MFA Support launches to help media agency talent impacted by COVID-19 redundancies
The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) has launched an initiative aimed at media agency professionals who have been impacted by redundancies in response to COVID-19.
MFA Support will grant retrenched media agency talent with free access to MFA learning programs, a talent directory aimed at re-employment, and conversations with industry leaders.
The MFA board
By providing such support to anyone who has lost their job while working at an MFA member agency, the MFA is aiming to retain talent by ensuring they remain connected to the industry and can find industry employment as soon as possible.
“The impact of COVID-19 has meant media agencies have had to make some incredibly tough decisions, in some cases having to let go of valued staff who are very good at their jobs,” said MFA CEO Sophie Madden.
“In speaking with our members, we identified a real desire to provide emotional and practical support to all those affected by job loss, to ensure we keep them connected to their colleagues in the industry and provide a smooth pathway to re-entry through future employment opportunities.”
Since the pandemic began, CHE Proximity has made 35 redundancies, WPP presented staff with a ‘menu’ of options, including pay cuts and reduced hours, to drive $70m in cost savings, Omnicom Group has turned to stand downs and redundancies, and IPG Mediabrands has also reduced the team’s hours, with a corresponding pay cut.
Stand downs, reduced hours, pay cuts, and redundancies are not limited to these agencies, with many across the industry grappling with how to survive shrinking marketing budgets and slashed ad spend. In April, ad spend booked through media agencies fell 35%, dropping by $331.13m as clients across most industries clawed back investment, according to Standard Media Index figures.
OMD CEO Aimee Buchanan, who is also an MFA board member, said its crucial those impacted by redundancies feel supported.
“The entire board felt very strongly that we have a responsibility to ensure media agency professionals who have lost their job during this difficult time feel supported and remain connected to the industry,” Buchanan said.
“We are confident that this program will provide real value to our community.”
The learning programs that will be available for free include MFA TV Foundations, MFA Digital Foundations, NGEN, and MFA 5+. When new roles begin opening up, they will be posted on the MFA website and emailed to MFA Support members as part of the talent directory arm of the initiative.
And MFA Support members will also have an opportunity to network with senior executives and peers, and ask for CV feedback or career guidance.
Eligible media agency talent can join MFA Support by sending an email to mfa@mediafederation.org.au.
Brittney Rigby was Mumbrella's deputy managing editor - news and analysis. She left Mumbrella in April 2021.
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Aimee Buchanan
COVID-19
media agencies
Media Federation of Australia
MFA
MFA Support
redundancies
Sophie Madden
Seriously guys (sorry white people) why does the MFA exist. Surely its very existence is holding the industry back by refusing to come together with the communications council we have one industry body representing media and one representing creativity. It’s a joke.
Also there is no external representation – people not in media on the board.
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The people who lead the companies who laid these individuals off in the first place are now going to “help them” … maybe they should have pushed back on their global overlords who demanded they hold their precious ratios by firing staff … that probably would have had more impact.
The people laid off didn’t have to be. These leaders could have stopped it. The initiative above is tone deaf and token.
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