PERSPECTIVES: The best people doing their best work

By John Steedman, executive director, WPP AUNZ | 5 December 2019
 
John Steedman. Portrait by Rocket Weijers www.rocketk.co using a Samsung Galaxy Note10+ smartphone

This first appeared in the AdNews 2019 Annual edition. Subscribe here for your copy.

The year 2019 has been a challenging one. With a slowing economy (resulting in stagnating or reduced client spend), and the ever-increasing demand to create more for less, the pressure continues to mount on growth in our sector and in our business.

Our industry model is experiencing dramatic and necessary transformational change, driven by technology. A commitment to, and investment in, upskilling employees and building capacity in our martech capabilities is essential for our future, and that of our clients.

In 2020, we predict similar headwinds with economic uncertainty driven by local and global factors including housing, stagnant wages growth, low inflation, consumer spend, Brexit and global trade wars. All of these impact consumer confidence and community sentiment. This will continue to put pressure on our industry and our businesses.

At the same time, we need to ensure that we have the best people doing the best work in the best environment we can create. As we head into 2020 with Jens Monsees as our new CEO, we will continue to focus on driving excellence in our culture.

We will achieve this by ensuring that our focus is on all of our employees, how we train and develop them, how we create a diverse and inclusive company, and where we have the right level of work and life balance.

Sustainability and mental health are mandatories and as an industry, we have to continue to address these. The ACCC inquiry into Digital Platforms and the results of its findings will also be interesting to monitor.

While there are challenges that face the industry there are also great opportunities. It will be those who face these challenges with optimism who will prosper. 

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