Workforce strategy and overview

We aim for our employees to thrive in a culture of trust, collaboration, and empowerment. We encourage personal growth, skills development, and the sharing of ideas that spark positive change.

Our diverse and talented people embody the strong culture we have built since our foundation. We believe in the power of working better together to foster trust, collaboration, and cultivating a supportive environment where everyone can contribute meaningfully. This commitment is anchored in our CoC, which sets clear expectations for integrity, respect, and ethical business practices across all levels of the company.

As digital pioneers, we embrace curiosity, innovation, and openness to new possibilities. Through culture training and leadership development, we strengthen connections across teams, equipping our people to grow, lead, and succeed. Together, we unlock our full potential.

Empowering our workforce for the greatest impact

Our workforce’s skills, engagement, and well-being are vital to SMG’s success. As an employer, we have a responsibility to foster an environment where employees feel supported and empowered to reach their full potential. Attractive working conditions, opportunities for continuous learning and development, and inclusive leadership directly impact employee satisfaction and engagement, which are key drivers of SMG’s ability to innovate, grow, and deliver value.

We strive to create a positive and supportive workplace that not only allows employees to thrive but also strengthens our ability to attract and retain top talent.

All employees at a glance

People governance and policies

At SMG, employer-employee relations are governed by internal human resources policies and regulations, in addition to applicable laws in each jurisdiction. These policies are adapted to local specificities and cover essential aspects including compensation, working hours, career development paths, performance management, employment terms, and retirement provisions. To ensure continued relevance and effectiveness, these policies undergo regular reviews and updates.

The Director of Human Resources holds primary responsibility for people management, supported by the Director of International Locations and local personnel representatives. Since our founding in 2021, SMG has evolved significantly and counts over 930 employees (863 FTEs) in six countries as at 31 December 2024. Our governance framework plays a critical role in ensuring consistent approaches across SMG while accommodating regional and regulatory variations where necessary. Establishing harmonised, group-wide policies and reporting processes across the company remained an ongoing effort and a key priority in 2024.

As part of our due diligence process, employee-related risks are regularly assessed and integrated into the ERM framework. Insights from these assessments inform the core pillars of our people strategy, including learning, growth, diversity, and inclusion.

Our people strategy framework

Our people strategy, established in 2023, is built around four key pillars that foster a dynamic, inclusive, and high-performing workplace:¹¹

Perform as one company reflects our commitment to building a unified team and shared culture. In 2024, we transitioned all our external contractors in Serbia into fully integrated SMG employees. By fostering a shared understanding across locations, we aim to cultivate a cohesive culture of belonging and collaboration.

Lead with courage begins with self-awareness, encouraging leaders to take ownership of their work, and lead their teams, and themselves, with authenticity, confidence, and purpose. Leaders are empowered to cultivate a culture where every individual feels valued and appreciated for their contributions.

Attract and retain talent focuses on recognising and nurturing great people, who, in turn, attract and inspire others, strengthening the competitiveness of SMG. By valuing skills, passion, and dedication, we strive to attract top talent and create an environment where employees thrive and see long-term opportunities for growth and success.

Fuel learning and growth encourages employees to embrace new ways of working and enhance their skills, fostering a culture that values performance and courage to explore uncharted paths. We recognise failure as an essential part of learning and growth, empowering individuals to innovate and thrive.

Employee well-being, diversity, and inclusion are supported through this framework, with insights gathered directly from quarterly Pulse Surveys or People and Culture Surveys to drive continuous improvement.

Employee breakdown¹²

The majority of employees at SMG work on a full-time basis across all locations. In Switzerland, the second largest group consists of part-time employees, making up over one-fourth of SMG’s workforce. While part-time work is available for all advertised positions in Switzerland and upon request across locations, it is less common in Serbia and other international locations, reflecting local labour market structures and workforce preferences. However, we remain committed to flexibility through various work arrangements, including hybrid models and adaptable working hours where feasible. In 2024, in addition to six temporary employees, SMG employed 19 apprentices and interns in Switzerland. These apprentices and interns are not included in the subsequent overviews in this section.

Furthermore, we engaged 86 non-employees in Switzerland and Serbia in 2024, primarily freelancers and contractors hired for specific services or project-based work. These roles, typically in areas such as consulting, graphic design, and copywriting, enable us to leverage specialised expertise as needed.

Employee movement¹³

New hires

Total rate of new hires:¹⁴ 14%

Leavers

Total employee turnover rate:¹⁵ 20%

The turnover rate in 2024 reflects the after-effects of a prior strategic reorganisation undertaken to align roles with SMG’s evolving operating model, following the company’s formation through the 2021 merger. This was a one-time effect, and the employee turnover rate is expected to decline going forward. Notably, the net turnover rate, reflecting voluntary employee resignations, remained steady at 7.9% in 2024.