Half of media and marketing workers face ‘extreme stress’ daily, report finds
Almost half of people employed in media, marketing and advertising report feeling extreme levels of stress on a daily basis and one-in-five dread going to work at least once a week, new research shows.
The latest Workforce Attitudes Toward Mental Health Report, commissioned by mental health app Headspace, also found a lack of job stability is taking a toll.
Those working in media, marketing and advertising face many stressors. Picture: ThinkStock
The annual study probes Australians working in a variety of fields, and from CEOs to entry-level employees, about current workplace issues, stress challenges and burnout triggers, as well as on-the-job access to health and wellbeing supports.
For those in the media, marketing and advertising , 50% say their managers have a lack of understanding of ‘life outside work’. The finding matches some recent studies, including a SEEK report last year that found half of marketing sector professionals report a low level of work-life balance.
Drilling down into the Headspace app results, 12% of respondents say they feel a sense of dread about going to work every day, while 21% dread work at least once a week.
Instability sparked by economic factors is a main cause, with 46% of those who dread work blaming unpredictable workplaces. Another 42% cite unreasonable expectations from managers.
Positively, 98% of respondents in the sector say their companies provide adequate support via mental health programs and benefits.
Pauly Grant, chief talent officer at Publicis Groupe ANZ, said its suite of specialised initiatives focus on physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
“We see wellbeing as more than just tackling mental health – focusing on prevention alongside treatment,” Grant said.
“Our people philosophy is centred on a ‘whole self’ approach – providing wellbeing solutions that address the physical, mental and financial health of our people to encourage them to bring their whole self to work.”
Publicis Groupe offers a suite of mental health supports.
Publicis Groupe ANZ has Gold Standard Accreditation from Mental First Aid Australia, with 105 specially trained Mental Health First Aiders on staff.
It also provides access to Sonder, an all-in-one digital wellbeing platform with access to 24/7 support services, and Thriving Mind, a wellness education series created in partnership with Stanford Medicine.
These efforts have played a “significant” role in the attraction and retention of key talent, Grant said, pointing out the company’s turnover rate is below the industry average “in a highly competitive sector”.
Headspace chief executive Russell Glass said a focus on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace isn’t just “the right thing to do”.
“It’s also beneficial to the bottom line,” Glass pointed out, with Australia’s Productivity Commission estimating poor mental health at work costs the economy about $43 billion a year.
And top-down examples matter, with almost all respondents in the study nothing that their CEOs or senior leaders speak openly about their own challenges, which has positive benefits.
And one-in-three note that their workplaces make an effort to offer ‘moments of fun’ for teams that had a positive impact on their wellbeing.
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