Making recruitment feel human during growth
Context
People Make Petrofac was developed during a period of growth, as recruitment pressures increased and expectations around employer branding shifted across the energy sector.
As hiring accelerated, the question wasn’t how to say more, but how to show more of what already existed. There was a need to help people outside the organisation better understand who they might be joining, and what working at Petrofac actually felt like.
The approach
The work centred on people.
We developed a series of short, story-led video portraits, each built around honest conversation, natural b-roll, and minimal scripting. The intention was to create work that would be recognisable to employees and accessible to potential candidates.
Rather than chasing polished corporate narratives, the focus stayed on clarity and consistency. Each film followed the same simple structure, allowing individual voices to come through while preserving a coherent overall direction.
The content was designed for social from the outset, adapted for YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and targeted with a paid push in key recruitment markets. Short cut-downs supported employee sharing, extending reach without inflating complexity.
What changed
The series quickly became one of Petrofac’s most engaged recruitment initiatives.
196,818 organic video views
248,735 paid media video views
6,963 click-throughs to petrofac.com/careers
154% increase in careers page views compared to the previous six months
The work was later recognised with:
Silver, Best Use of Online Video, Digital Impact Awards 2023
Bronze, Best Use of Video on Social Media and Best Use of Video in Energy, Lens Awards 2024
The human effect
Beyond the metrics, the series changed how Petrofac presented itself.
Employees saw themselves and their colleagues represented with care. Candidates encountered a more grounded, human view of the organisation. Internally, the work reinforced shared pride during a period of change.
By focusing on people and keeping the direction clear, the campaign supported recruitment while helping the organisation express itself more consistently and confidently.
A quiet note
This kind of work often sits within moments where clarity is needed before more execution is added, whether for a specific campaign or as part of a longer-term creative partnership.