As Bosses Carouse in Cannes, a Workforce Revolution Widens

For many in the marketing world, gathering at Cannes Lions this month will feel like a "return to normal" as they pack the Croisette for the first time since the pre-pandemic days of 2019. But the creative industry's return to the Riviera masks the fact that the ad industry remains in the middle of a great upheaval. Some leaders see this period as one marked by a talent crisis. Their employees more accurately see it as a fundamental transformation in the way work gets done—from flexible hours and locations to a growing list of non-negotiable benefits. During the pandemic, the balance of power shifted from the employer to the employee, and everyone at Cannes would be wise to spend their time among peers having serious discussions about it. How (and where) we work More than two years after the pandemic forced many office workers to log in from their bedrooms or kitchen tables, agency desks are filling up again—sometimes. What was once novel has become the norm, with most businesses now offering some form of flexible work. Covid was a sort of equalizer, with many people realizing that the company needs them more than they need the company.Nene Parsotam, U.K.-based creative and art director It’s striking that for many employers who previously resisted remote work, “flexibility is a given now—you wouldn’t be able to attract and retain talent without it,” said Carly Avener, managing director of ad agency Leo Burnett London. But this also gives rise to unforeseen challenges, as leaders grapple with “what flexibility really means,” she added. Bosses are asking how flexibility works and at what point it stops working for the company. “We’re in a period of teething problems," Avener said. "There are details we’re working out that may seem small, but they can have a profound impact on how people feel.” The industry can benefit from leaders sharing their experiences during this period of transition, but those same leaders should also recognize the bigger picture, particularly when it comes to employees' changing expectations of their companies and workplaces. Talent troubles Meanwhile, competition for talent has intensified. Numerous managers say it's a struggle to recruit and retain employees. This is partly due to Covid-19, when a wave of people moved or changed jobs—or left the industry altogether. Remote work also blurred the lines between people’s personal and professional lives and caused some to rethink what they wanted from their careers. With the perks of office life—camaraderie, social events and so on—stripped away, many turned their attention to long-standing industry problems like unequal pay, lack of inclusion, long hours and high-pressure working conditions. Even before the pandemic, “people were becoming more vocal” online and elsewhere about their challenges in the workplace, from burnout to mental health issues and a lack of diversity, said Nene Parsotam, a U.K.-based creative and art director. “People are not afraid to talk about what they’re going through and their difficult experiences, because they want to hold companies to account—and, of course, businesses are wary of that,” she said. “Covid was a sort of equalizer, with many people realizing that the company needs them more than they need the company. That’s the shift of power.” Because it’s a competitive market, added Andrew Peake, CEO of agency VCCP London, "your policies as an employer and how you look after people are so important.” VCCP is among the agencies that have recently instituted well-being polices to support employees and address issues that once seemed taboo in the workplace, such as mental health, menopause, fertility treatments and pregnancy loss. “Employers have a responsibility to support our people in both their physical and mental well-being," Peake said. "It’s a conversation that’s had [in businesses] a lot more now. We proactively encourage it, while it’s also being proactively encouraged in society. We want our people to stay with us and create an environment where they’re able to create their best work.” As employees become more open about their own experiences and expectations, it is also imperative that employers mirror this transparency, Parsotam said. Major barriers to retaining talent include a lack of clarity about how companies truly operate and little support when employees face unexpected challenges, she said. “We’re now living in an age where if people don’t see a business doing something for their community, they’ll just leave and do it themselves," she said.

Cannes Lions

As Bosses Carouse in Cannes, a Workforce Revolution Is Underway

The balance of power has shifted in the 3 years since the festival last gathered

Brittaney Kiefer

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Brittaney Kiefer