As an agency leader, you’ve likely seen the surge in mental health initiatives at work. Perhaps you’ve been invited to mindfulness sessions, resilience training, or wellness workshops.
Your organisation means well—after all, with 82% of employees at risk of burnout and mental health issues costing UK employers up to £45 billion annually, there’s a strong business case for addressing this crisis. Yet despite these programs, you’re still skipping lunches, working late, and feeling overwhelmed by an endless stream of client demands and team needs.
You’re not alone.
The advertising industry faces a staggering 32% turnover rate, with middle managers reporting the highest burnout levels at 43%. So why aren’t these well-intentioned mental health initiatives making a difference?
The Core Problems with Current Approaches
The answer lies in a fundamental misalignment between these programs and the reality of agency life.
The Leadership Paradox
First, there’s the glaring conflict of interest. As a channel or account lead, you’re caught in an impossible position. You’re expected to support your team’s wellbeing while simultaneously delivering on aggressive KPIs with limited resources.
It’s like being asked to prevent a boat from sinking while being required to keep drilling holes in it.
The Time and Capacity Myth
Then there’s the issue of timing and capacity. Your calendar is already packed with client meetings, team catch-ups, and urgent deliverables.
When you’re struggling to find time for lunch, how are you supposed to attend a two-hour workshop on stress management? Even if you do make it, you’re likely checking emails on your phone or thinking about that looming deadline.
Treating Symptoms, Not Causes
But perhaps the biggest issue is that these programs often treat the symptoms rather than the cause. Teaching meditation techniques is valuable, but it won’t solve the fundamental problems of understaffed teams, untrained leadership, or unrealistic client expectations.
It’s like putting a plaster on a broken arm—it might make things look better temporarily, but it won’t fix the underlying fracture.
What’s more, these initiatives often fail to acknowledge the real barriers to change. When you’re in ‘firefighting’ mode, trying to implement new habits or practices feels impossible.
The pressure to deliver doesn’t pause while you work on your wellness routine.
What Real Change Looks Like
So what’s the solution? Real change needs to happen at a systemic level:
- Proper resource planning and allocation
- Clear processes for managing client expectations
- Genuine leadership training and support
- Realistic workload management
- Cultural shift away from the ‘always-on’ mentality
Until organisations address these foundational issues, no amount of wellness programs will create lasting change.
A Message of Hope
If you’re feeling frustrated by this situation, remember: the problem isn’t you. Your struggle isn’t a sign of personal failure or inability to cope—it’s a rational response to an unsustainable system.
The good news?
Change is possible, but it starts with acknowledging these deeper issues and advocating for meaningful solutions. As agency leaders, you have the power to push for real transformation, not just superficial fixes.
Your wellbeing—and that of your team—depends on addressing the root causes of workplace stress, not just managing its symptoms.
