Credit: Mick Haupt via Unsplash https://unsplash.com/@rocinante_11
Confidence in WPP chief Mark Read is declining and his return to office order will do nothing to support long term growth of the advertising group, according to a survey of staff.
The survey of 1,300 was done in tandem with an online petition which gathered more than 14,000 signatures of whom 97% said they work at WPP.
The anonymous organisers of the petition and survey say the results speak for themselves.
“The disconnect between our CEO Mark Read and WPP colleagues has never been greater,” they say.
“As you may have seen, our petition has gathered substantial press coverage. We would now like to invite all WPP employees to confidentially share their voices and insights with us on this mandate.”
Insiders say the decision to mandate four days in the office for 110,000 employees across the world came as a surprise to staff.
Many were concerned they wouldn't be able to organise extra child care by the April deadline.
Others were angry that they had worked from home during the pandemic, enduring many hardships to support WPP.
And they believe a hybrid system is better for both work-life balance and for productivity.
Recruiters say an imposed return-to-work mandates feel like a lack of trust and requiring four days in office may be a tipping point for a lot of workers. They will jump if they can.
In Australia, one employee penned an open letter, based on discussions with colleagues, to Read, pleading the case to reverse the decision.
“Please reconsider the four-day mandate and instead work toward a model that empowers all employees to thrive—one that accommodates diversity in experience, circumstance, and needs while enabling WPP to continue progressing as an industry leader," the open letter read.
Another issue still unclear is whether or not WPP has enough desks to have staff in four days a week.
Global advertising groups have since the pandemic been shedding office real estate, a move which pulled down overheads and improved profit margins in a difficult advertising market.
This year WPP Sydney moved into a new campus in Shelley Street, Barangaroo, housing 13 agencies and more than 1300 employees.
WPP management, however, is sticking to the mandate.
“We believe this is the right policy for the long-term interests of the company as a whole, knowing that it won’t be popular with everyone,” said a WPP spokesperson.
“And we will take the time to implement it in a collaborative and pragmatic way with our teams.”
Some of the results from the staff survey:
Do you believe in the vision and effectiveness of WPP CEO, Mark Read?
58% Strongly Disagree (770) & 23% Disagree (308)
Do you believe that Mark Read's mandate will support the long-term growth of WPP?
76% Strongly Disagree (1,023) & 17% Disagree (226)
What impact do you believe Mark Read's mandate will have across the WPP employee network, and its engagement levels?
77% Extremely Negative (1,035) & 19% Negative (256)
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.