As marketers begin budgeting for 2026, many are faced with the prospect of headcount remaining flat. And without the ability to hire, new initiatives and additional workload can fall to the existing team, risking burnout and attrition.

Be sure to support the employees you wish to retain. Here are three tips for keeping a lean team supported and motivated: 

#1 Consider contract or freelance help.

If you’ve never incorporated freelancers into your staffing model, now may be the time. Even when hiring budgets are flat for FTEs, there is often budget (coming from different divisions or product lines) that can be used for contract hires. A qualified contractor can help alleviate the load on the rest of your team.

#2 Invest in the talent you have.

Employees prioritize learning and growing in their role. Identify and commit to offering valuable professional development opportunities to keep your team engaged. Employees flourish with access to new knowledge and resources and your business will benefit in the process. 

#3 Maximize and refine your processes.

When a team is lean, vetting existing processes to ensure they are as streamlined as possible is helpful to everyone. You may find it’s time to implement new tools or platforms that are more aligned to your needs and workflow. Optimizing your processes will make your team more efficient and hopefully lighten their workload as well. 

As you consider staffing for the new year, please reach out if we can help with any full-time or contract needs.