Funny how a problem like a severe labor shortage can improve internal communication at PR agencies. The latest Thomas L. Harris/Impulse Research Employee Satisfaction Survey, which gauged the opinions
of agency staffers nationwide, shows a marked improvement in agencies' collective employee communication practices.
This year, 76% of survey respondents said they were "well informed about their salary and benefits" - a 10% improvement over 1999. Agencies also seem to be doing a better job at keeping their staff in
the loop about advancement opportunities (47% vs. only 33% in 1999) and company policies and procedures (62% vs. 50%). More than 3,000 agency employees participated in this year's survey - double the
number of respondents in 1999.
Notably, the study showed a sizable gap between what agency employees crave in an ideal job vs. how they assess their current jobs. (For example, a whopping 98% ranked an ideal job as one offering
"challenging tasks to do from which you get a personal sense of accomplishment," but only 72% indicated working under such conditions in their present jobs.) Nevertheless, job satisfaction inside
agencies is high: 40% of respondents indicated they were "satisfied" with their jobs and 25% said they were "very satisfied," while only 7% expressed feeling "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied."
Whether or not job satisfaction translates into reduced staff turnover is a subject for another study. But if the correlation holds water, it's a trend that bodes well for clients. Lower attrition
means better account service. (Thomas L. Harris, 847/266-1025)