Why protecting talent from stress is a business imperative

How often do you feel stressed trying to juggle it all? Where does one start, right?

Based on a recent survey, 86% of people in the UK feel stressed at least once a month and 60% report feeling stressed more than 5 days each month. And if you are a woman between 35 and 54, you’re most likely to feel stressed every single day. Life gets messy turning things we love into another stress trigger. 

Stress is our body's natural reaction to pressure or perceived threats. It arises when we feel overwhelmed and out of control. While stress played a crucial role in our ancestors' survival, chronic stress can harm us when it becomes a constant.

In advertising, stress is as prevalent as coffee-stained briefs and looming deadlines. The constant demand for innovation, tight deadlines, unrealistic client expectations with peanut budgets, pitching...it’s a grind. While a certain level of pressure can fuel creativity, excessive stress can lead to burnout and talent loss. And when creativity suffers, so does the business.

The cost of stress in the workplace

In 2023, 17.1 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety [source]. Poor mental wellbeing costs employers in the UK an estimated £45 billion annually through presenteeism, sickness absence and staff turnover [source]. Protecting talent from stress is not just a nice-to-have; it's a business imperative.

A recent survey by the IPA indicates 78% of all adland employees, agree that their workplace should be doing more to support mental health and wellbeing at work and 83% are concerned about taking time off during high workload.

Why must we do better

Our talent is our greatest asset— creating the right environment for people to thrive and investing in their well-being is an investment in our agency's future. The cost of turnover is not just financial; it impacts team dynamics and client relationships. Recent research finds that, on average, there is a positive return on investment of £5 for every £1 invested in mental health in the workplace [source].

This year one of my key priorities at Publicis London was to create a clear agenda for DE&I. Form a team, articulate our vision and start shaping our strategy with tangible actions that will drive impact. MOVE was launched with a team of brilliant talent, united under a mission to Make Our Values Evolve. Here is a snippet of our journey;

Assessing where we were

One of the first steps we took was conducting a company-wide survey to assess employee feelings about belonging, mental and physical wellbeing, and diversity. We also gathered input on our values, which we refined in workshops with the entire team. Awareness is the first step towards action so these learnings were key to shape our 2024 strategy focused on wellbeing, collaboration and representation.

Clear guidance and resources for support

Navigating policies and resources can be overwhelming. Our MOVE booklet simplifies this, providing contacts for Mental Health First Aiders, Wellbeing champions, and other support. It addresses collaboration principles, out-of-hours email guidance and working adjustments. The MOVE booklet also covers learning and wellbeing initiatives. Additionally, we offer two annual reflection days for wellbeing and self-care, separate from regular holiday allowance.

Actively promoting wellbeing

Engaging in mindfulness helps combat stress. As a yoga teacher, I’ve seen its benefits firsthand. Even the World Health Organisation recognises yoga as beneficial for physical and mental health, promoting its integration into wellness strategies. Yoga reduces cortisol, slows heart rate, improves breathing, releases tension, aids sleep and digestion, lowers anxiety… Bringing these benefits to our talent felt like the obvious thing to do, especially with our COO Trent, another certified yoga teacher, supporting the initiative. MOVE|WELL program offers diverse wellbeing activities; yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound healing. Sessions are free and held fortnightly at lunchtime with various specialists. The program has been well-received, as evidenced by positive team feedback and photos.

“As mum to a toddler, I sometimes find it difficult to make space for wellness and I really appreciate the introduction of the new MOVE | Well sessions this year.”

“A great initiative that I think will help people and generate a nice break from their laptops. Good instructor, mats provided, easy intro to yoga. I felt calmer going into the afternoon. Gave me a chance to regenerate.”

“It was professional, but still informal enough to have a bit of a laugh and not be stressed about it. Productivity afterwards was amazing. super clear headed and calm for the rest of the afternoon.”

It’s essential to start raising awareness and normalising discussions around stress and mental health and fostering an environment where seeking help is OK. By testing, learning, and optimising our approach, we can ensure meaningful progress over time. We have a duty of care to our talent. Growing a business is only sustainable when wellbeing is a priority.

Ivana Kosorok is Managing Partner at Publicis London.

The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and were submitted in accordance with the IPA terms and conditions regarding the uploading and contribution of content to the IPA newsletters, IPA website, or other IPA media, and should not be interpreted as representing the opinion of the IPA.