, hides job pressures and challenges. | Transparent about both opportunities and challenges, KPI pressures to prepare candidates mentally. |
| Interview Process | Usually only 1-2 superficial rounds, focusing on past experience. | Multiple rounds (including professional tests, culture interviews), focusing on future scenarios. |
Real example 1: A real estate business recruiting for Digital Marketing Manager position. They rejected a candidate with 5 years of experience at large corporations because during the interview, the candidate showed arrogance and did not value coordination with the sales team. Instead, they chose someone with less experience but demonstrated humility and excellent teamwork spirit.
Real example 2: DPS.MEDIA when recruiting for Content Creator position always has a test requiring candidates to write 3 different content formats for a hypothetical client within 24 hours. This test helps evaluate the candidate's ability to handle time pressure and diversity in writing styles.
Action lesson: Apply the philosophy “Hire slow, Fire fast”. Don't rush to hire a subpar candidate due to staffing pressure. The cost of hiring the wrong person is much higher than waiting a short time to find the right fit.
Build an Onboarding Process That "Hits the Pleasure Points" in the First 90 Days
The first 90 days (probation period) is the most sensitive phase determining if the employee will stay long-term. A superficial, unprofessional Onboarding process will make new employees feel lost, confused, and want to leave quickly. Conversely, a structured process will help them quickly adapt and feel part of the organization.
First Week: Integrate into Culture and Familiarize with Work Tools
In the first week, the most important goal is not assigning work but making new employees feel welcomed. Prepare everything in advance from computer, email account, access to necessary tools before they arrive. Don't let them sit idle on the first day because the computer isn't ready.
Organize a thorough introduction session with the whole company or at least the Marketing team. Assign a Buddy – an experienced, positive senior employee – to mentor, answer questions, and help the new employee integrate into the team culture during the initial disoriented days.
First Month: Assign Small Tasks, Create Quick Wins
After the onboarding week, start assigning specific tasks to new employees, but at a simple and easy-to-complete level. The purpose is to familiarize them with workflows and, more importantly, create “quick wins”. The feeling of successfully completing work from the start builds great confidence.
For example, with a new Content employee, you can assign rewriting old fanpage posts from a new angle, or editing blog articles. Avoid assigning large, complex projects requiring multi-party coordination right away as it can overwhelm them, lead to mistakes, and cause discouragement.
Second Month: Gradually Increase Difficulty and Grant Autonomy
When the employee has adapted to the work rhythm, this is the time the manager Marketing Team Management needs to gradually increase task difficulty and workload. Let them participate more deeply in important campaigns, encourage them to propose ideas and solutions for existing issues.
Start granting them certain autonomy within their scope. For example, allow them to decide on illustrations for articles, or plan content for a week. This trust increases responsibility and makes them feel like an important part of the team.
Third Month: Comprehensive Performance Evaluation and Adjust Expectations
The end of the probation period is the golden time for a comprehensive performance review. Sit down with the employee, review what they've achieved and not achieved compared to initial goals. Provide specific, sincere, constructive feedback.
This is also the time for both parties to adjust expectations for the next phase if they officially join the company. Discuss long-term career development paths, listen to their aspirations, and agree on new challenging KPIs with commensurate benefits.
Sample 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Plan Table for Marketing Staff
| Stage | Key Objectives | Key Activities | Expected Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 30 Days (Onboarding & Familiarization) | Understand the culture, products, work processes, and tools. Build relationships with the team. | Onboarding training, familiarize with CRM/Task Management system. Perform small, simple tasks. | Complete 100% basic training program. Complete assigned small tasks well. Integrate well with the team. |
| Next 60 Days (Contribution & Acceleration) | Start contributing real value to projects. Master deeper expertise. | Participate in real projects. Take on more responsibilities and workload. Propose new ideas. | Achieve 70-80% probation KPI. Have at least 1-2 ideas or contributions recognized. |
| Last 90 Days (Affirmation & Autonomy) | Prove full competence suitable for the position. Ready to work independently with high performance. | Lead a small project or an important task segment. Operate independently with less supervision. | Achieve 100% probation KPI. Evaluated as suitable for culture and job requirements. Sign official contract. |
Real example 1: A software company with a very poor onboarding process. New employee on the first day has no computer, no guidance, left alone to read outdated documents. As a result, that personnel feels isolated and resigns right after the first week because they feel the environment lacks professionalism.
