Upskilling, sector pivoting and employee ‘courting’: Salt & Shein’s Lucinda Attrill explains how the communication industry will come out of COVID-19
As any reader of one too many ‘these are unprecedented’ times emails from brands (or employers) can attest there is a greater need than ever for skilled communication. However, as in all sectors, communication professionals would be forgiven for feeling nervous.
Lucinda Attrill started her career in agency land – she worked in brand communication in Sydney, London, and New York before switching to senior-level recruitment with her own headhunting firm in London. She now works with Salt & Shein, spearheading senior executive search for the PR agency sector, alongside her colleague Cynthia Carmody who focuses on junior to mid-level mandates. Attrill, who worked as a headhunter through the GFC, believes coronavirus is likely to impact the industry in ways we can’t begin to imagine.
The communication sector entered 2020 at full-tilt. The royal commission, drought, bushfires, and floods made for a frantic year, leaving comms teams and their agencies stretched.
“As recruiters in that sector we were busier than ever,” notes Attrill, “agencies were picking up a lot of work from their clients on the back of those events so there was significant demand for talent.” The coronavirus has only increased the need for good communication. “I will hazard a guess that the comms function in any business or agency is working full throttle right now,” says Attrill. Businesses need to ensure their internal and external communications are in line with public sentiment, the requirements of government and industry bodies, and, if possible, not mind-numbingly repetitive. However, the economic effects of the coronavirus on corporates and agencies mean supply for that requirement has been challenged.
Attrill notes, “when any business is struck by enormous change, the instinct is to press pause and hunker down” – which means hiring freezes and, in some cases, redundancies. Agencies, naturally, look to their clients for an indication of how to move forward. However, as Attrill says: “not even the most pessimistic businesses had built a global pandemic into their scenario planning”. As a result, corporates have been understandably slow to make decisions around their messaging, and finalize their marketing plans for the remainder of 2020.
So, how should professionals in the communication industry be preparing themselves for the next six months? And how should employers like agencies be equipping themselves, so they have the best talent in place when it’s time to hit go?
The first thing for those feeling anxious about their position or finding themselves under or unemployed will be shaking off any stigma of redundancy. Attrill has been advising those who find themselves out of work, or fearful it is around the corner, to recognize that they’re in good company. “My first piece of advice is to accept the situation within its extraordinary context, but my second is to acknowledge that a lot of great people are in the same boat, and sadly, more will be soon. Now, more than ever, a redundancy or employment gap will be understood by the corporate world.”
The next thing is to use the time constructively. Attrill believes a growth mindset is the way forward and studying to upskill is timely and smart, “Upskill wherever you can and don’t be too preoccupied with finding some universally admired course – it doesn’t exist and it’s not necessary. Just select something relevant to the profession and where you know you need more breadth or depth. Agencies are more interested in the initiative and your ability to provide a rationale for your choices.” Attrill commented that a good ‘comms bandwidth’ should be every candidate’s goal whether that be honing social and digital skills, learning about new technologies, or immersing yourself in specific sector regulations.
Finally, candidates need to be open to the way opportunities will present themselves in the next 12 months. If they are job hunting, says Attrill “now is not the time to be wedded to a certain sector, or fixated on moving in-house. If you’ve specialized in consumer and lifestyle comms it might be fortuitous to pick up a contract in the corporate or Government sectors. Candidates who are open to diversifying their experiences are the ones who will ultimately benefit from this period. Similarly, when agencies do start looking to fill roles, candidates should be prepared for a ‘try before you buy’ attitude – and shouldn’t be deterred. Attrill says, “I would encourage them to look at a three-to-six month contract as an opportunity to demonstrate their value – and make themselves indispensable.”
And what if you’re running (or leading) an agency?
“The number one frustration I hear from agency clients, in a normal year, is ‘where is all the good talent?’ We’re a tiny market in Australia, so you do tend to see the same faces” notes Attrill. While agencies might not be looking right now, when they do it will be at a transformed employment market. Not all of this change will be attributable to domestic redundancies. The comms industry in Australia loses a large portion of its talent yearly to international markets – and every year more and more comms professionals prefer to go it alone. With workers returning home from overseas and freelancers looking for greater security, there will be a higher diversity of experienced, senior-level talent. “I have always recommended a ‘courting strategy’ with my agency clients, and now more than ever, that’s what they should be doing,” says Attrill. She encourages agencies to play a long game and start having those conversations now, lest they risk kicking themselves in three to six months, for not taking a more optimistic, or even opportunistic, approach to the talent currently available in the market.
There may also be technology shifts during this period that increase the importance of comms for agencies. For Roberto Pace, Managing Director at Mumbrella Commscon Award Winner Eleven PR, the synergy between technology and communication has become central to their business continuity during COVID: “We’ve adopted every technology under the sun to fill the physical void between our people, dialed up our virtual and social interactions and checked in with our partners more than some probably need or want us too.” For Pace, this is about continuing to find “helpful, creative solutions that feel personal, meaningful”. Enthusiasm for services driven by AI and VR are set to accelerate within agencies, as they become integrated components of ‘business as usual’ during this period. And when the market reopens they will require complex education pieces for clients. There will be many other offshoots too. “Some agencies are already pivoting in response to the new climate and this agility coupled with an authentic and relevant offer will be well received by the market” adds Attrill.
Perhaps more importantly, agencies, and businesses of all stripes, should be examining their internal communication during this period of market unrest. The way leaders and workers conduct themselves will be remembered when the market reopens.
Cynthia Carmody suggests for junior and mid-level employees this is a critical time to demonstrate flexibility, adaptability and leadership potential. There has been a tendency within workplaces to characterize younger generations as flighty, uncommitted and not as resilient as their more senior counterparts. Now is the time to challenge this. “If juniors can demonstrate an ability to do great work in all circumstances that will help build trust,” says Cynthia, “those who do will be more likely to be rewarded with opportunities and increased responsibilities when the crisis inevitably ends.”
And what about leaders who want their businesses to thrive in a post-COVID world? Attrill recommends a positive, energised approach: “the future will look and feel different and those agencies who can demonstrate the necessary agility, relevance and attitude are most likely to prosper. The same applies to candidates. Those that use this ‘twilight’ time to energetically address skill gaps, embrace new technologies, and expand their technical tool kit will be best placed to leverage the ‘new norm’ when it arrives. This period of uncertainty should be viewed as a huge opportunity and the chance for agencies and candidates alike to recharge and recalibrate.”