The advertising industry is in the midst of a talent crunch and while agencies fight over new talent entering the market, the focus on retention and keeping people happy and fulfilled in their roles is an equally mammoth task. 

In a panel session moderated by Nicola Kemp, Editorial Director, Creativebrief at the IPA’s Talent and Diversity Conference, industry experts sat down to discuss how talent can be retained through effective leadership and culture.
The panel consisted of Ravleen Beeston, Regional Vice President at  Microsoft Advertising UK, Microsoft,  Abba Newbery, Chief Marketing Officer at Habito, Xavier Rees, Chief Executive Officer at Havas London and Havas CX helia; and, Satin Reid, Managing Director at  MediaCom UK

The pandemic ushered in change in every aspect of life and as people consider what truly matters to them, a fulfilling meaningful job and a healthy work-life balance are high on the agenda. In such a candidate-led market agencies and brands alike are introducing new policies and priorities to attract and retain talent, such as remote working and adaptable hours.

Flexibility in all areas

On the ground, people know how best they work and the key to successful management is in listening to employees. Yet, a challenge raised by Newberry was that of “engineering serendipity” which is difficult to replicate in work-from-home set ups’ “Now the crisis and drama of the pandemic is gone, work from home is not as energetic or exciting”, now a conscious effort needs to be made to create those moments that spark inspiration. 

Rees quipped that his philosophy on remote working is that the agency is “better together, some of the time”, perhaps a reason for the popularity of the 3:2 or 2:3 working models many seem to be adopting; with employees working 2 or 3 days in the office. 

 Where flexibility should be championed, maintaining some structure of set days allows for those “accidental sparks” to fly, as Rees says some of the best inspiration comes from ”overhearing conversations”. Yet, he maintains that it is important not to fall back into old routines and give up the newfound freedoms of flexibility.

For Mediacom’s Reid, there is a distinct difference between flexible and hybrid working and it's important to favour a model that allows for team time and collaboration. She urges the industry to think about what to take forward from the pandemic carefully. As she explains:  “We’ve spent a lot of time patting ourselves on the back, now we need to reflect; what did and didn’t work?”. A large part of retention is in development and experience; Reid adds “we need team time. There’s work to do to ensure people learn at pace.”

Aligning values

Drawing on experiences from working at a B-Corp agency where people and the planet are placed on the same level as profit, Abba explained how the B-Corp status has made the business hold itself to greater account when it comes to its people; “Lockdown made us better at pre-meets but Zoom meetings have made people rude; doing other things, camera off and lack of reactions. We need to think about us as human beings, we say social media damages our children, video meetings are damaging to us.” In an industry where feedback is so necessary, communication via video calls can be far colder and conversations can have long term damaging effects on people's confidence. 

Anecdotally the panellists have found that the talent crunch is real and have experienced it first-hand in recruitment and in constant people moves. “Demand for services has grown and there’s not enough talent to supply” explained Rees and this “limited pool of talent gives them more power over employers.” It is a unique era that has the power to revolutionise the future of the industry as leaders can no longer afford to ignore the needs of their employees, or else lose business for lack of talent.

Priorities of the workforce go beyond workload and working hours to the desire to work for a company that aligns with their values; increasingly when it comes to sustainability and diversity and inclusion. Beeston finds that “pretty much all interviewers ask about culture or diversity targets and questions are becoming more specific.” For businesses to win over talent, thrive and be successful they must show a commitment to improving diversity and continuing to do better. She adds; “It’s not an add on, it’s crucial to business.” Beyond inclusion in hiring, people also want to see inclusion in day to day work life such as in making sure people in different offices feel properly included in meetings.

While the phrasing of ‘The Great Resignation’ is hotly debated, it's undeniable that people are moving around the industry and leaving or starting jobs. While staffing changes are hard to navigate, Kemp joked that the resulting slew of exit interviews is an invaluable asset. When it comes to retention a significant effort is required to create a positive culture. Culture which is crafted through effective leadership which is always intentional. By listening, participating in work life and adapting to the people’s needs freely people will feel more fulfilled in their current roles.