Real example 2: At a large Agency, every new personnel receives an impressive "Welcome Kit" including a t-shirt, notebook, branded water bottle, and a handwritten welcome letter from the CEO. This small action creates a very good first impression, making personnel feel valued and warmly welcomed.
Action lesson: Prepare a detailed checklist for the onboarding process in advance and strictly adhere to it. Don't let busyness sweep you away and forget the extremely important first experiences of new employees. A good first impression will be the anchor that keeps them when facing difficulties later.
The Art of Managing Marketing Teams: Balancing Creative Freedom and KPI Discipline
Managing a Marketing team is an art that requires utmost finesse. You are managing creative people who hate constraints and rigid rules. But at the same time, Marketing is the department directly responsible for dry growth numbers. How to reconcile these seemingly opposite factors?
Set SMART KPIs but Maintain Flexibility
KPI (Key Performance Indicators) is an indispensable tool to measure the effectiveness of the Marketing team. However, imposing KPIs mechanically and rigidly will kill creativity. KPIs need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) but also need some flexibility.
For example, instead of only focusing on the final revenue number (which the Marketing team cannot fully control), set intermediate KPIs (proxy KPIs) that reflect their efforts such as: number of potential customers (Leads), landing page conversion rate, or social media engagement level.
Create a Safe Space for "Crazy" Ideas to Germinate
Breakthrough creativity often comes from the most seemingly crazy ideas. A good manager is one who creates a psychologically safe environment where employees dare to propose novel ideas without fear of judgment or ridicule if they fail.
Organize regular brainstorming sessions with the "no judgment" principle. Encourage experimenting with new channels, new content formats (e.g., podcasts, short videos). Accept the risk that some experiments will fail, and see it as necessary tuition to find more effective new directions.
Replace Annual Reviews with Continuous Feedback
The annual performance review model is outdated, especially in the fast-changing Marketing industry. Don't wait until year-end to tell employees what they did wrong... 6 months ago. By then, everything is too late to fix.
Switch to a continuous feedback culture. Conduct quick 1-1 check-ins weekly or bi-weekly. Timely praise what they do well and immediately suggest points for improvement. This timely feedback helps personnel adjust behavior quickly and feel closely cared for.
Use Technology to Free Staff from Manual Tasks
Nothing kills creativity faster than doing repetitive, boring, time-consuming tasks. Invest in technology tools to automate manual processes, giving Marketing personnel more time for strategic thinking and creative work.
Use CRM software (Customer Relationship Management) to automate lead nurturing, Social Listening tools to monitor market feedback, or project management software (like Asana, Trello) to track work progress visually instead of messy Excel files.
List of Powerful Tools to Support Marketing Team Management:
- Project Management & Processes: Asana, Trello, ClickUp, Base Wework. Helps transparently track progress and individual responsibilities.
- Communication & Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom. Ensures information is transmitted quickly and seamlessly.
- Document Storage & Sharing: Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets), Dropbox. Facilitates easy document collaboration.
- Data Analysis & Reporting: Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, Power BI. Helps make data-driven decisions.
- Marketing Automation: HubSpot, Mailchimp, GetResponse. Automate email marketing flows and customer care.
Real example 1: A Content team under KPI pressure has to write 60 SEO-standard articles per month. To achieve this number, they are forced to write recycled, low-quality content. The consequence is the website gets penalized by Google, traffic drops disastrously. Later, management changed the KPI to focus on quality and traffic generated per article, resulting in clear improvement.
Real example 2: At Google, they apply the "20% time" principle, allowing employees to spend 20% of working time pursuing personal projects they are passionate about, not necessarily directly related to main work. Many of Google's breakthrough products like Gmail, Google News were born from this policy.
Action lesson: Become a "protector" for your team against unreasonable pressures from other departments or higher leadership. Use data to prove the value of long-term brand building activities, instead of just chasing short-term revenue numbers.
Long-Term Talent Retention Strategy: Beyond Just Salary and Benefits
Competitive salary and bonuses are necessary to attract talent, but never sufficient to retain them long-term. Talented Marketing personnel often leave not because of money, but because they feel no space for development or not respected properly. An effective retention strategy must impact their intrinsic motivations.
