staggering statistics

Resources

The below statistics come from a range of sources, listed here in no particular order, with corresponding dates of the articles/research:

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ANA - The Association of National Advertisers (June 2022) - link HERE

YouGov (Feb 2023) - link HERE

Never Not Creative's 'Mentally Health Report' (2022) - link HERE

World Federation of Advertisers, in association with NABS (April 2022) - link HERE

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The stats

Taking some key statistics from all of the above resources, I have summarized some key findings below. Here are 10 stats about the mental health of marketing and advertising industry professionals. 

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1. 83% of marketing and communication professionals report they are burnt out

2. In the UK, Media/marketing/advertising/PR and Sales professionals rate their mental health 4 points below the national average, and emotional health 7 points lower. 

3. 64% of advertising and media professionals have considered leaving the industry because their work is affecting their well-being.

4. Over one third (36%) of advertising and media professionals rate their mental health over the last year as 'poor' or 'very poor'

5. 6 out of 10 advertising and media professionals say their work had a negative impact on their well-being over the previous 12 months

6. 1 in 4 (26%!) advertising and media professionals say they have a long-term mental health condition 

7. 36% of marketing and creative professionals don’t claim to be getting a good night’s sleep.

8. 80% of marketing and creative professionals take their work home with them and 69% agree that their job tends to directly affect their health. 

9. 46% of the marketing industry display mild to severe levels of anxiety (33% moderate to extremely severe)

10. Marketers under 29 years old seem to be 1.5x more likely to show signs of depression than respondents over 40.

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Under pressure

Looking at what creates the most pressure for marketing and creative professionals, sadly it was the pressure of our own expectations. It's the nature of our work that we operate in a world where we celebrate pitch wins, awards, creative excellence...and the pressure appears to be highest from ourselves. Second on the list of stressors was pressure from others (colleagues, bosses, clients), juggling multiple responsibilities, and unrealistic expectations. 

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What about the healthy ones?

The people who rated their mental health as a 8-10 on a scale of 10 were much more likely to do the following: get a good night’s sleep, not work when sick, not take their job home with them, experience a strong sense of support at work, were given the opportunity and resources to work flexibly, be given opportunities to learn and progress in their career and be sponsored or championed by a senior colleague to succeed. 

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How to move forward

The way forward starts with awareness and understanding of the issue. Mental health challenges are not exclusive to the advertising and marketing industries, but it's clear that creative professionals are struggling. 

The below comes from Never Not Creative's 'Mentally Health Report' and offers some insights as to how to move forward. 

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First of all, it's encouraging to note that there was a 33% increase in respondents believing that companies are making mental health a medium-high priority. This shows that organizations are taking notice.

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Here's what respondents believe is critical to improve mental health...

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Which of the below are most important to you in terms of improving your mental well-being?

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• Empathetic, educated leaders = 66% say its essential

• Leaders who lead by example = 64% say its essential

• Flexible working conditions = 63% say its essential

• Appropriate structure and resources = 63% say its essential

• Clear objectives = 56% say its essential

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***All of the above are essential or ‘very important’ for 90% of people***

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The proposed framework that determines someone’s ability to thrive:

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1. Is the job stimulating? 

2. Can I master the role? Do I have clarity and feedback?

3. Do I have agency? Can I organize my own schedule and am I empowered to succeed?

4. Do I have access to relationships that offer support, purpose and social contact?

5. Am I working within tolerable demands, including time pressure, emotional demands and role conflict

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It's time for change

We need to take a breath and think about what all of this stress and pressure is doing to our health, both immediately and longer-term. It's time for leaders to prioritize the mental health and well-being of their team members, by providing them with the tools to help them thrive. We cannot wait for this to pass....we must take control and do what we can to empower real change right now.