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The pressing issue of burnout amongst MY executives in adland

The pressing issue of burnout amongst MY executives in adland

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Burnout is growing increasingly common today as the world moves at a faster pace. In 2019, the Malaysia adland experienced pitch fever, with brands including CIMBCelcom and TM on the hunt for agencies. As such, agencies had to double down and work even harder.

According to AIA's latest "Malaysia’s Healthiest Workplace by AIA Vitality 2019" survey, Malaysian employees are overworked and sleep deprived. Slightly more than half (51%) of employees suffer from at least one dimension of work-related stress and 53% are getting less than seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. The survey added that 17% of employees reported that they felt tired and fatigued every single day and yet 20% of them cannot decide when to take a break.

The agency world, in particular, is known for its pressure cooker environment and in recent years, some employees have also passed on due to overworking. Industry players in Malaysia who A+M spoke to are in agreement that the issue of burnout is real and pressing.

CEO of Naga DDB Tribal, Kristian Lee (pictured left) told A+M that the issue of burnout is real and is something that employers need to be aware of and take not just reactionary, but also preventive, measures. He added that working adults are under immense pressure and there is not enough attention given to addressing the issue. "In Malaysia, there is no doubt that it is a problem that is increasing," Lee said.

According to him, factors contributing to burnout include "insane deadlines", competition at every corner, short-term client contracts that "leave agency staff with paranoia and insecurity".

"Couple those with unreasonable expectations from both internal and external parties and that's enough to make the strongest individual feel like giving up," he said.

I find that technology itself does not help in that regard as well as everyone is contactable 24/7 which creates little to no breathing space whatsoever.

Lee also pointed out that some individuals find it difficult to cope with problems outside of work as well within their personal life and that in turn bleeds into their professional life. In this busy world, empathy is also a human quality that is diminishing. Lee explained that everyone is caught up with a myriad of problems that putting oneself in another's shoes often is something that is not done enough.

"I feel that the simple act of doing so sometimes can go a long way towards understanding what a colleague or an agency partner is going through. Hence, knowing how to help them function better would go a long way towards solving the issue of burnout," he said.

It is commonly understood that global agencies have deeper pockets to invest in the welfare of its employees. When asked about his thoughts as the leader of a local agency, Lee said there is no difference when it comes to the ability or capability to tackle the issue of employee welfare. Instead, it is more of a question of how willing an agency is to accept the fact that burnout is real.

"A company's financial status should not be the determining factor when it comes to investing in the welfare of its staff. I believe that agencies should set out to make allocations in its annual budgets to identify initiatives to improve working conditions for its people," he explained.

The million dollar question obviously is what kind of initiatives or incentives would work best given the nature of one's business and its staff profile? Lee said agencies have to do better in this area and find the answers as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, CEO M&C Saatchi Malaysia, Datin Sri Lara Hussein (pictured centre), called the issue "a silent epidemic" and individuals do not want to talk about it, but they should and must.

"In my long career in this industry, I’ve seen high levels of burnout due to the sheer hectic pace, sometimes unrealistic deadlines, and an exhausting level of expectations. We’re in an industry that is heavily dependent on our best brains - whether strategic, creative, media, technologists, or whoever else - producing at their optimal level," she said. As such, Lara explained that this requires the best possible mental health, and that’s something companies need to actively nurture, and not take for granted.

However, she admitted that the very nature of the advertising industry is a challenge to achieving this. According to her, in the current environment, margins are squeezed, resources are stretched, pitches are relentless, and salaries (especially for juniors) cannot keep pace, which results in high turnover.

It is a cyclical burnout that repeats itself because the industry has been built that way. Agencies are already struggling to keep good talents, so it’s hurting the industry.

"The human cost is also important, as burnout can exacerbate pre-existing mental issues such as depression. Rather than watch our people suffering in silence, we need to urgently tackle the issue head-on," she said.

Lara is of the view that the cultural shift needs to be initiated by agencies themselves. The first step is to go back to basics - prioritise a better worklife where agencies respect and empathise with employees' family or private time.

