HR Corner No strings attached by Charles Mak Relaxed approach holds tight to elusive talent People who work in advertising are an exceptional group. It takes a certain kind to be able to deal with the stress and long hours that come along with the territory and those who choose to do so tend to be highly creative extroverts with boundless energy. However, these very same traits that make them so successful in their jobs also make it notoriously hard for employers to pin them down for too long. In fact, a number of local advertising agencies have experienced an unbelievably astonishing 200 per cent staff turnover rate. Lilian Leong, general manager, Leo Burnett Hong Kong knows the HR trends all too well. "A job in advertising is emotionally demanding. People who make it in the field usually possess a very high EQ but the hard fact is that the majority of these people get restless after two to three years in the job," Ms Leong says. "It's an industry norm but then Leo Burnett Hong Kong had a mere 17 per cent staff turnover rate last year." Sizeable corporations across the board and multinationals alike usually have in place an exhaustive list of staff-focused initiatives to boost morale and foster synergy among staff, with an ultimate aim of maintaining workforce integrity. This, Ms Leong stresses, is not always viable. "Staff retention is never a straightforward discipline. You can never overdo it or take your staff for granted," she notes. "In the scheme of things, striking the right balance is key." A top-notch advertising multinational, Leo Burnett prides itself on 73 years of industry experience and a worldwide network of 97 offices and 7,000 staff, of which 200 are based in Hong Kong. "Our staff are adults who don't need pampering. We simply do fun things together. For instance, when the Olympic games were on, we booked a room and watched some of the games together; we hold spontaneous Wii competitions; and after-hours get-togethers are always on and the firm foots part of the bill as local expenses. These are unlike major events that have to be scheduled and planned to make staff feel valued and loved. If they enjoy the company they keep, they want to stay part of the family," Ms Leong says. "Our staff are adults who don't need pampering" Embrace the inevitable To date, 35 per cent of Leo Burnett Hong Kong's staff have been with the firm for five years; another 20 per cent have helped make the last 10 years of Leo Burnett's history. "Staff are an integral part of Leo Burnett's long-term development plans," Ms Leong remarks. "Our customer portfolio includes many industry big names, some of them have been our strategic partners for more than 30 years. Such bonds could not have been possible without a team of brainy and dedicated staff who continuously play an instrumental role in these push and pull relationships." She emphasises that the firm owes this high level of company loyalty to a comprehensive HR infrastructure, which naturally includes an extensive range of industry exposure and training opportunities. "More then 40 training modules are available for staff every year. These include local, regional and global programmes, as well as online courses," notes Edward Ha, Leo Burnett's associate brand director. There is a keen focus on people in all these programmes, he adds. For example, new employees go through a "human kind" grand tour, which imparts knowledge of the firm's people ethos, customer service philosophies alongside skills in branding and communication. A barrage of well-being training programmes and workshops in EQ, diet and yoga are available to help staff let off some stream and maintain physically and mentally sound. None of these training programmes are compulsory though, emphasises Ms Leong. "Staff are left to their own devices because we respect individuals' aspirations, lifestyle and preferences," she says. Synergy boost Two months ago, Leo Burnett Hong Kong threw a party to celebrate its parent company's 73rd anniversary. "Two weeks prior to the party we distributed to each member of our staff a kit containing a blank message card and HK$30 in cash," Mr Ha explains. "We asked them to compose a message and get a present for a randomly pre-assigned colleague without revealing their identities to the recipients." A week leading up to the party, message cards carrying warm wishes, notes of encouragement, or tokens of appreciation were posted onto an apple-tree display. "The recipients found their message cards but they did not have a clue who the senders were until the revelation at the party where they also received the present," Mr Ha says. "That was when the real fun began." The initiative was a success, having brought together more than 95 per cent of staff. "The synergy it created was phenomenal," Ms Leong recalls. "Some staff were no more than strangers to each other from the outset but then they received pot noodles or supplements to quit smoking. These are really personal stuff. You cannot measure the outcome in monetary or tangible terms." Salient points * High staff turnover normative in the advertising industry * Balance a key in staff retention * Staff an integral part of company's long-term plans Taken from Career Times 26 September 2008, p. A20 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]