The Pitch: Time to extend a helping hand

By JENEAL ROHRBACK*

When advertising folk need to solve an advertising problem they throw everything they have at it: creatives, planners, tons of money, overtime, expensive presentations ... you name it, they'll do it.

This blood, sweat and tears usually results in a successful solution. And everyone goes home happy.

But when it comes to solving personal work-related problems, we're lost.

Here are some real examples of unresolved work problems in the industry:

* "I ruined my first marriage because of my job. Now I'm ruining my second."

* "I was sexually harassed for over a year by a colleague, but didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to make a fuss."

* "I was stripped of all my responsibilities and no one ever explained why."

* "My boss hasn't talked to me in three months and I don't know what I've done."

* "My dad and sister died within weeks of one another and my boss questioned the month and a half I took off."

Why is it that we put so much into flogging the likes of soft drinks or winning a soap powder account, but when our people are on the brink of a breakdown over a bullying boss or a divorce because of long hours, there's not that trusted team of people around to help them come to the best solution?

The sad fact is that when there's the slightest hint of a personal problem at work, the people who potentially could help disappear.

Or they respond by saying things like: "Don't be so naive, that's the way it is in advertising ... you should work it out yourself and just get on with it."

No one wants to get involved. They live in fear of weakening their own position by colluding with a "problem" person.

"I don't get into the politics of the place," is the line I most frequently hear.

Their fear is that they'll get fired. Then who will feed the kids and pay the mortgage?

What will happen to the business if people are afraid to talk to one another about the important things in life?

I'm not condoning employees that bitch and complain about every little hiccup in their career. And I'm not suggesting that agencies have weekly group hugs and therapy fests.

But when there are significant and fundamental problems that affect an employee's creativity, productivity, and relationships with their colleagues and clients as well as their home-life, then the problem needs to be looked at swiftly and seriously.

Some agencies have made steps in the right direction by hiring human resource experts and career coaches to help resolve problems. But this needs to be an investment that the agency believes in and keeps on board until the problems and culture are sorted.

Ultimately, it's the responsibility of agency leaders to find a successful way through employees' issues and to stop sweeping things under the carpet.

Martin Luther King Jr sums it up perfectly: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

* Jeneal Rohrback wrote this article before she joined Singleton Ogilvy & Mather as creative director last month. After more time in the new job, she looks forward to writing a follow-up account of constructive HR practice at work.

* The Pitch is a forum for those working in advertising, marketing, public relations and communications. We welcome lively and topical 500-word contributions.
Email Simon Hendery.