Build a Structured Training and Skill Development Roadmap
The Marketing industry changes at a dizzying speed. Today's knowledge may be outdated tomorrow. Therefore, the need for Marketing personnel to learn and update new knowledge is extremely high. A business that doesn't focus on training will soon have an outdated team.
Build a professional competency framework clearly for each position and corresponding training roadmap. Organize weekly internal knowledge sharing sessions (Internal Sharing), invite industry experts for in-house training (In-house Training), or sponsor budgets for employees to attend reputable external courses.
Foster a Culture of Instant Recognition and Appreciation
Don't wait until the year-end summary to honor employee contributions. Recognition must happen timely, right when positive actions or good results occur. Delay will significantly reduce the impact of praise.
Build a culture of instant recognition. It could be just a public compliment in the company group chat when a designer just completes an excellent design, or a small unexpected gift (coffee voucher, movie ticket...) for the team that just successfully runs a difficult campaign.
Grant Real Empowerment and Trust in the Team's Expertise
Nothing is more frustrating than a manager without deep Marketing expertise constantly crudely interfering in specialists' work. A typical example is the boss keeps forcing the designer to change colors, fonts according to personal taste instead of design principles.
Learn to trust the expertise of those you have hired. Give them the final goal to achieve (What) and deadline (When), then let them freely decide how to do it (How). This empowerment is the strongest motivation for them to maximize their abilities.
Genuinely Care About Staff's Mental Health
"Burnout" (occupational exhaustion) is a chronic disease of the Marketing industry due to continuous high-pressure work. A caring manager must observe and recognize signs of overload in employees to intervene timely.
Create a balanced work environment. Encourage employees to take full leave to recharge energy. Organize team building activities, sessions on stress management skills. Sometimes, just a sincere question "How are you lately?" is worth more than a thousand empty promises.
Table of non-financial benefits to increase employee engagement
| Benefit group | Specific forms (Examples) | Psychological impact on personnel |
|---|---|---|
| Personal & Career Development | Annual personal learning budget. Internal Mentorship program. Department rotation opportunities. Soft skills workshops. | Feel invested in the future. See a clear development path. Increase personal market value. |
| Work-Life Balance | Flexible working mode (Hybrid working). Additional paid leave days. "Mental Health Day". No work/meetings on weekends. | Reduce stress, burnout risk. Feel personal life respected. Increase satisfaction and engagement. |
| Recognition & Value Honor | Timely public praise. "Employee of the Month" award. Personalized gifts on special occasions (birthday, work anniversary). Casual lunch with CEO. | Feel efforts appreciated. Increase pride and confidence. Satisfy respect needs (Maslow's hierarchy). |
Real example 1: An Agency company applies the "No-Meeting Fridays" policy. Friday afternoons are dedicated to internal training activities, knowledge sharing or light team building. This policy reduces weekend pressure and creates space for learning and bonding.
Real example 2: At a large corporation, they built a "Shadowing" program, allowing Marketing employees to follow and observe the work of other department heads (like Sales, Product) for a day. This helps expand their perspective and better understand the overall business picture.
Action lesson: Turn the workplace into a "tribe" where everyone shares the same values and common goals. When employees feel they are part of a bonded collective, where they can be themselves and supported, they won't easily leave their "tribe" just for slightly more attractive material offers outside.
Conclusion: Managing People is a Journey, Not a Destination
Retaining talented Marketing personnel, especially in the first stormy 3 months, is a significant challenge for any business. There is no universal formula guaranteeing 100% success, as each business has its own culture and each individual has different motivations.
However, by deeply understanding the root causes, seriously investing in recruitment and onboarding processes, skillfully balancing creativity and KPI discipline, and most importantly, building a people-centered corporate culture, you can completely break the "job-hopping" curse early.
Remember that, the work of Marketing Team Management is a continuous improvement journey that requires patience, listening, and readiness to change from the leader themselves. When you take good care of your team, your team will take good care of your business. That is the inevitable rule.
At DPS.MEDIA, we not only provide practical Digital Marketing solutions but also are ready to share valuable experiences in building and operating effective In-house Marketing teams. If your business is struggling with Marketing personnel issues, don't hesitate to contact us for in-depth consultation.
We believe that with the right strategy and dedication, you will build a "Dream Team" Marketing that is not only professionally skilled but also sustainably cohesive, together with the business conquering new growth peaks.
