Adcolor's New Study Outlines How to Retain Diverse Talent

As The Great Resignation rages on, Adcolor has taken steps to provide marketers with a comprehensive guide to retain diverse talent and build a more inclusive workplace. The nonprofit dedicated to championing diversity, equity and inclusion in creative industries recently released “Adcolor State of the Workplace Study: Retention Outlook Through a DE&I Lens.” It’s the first of a three-part study breaking down why historically marginalized employees leave their jobs and actionable ways employers can get them to stay. The first part is currently available for download on Adcolor’s official website. The final two parts of the study—which will feature interviews and insights from Adcolor members—will be released later this year. In this edition of the report, nine researchers reviewed more than 400 studies and articles related to diversity, equity and inclusion over the course of a year and identified five large-scale issues that impact retention among marginalized employees. These issues included: How subjectivity and ambiguity in creative industries breed biasConsumer- and client-facing nature of the industry encouraging performativity“Culture fit” criteria promoting homogeneityPsychologically unsafe work environments creating unhealthy workplacesLack of investment signaling a lack of dedication Mallorie Rodak, the literature review research lead for the report and brand strategy director at The Richards Group, said it’s “one of the most comprehensive reviews of advertising DEI literature to date,” noting how hard it was for her to stop researching as new information on the subject is released daily. But as she was compiling everything, Rodak noticed one thing was missing from many sources: practical ways to combat DEI workplace issues. “There were far more sources that talked about the issues within advertising than the solutions for the industry,” she told Adweek. “What we tried to do in our report was balance both. We wanted to bring light to the issues facing our industry and also include potential solutions from the DEI experts related to those issues.” That kind of advice is sprinkled throughout Adcolor’s 92-page report and broken down into bite-sized action items like “Listen,” “Define,” “Communicate” and “Grow” along with a guide on what it means to sponsor an employee in the workplace versus mentoring them. Tiffany R. Warren, founder and president of Adcolor, said that while the study speaks “truth to pain” for professionals of color who have experienced many of these issues, the information and advice has the potential to make a lasting impact on agencies and other creative organizations. “If you're at the beginning of your [DEI] journey, you really can take a look at these and implement them not just in [DEI] strategy, but in performance reviews and how to be a more inclusive manager,” Warren told Adweek. “There's so many ways that this information can be included.” 'Surprising' takeaways While Rodak also felt many of the things uncovered in Adcolor’s study were “expected,” “some of the research was surprising.” One takeaway that stood out to her was the issue of subjectivity and ambiguity and how it breeds bias within a creative organization. A 2021 study from The Harris Poll and Hue, a social impact organization, found that marketers experience a higher rate of microaggressions than some of their peers in advertising, communications and design. Additionally, more than half of the marketers surveyed (52%) have changed career directions or left marketing because there was a lack of career mobility and ambiguity regarding growth opportunities. As a result, DEI experts not only recommend creating a “voluntary space for discussion” where marginalized employees feel comfortable enough to speak up, but also moving past simply stating the workplace is committed to change by considering changes in “practices, processes, policies and programs.” This analysis was also something that resonated with Warren. “It was a moment because I think we applaud creative industries for being a place where people can come and shine and be creative and be their full selves or true selves,” she said, adding many people say that subjectivity is what has stopped them from succeeding. This "surprising" takeaway was just a piece of a larger story Rodak and her teammates were able to weave together about low retention rates and lack of career growth. For instance, a 2017 Salesforce Research study found that the average time marketers spend in a position is 2.6 years, the lowest out of any other profession in the business world. Additionally, seeing other professionals of color in management positions matters. A 2019 study from the Center for Talent Innovation found that 19% of Black employees didn't see anyone of their race in a management position compared to 3% of white employees. Another crucial point Adcolor’s study highlighted about DEI is that “there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fostering the inclusion and retention for diverse employees.” Researchers identified key “change-makers” who have the power and influence to make a difference. Those people are: LeadershipManagers“Majority males”Senior-level white women (McKinsey & Company’s 2021 Women in the Workplace study found that they “are more likely to embrace DEI, mentorship, and sponsorship") While some change-makers may seem like obvious people to reach out to, DEI experts recommend employees tailor their approach to advocating for change to “each role and personality type.” Translating research to real life In the days following the release of the report, Adcolor received a lot of positive feedback from talent acquisition, recruiting and human resource departments who are ready to implement these practices into their workplace. “This isn't just a report that sits on a shelf somewhere,” Rodak said. “This can be actionable, and help leaders know where to go from here.” And with two more parts that will feature firsthand accounts and experiences, Warren hopes creative professionals feel seen and “can exhale a little bit” because now, “everyone has to be on the front line to be a change-maker.” Walter Geer on the Importance of Having Tough DEI Conversations in Public

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Adcolor’s Latest Study Reveals Effective Ways to Retain Diverse Talent

Two additional reports will be released later this year and will provide more insight into the issue

Tiffany Moustakas

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Tiffany Moustakas