It’s been another difficult week in the advertising, marketing and graphic design community. There are multiple agencies, marketing resources and design firms being forced to reduce their staffs. I’m aware of Groove, ProWolfe Partners, Rodgers Townsend and Group360. It’s possible (sadly, likely) there are others.
I know that every advertising and marketing President, CEO, COO, CFO (and their company leaders), along with their clients are all trying to figure out what’s next. Clients are cutting back projects., or canceling them altogether. Clients are asking agencies to do the same amount of work, for less money.
The unfortunate but real result of that is that employees have to work harder for the same amount of pay . . . and they will, because they’re thankful that they’re still among the ranks of the employed. If there’s any internal grumbling going on because of the additional work, I suggest they read my thoughts on “becoming indispensible . . . rather than vulnerable”.
One of the most unfortunate results of all the layoffs everywhere is that companies are having to cut workers who they value highly, but simply can no longer afford. It’s one of the cold realities of business that under the prevailing circumstances, staffs are necessarily shrinking. Employers are in some cases cutting those people who they were training for additional future responsibility. They’re cutting employees that they worked hard and spent money to find and then train. I know this, because for the first time people I’ve recruited into agencies, have had to be laid off.
I will say that I’ve never seen employers making such an effort to provide the most fair severance packages they possibly can. Severance packages historically rarely existed for employees under Director level. Not only am I seeing Company principals doing everything they possibly can from a strict monetary perspective, but they’re making an effort to help in other ways too (in every way they can).
I know examples of employers letting the laid off employee continue to use the Company’s laptop, so there’s a possibility of generating freelance income. I know that employers are working deals to help the laid off employee purchase the Blackberry they’ve been using at a reduced cost. Employers are making sure that art files or other relevant (and non-proprietary) information is available for the creation of portfolios. Employers are trying to refer those laid off employees to other sources of possible employment . . . my website for one (I’ve heard from several and I appreciate the trust that indicates) and/or outsourcing firms for advice and support. They are willingly providing enthusiastic and in some cases, emotional recommendations of the person they just had to fire.
The Employee feels terrible. Employers feel terrible. The spouses and families of the employee feel terrible. The reality is there is no choice. Revenue gets reduced and responsible employers have to reduce staffing levels for the security of their other employees and the company itself.
This is a brutal responsibility that quickly reduces the “glamour” of owning a business to the grim reality of having to take someone’s livelihood away from them. You’ve all heard “it’s business . . ." and it is. Sadly.
