A work-life balance?

The results are simultaneously surprising yet foreseeable in many ways. The younger members of our industry invest significantly in their working hours, highlighting its busy, thriving nature. However the hours increase the more senior the position. Everyone reported aspirational salary expectations of almost £80k on average, although the actual average stands at just over £40k – all results we would expect.

The most astonishing results uncovered the ever-existing gap in salary between males and females. Four times as many women than men earn just £15-20K and almost eight times more men than women earn £100k plus. This perhaps indicates that young women come into the industry, leaving before they progress to a higher level; possibly having to choose between their careers and children? The void of females at board level is apparent. The question the industry should be answering is why? Well respected women of a very high calibre are out there, yet there is little explanation as to their clear minority at board level.

The survey also underlined the lack of structured training; particularly for those on lower salaries and showed the need for solid investment in both time and money by our industry heads. It is understandable that training budgets will be cut back in the current economic downturn yet it can be argued that training is more important now than ever; when the economy rises again only the strongest companies will continue to operate.

Investing in the youth of our industry allows the talent to work wherever they choose, without everyone being forced to work for the largest and often London based organisations. It pays dividends for not only the individual but also our entire industry, retaining its enviable reputation for one of the more desired and fulfilling industries to be a part of.

THE FINDINGS

The media and marketing community are a mixed bunch. At one end of the spectrum are the young energetic twentysomethings ferociously eager to make their mark in the industry, while at the other end of the spectrum are the gnarled and grizzled old industry stalwarts who have been around longer than the Caxton printing press.

It has been a few years since The Drum last took a look at our industry, but towards the end of 2007 we joined forces with WRG to carry out research looking at the lifestyles of those people who work in our industry today. In an industry dogged with perceptions of relentlessly long hours, late nights, excessively long lunches, recreational drugs, alcohol and flash cars, we wanted to find out if the excesses often enjoyed in years gone by still exist in the industry today.

(The Lifestyle Survey was conducted with readers of The Drum publication in the last quarter of 2008.)

Demographics

• 397 people in total responded positively by completing a survey, 340 online and 57 by paper survey.

• The mean age of all respondents was 26.

• 41% of the survey respondents (162 people) came from the younger under 24 year age group. Younger women were particularly keen to give their opinions with over two thirds of the 18-24 age group being female (106 people).

• In the case of the older age groups, more male than female readers responded to the survey in general.

• In total, slightly more females than males completed the survey 54% vs 46%.

• 71% of the sample were married or cohabiting and 28% single or divorced. The mean ages of these groups were as expected with single people at 20 years, cohabiting at 24 years, married at 30 years and divorced at 38 years.

• Only a third of people had children and two thirds of those with children were men.

• Of the remainder without children, 63% were female.

• Only 1% of single people reported they had children.

• Of the 35% who had children, over half of the parents were under 34 years old.

• Those without children had a younger mean age of 21 compared to those with children whose mean age was 34 years.

• 76% of the sample were based in Scotland, the North West and Yorkshire. The remaining 24% were based in the Midlands, south west, east and north east.

Salaries & benefits

• Earnings were fairly evenly spread over the salary range £15K – £75K with fewer people reporting salaries of £75K or more (see table 1). This is roughly what we might expect considering the demographics of the sample, i.e. a younger profile.

• Just under two thirds (63%) of people declared salaries of £40K or less with only 9% earning more than £75K. Given the regional balance of the sample this is not surprising – if the sample had comprised more responders from the south east this profile may be distributed slightly differently.

• The mean salary was £41.21K and men tended to be higher earners than women with mean salaries of £50.34K compared to women’s £33.28K.

• Salary also tended to increase by age – the mean age of those earning £15-20K was 21 years compared to 33 years for those earning £50-75K.

• Younger people on average earn less than older people – the mean earnings of someone aged 18-24 was £30.41K compared to the earnings of 35-44 year olds which was £58.62K

• Of those responding married people earned more than their single/divorced or cohabiter counterparts. Single people tend to earn the least, with average earnings of £30.87K compared the total mean earning for all respondents of £41.21K.

Working hours

• 65% of respondents work 45 hours or less per week with the average working week totalling 43 hours.

