FEATURES: The workers are revolting ... Talented staff are fleeing the ad industry, because they've had enough

Once again, managers of ad agencies are up in arms over salaries spiralling out of control (MEDIA, June 23). Executives seem to have tried everything; salary capping, career path mapping and some have even taken the radical step of looking to training programmes. Still, those ungrateful youngsters, who obviously don't appreciate just how lucky they are, have the audacity to ask for more money, better career opportunities and more training. Some are voting with their feet and jumping on the dotcom bandwagon. Just who do they think they are? Well, they know exactly who and what they are. They know that they're the lifeblood of our businesses. They know that they're the reason we exist and the source of energy driving our success. They know that they are the only point of difference any of us has, and as such, that they're our competitive edge. They know they are our assets, our goodwill and the creators and maintainers of our company's brands. They know that they are the present and the future. What's more, they're absolutely, totally, unquestionably right. The real tragedy isn't that many of the people moving jobs are not just leaving from one agency to go to another and so causing salary inflation, it's that they're leaving the industry altogether. And they're not leaving ad agencies just for money or better career prospects. Often, their motivation is simply that they've had enough. It isn't just about some pot of share option gold. It's to be rid once and for all of having their time abused by companies who survive in Asia exclusively on the goodwill of their employees. Employees that work excruciating hours often for poor short-term remuneration, little long-term investment and virtually no meaningful sharing of the success that they are responsible for generating. They are tired of the outdated Western-based business model of the advertising agency and the inevitable stresses this causes. They are tired of having crazy decisions imposed upon them from HQ; they've had enough of working 16-hour days, six days a week in order to feed the ever-increasing profit demands of distant chiefs. And then to add insult to injury, to be informed that the sages at the 4As have ganged up and decided to cap their salary increments at three per cent. What were they thinking? Did they really believe that this attempt to deal with the symptom rather than the cause was going to help retain and attract top talent to our industry? If anything, the effect has been to drive more and more people away and to make any new talent thinking of entering the industry think again. During the recent recession, the industry culled staff at an unprecedented rate. Many hardworking, loyal people were fired. Others had their salaries slashed. Disillusioned, they sought employment in other industries, never to return. No new young talent was hired. The few training budgets that existed were frozen. Is anyone really surprised that we now have a people problem? And it's going to get much worse. The "New Economy" is not about dotcoms, it's about wealth-sharing and human development. These companies recognise that to get the best people out of the ad industry, all they have to do is to share a little success, pay a little more and show a tad more respect for people. With this simple formula, they can attract pretty much anyone they want away from the dinosaur agencies. It's rich hunting ground. It's easy to see why we're in a vicious circle. The more people that leave the industry, the more inexperienced, lower quality people will be hired putting even more pressure on those seasoned executives that remain. The more their time will be demanded, the more disenchanted they'll become, the more clients will be dissatisfied, the more the reputation of the industry will be damaged (if that's possible). We are only experiencing the tip of the iceberg. To deal with these harsh realities, we have to look in new directions. The industry has shot itself in the foot so many times that we mustn't look back if we really want to see the way forward. While it may be difficult to see just now, all this presents a fantastic opportunity for those people and organisations that wish to challenge the old order and that believe that genuine, constructive change in our industry is long, long overdue. What's more, now there is no choice.

Sign In

Trouble signing in?

Reset Password: Click here

Contact Customer Support at

Customerservice@campaignasia.com