Answering work-related messages at 10 pm, or handling pitch briefs with one-week deadlines, should become a thing of the past.

While burnout is indeed a real issue, FCB Group Malaysia, co-owner and CEO Shaun Tay told A+M that it is not new as any industry where the output is completely reliant on people thinking, creating and crafting each day, every day will always have this problem. The ad industry demands a certain amount of obsessive compulsive traits and agencies are driven by making whatever they have done good in, better.

While there are many factors leading to burnout, Tay said it is the lack of ability to control outcomes, adding:

I keep telling clients that brand building is a marathon, not a sprint. The same is true when running a business or rebuilding an agency.

"You need to plan and pace, sprint some yards, or the next. This is 101 stuff for those agency leaders out there who are looking to create lasting legacy," he explained.

When it comes to the perception of global agencies having deeper pockets to invest in welfare, Tay explained that perception and reality are two different things. "What's the use of deep pockets without the ability or permission to use them?" he said.

He added that the key is being in control. In 2018, Tay and his management team bought out FCB's Malaysia operations, transforming it into a Malaysia-first agency. Now a local agency, FCB is able to make its own decisions without any permissions needed. For example, it hosted its first company trip this year in Phuket. According to Tay, it was their second year as owner operators and having only recently rebuilt the agency back to profitability, it could have kept the money and saved the hassle. However, the agency did as promised and put employees before its profit.

"Can you imagine that happening with a struggling network agency who’s corporate handlers are insistent that the profitability numbers must be met come hell or high water?" he added.

(Read also: Pitch fever in Malaysia: Can agencies really avoid the fatigue creeping up on them?)

How can agencies in Malaysia tackle this issue?

According to Tay, agencies have to pick their battles. "Let greed determine your decisions and you will tail spin quickly," he said.

He said that FCB knows when to hit the after burners and that it is not an "always on" mentality. The team knows when the work needs an extra push and when it's as good as it gets. Tay added that it is also important to have an all hands on deck mentality, with everyone pitching in and sharing the workload, especially the CEO and CCOs.

On the other hand, Naga DDB Tribal's Lee said many local Malaysian agencies are far from hitting a home run when it comes to tackling the issue of burnout. However, agencies can start by reflecting on the management of employees with regards to their personal belief systems when it comes to matters on the job.

"I personally do not endorse the thought that employees must arrive and leave work at a specified hour. It is up to the individual as to how they manage their time so long as it does not compromise prior set engagements involving clients or colleagues," he explained.

On that note, it is important to ensure that team leads within the agency are equipped with the freedom to manage their personnel freely. Lee said every individual has different needs and are therefore to be managed accordingly. For instance, if one notes that their subordinate is under duress, they should be free to allocate time off independent of set leave days. Basic counselling nous and skills perhaps should be added to an agency's training schedule as well.

A huge factor in this equation is helping clients understand that their agency partner's assets are their people.

"Being honest and coming to an agreement with how to reduce unnecessary stress and frustrations on both sides would go miles towards helping with this issue. This is something that ourselves and our industry as a whole needs to get a whole lot better at," Lee added.

Meanwhile, M&C Saatchi's Lara said there is no barrier to local agencies leading the way in the battle against burnout. As a “global yet local” boutique agency, Lara said M&C Saatchi Malaysia can create its own rules to cater for what its employees need to enhance its collective happiness and mental health.

She explained that this year, the agency is championing the special cause of mental health which is crucial to the advertising industry. As part of this, it invited a mental wellness trainer who gave employees an in-depth session on how to identify stress and ways to relax. The trainer also provided an online consultation service for all M&C Saatchi staff for a duration of three months, allowing employees to freely get advice and counselling.

"By going the extra mile for a happy, stress-free workplace, we’re only ensuring that our very people-centric industry doesn’t itself burn out in the future! It's time for us all to reflect on how we can address this issue better in 2020 and beyond," she added.

(Photo courtesy: 123RF)

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