• 45% think their working hours are about right, with more females (49%) than men (42%) agreeing with this.

• On the whole women work less hours per week than men with 71% of women working 45 hours or less compared to 56% of men doing the same.

• Over one third think they work too many hours with those on higher salaries more likely to agree. Those in the lowest salary bracket £15-20K are the happiest with 60% of this group stating the hours they work are about right.

• Regionally more Yorkshire people (43%) think they work too many hours compared to those from the North West (39%) and Scotland (34%). Scottish people were most satisfied with their working hours with 47% of them saying the hours worked were about right (44% in NW and 41% in Yorkshire).

• Nearly a quarter of people work from home at least one day per week and the mean number of days worked from home for the whole sample is 2.42 days.

• When asked about flexible or part time hours, 52% of the sample did not answer which could be explained by the profile which was in general younger – i.e. they either did not know what was on offer or it didn’t apply to them as they expect to work full time at this age?

Car ownership

• The most popular makes of car driven were Mercedes and Audi followed by BMW, VW and Ford. Car make and models driven varied across the board with no clear make or model leading the way.

• 16% of people drove a company car with more men (21%) than women (11%) driving company cars.

• Company car drivers on the whole had higher salaries and worked more hours per week.

• When asked about aspirational cars the makes that came top of the list were Audi, Aston Martin and Mercedes.

• Just under half of those answering drive less than 50 miles per week and the mean mileage per week is 93.16 miles.

• Males drive more miles per week than females on average at 108 miles compared to 79 for women.

Counselling/sexual harassment

• 7% have either received or known someone who has received counselling, with 9% of men and 6% of women reporting as such.

• The percentage of people who admit to personally receiving counselling increases roughly in line with salary levels up to 75K (see table 2). Although the total number of people who answered ‘yes’ is low at 29 respondents, directionally we can assume that stress levels are higher for those earning up to 75K for this sample.

• The numbers of hours worked per week appears not to affect whether counselling was sought as people working any number of hours were more or less equally affected.

• In total 29 people said they had been subjected to sexual harassment at work with more women than men reporting this (11% vs 3%).

Business lunches

• Just over half the people questioned did not have any business lunches in the course of their working week. Those on the lower salary bracket of 15-20K took the least business lunches.

• Of those who did take business lunches 92% took 1-2 lunches per week.

Agency sectors and the future

• Just under three quarters of respondents work for an agency or marketing services supplier in the following sectors:

• 19% are employed by a brand owner

• 59% of people work in both Business to Consumer and Business To Business environments.

• Nearly one third of people said they would not be doing a similar job in 10 years time. This view is more noticeable with people aged 45 and older.

• Those working in Promotions and PR were more uncertain about the future than those working in other areas of marketing – they were also more likely to answer ‘don’t know’ to whether they would be doing a similar job in 10 year’s time than any other group.

• A striking 72% of people think marketing will fundamentally change over the next 10 years. Females and the 45+ age group particularly think this.

• People who work in Direct, Promotions and PR aspects of marketing concur with the view that fundamental changes will take place to the marketing profession over the next 10 years.

• A conspicuous 93% of readers thought that digital marketing was the way forward with those under 34 more likely to agree.

Social and recreational items

• In 2007 people took an average of 3.19 holidays with a healthy 62% taking between 2-5 holidays overall.

• 55% of holidays were in Europe and 30% of holidays were longhaul.

• 18-24’s enjoyed their longhaul trips whereas most with children opted for Europe as their holiday destination.

• The mean number of units of alcohol drunk most days is 3.26, with men drinking more than women on average.

• The younger 18-24 age group reported less daily units than other ages (see table 3).

• 21% of respondents smoke with more women than men admitting to the habit. However, men smoke more cigarettes per day on average than women (7.6 cigarettes for men compared to 6.2 for women).

• The average number of cigarettes smoked by all smokers is 6.8 per day.

• More smokers come from the 18-24 age group and those without children.

• 62% of smokers want to give the habit up and 84% have tried to give up at least once.

• 19% have tried online dating with single/divorced people trying it more than married/cohabiters.

• Marijuana and cocaine are the most popular drugs taken, mainly by younger people and men.