Hunterlodge Advertising has recently received the new and prestigious People First Promise badge of honour from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). This recognition underscores the agency’s commitment to prioritising the mental health and wellbeing of its workforce, setting a standard for the advertising industry.
The People First Promise, launched under the visionary leadership of IPA President, Josh Krichefski, aims to revolutionise the advertising landscape by placing people at the forefront of organisational priorities. It calls upon agency leaders to pledge their dedication to employee welfare and sign up for this initiative.
What sets the People First Promise apart is its comprehensive approach, addressing three vital aspects of mental health and well-being: Empower, Support, and Prevent. Under the Empower category, agencies are encouraged to empower and educate individuals within the workplace, equipping them with tools to build resilience and monitor their mental health proactively – at Hunterlodge we do this though our unique 1-2-1 monthly appraisal system, where part of the session focuses purely on wellbeing. Support focuses on tangible measures that businesses can implement to assist employees facing mental health challenges like the webinars, resources and personalised flexible working approaches that we offer. Finally, Prevent emphasises the crucial role of senior leaders in ensuring the establishment of robust processes, checks, and action plans to prevent mental health issues and promote accountability – at Hunterlodge, we have been at the forefront of this for many years and have processes in place to ensure that the right people are available to support our team members at the right time.
In addition to the People First Promise, the IPA has also introduced the AdLand Wellbeing Lab, an innovative platform aimed at furthering research and initiatives related to mental health in the workplace. This initiative underscores the IPA’s dedication to driving positive change within the advertising industry and beyond.
Hunterlodge Advertising’s commitment to the wellbeing of its employees is a refreshing reminder of what truly matters – the people behind the work. As other agencies take note and join the movement, the advertising industry as a whole can evolve into a more empathetic and inclusive ecosystem, where the mental health of every individual is valued and prioritised.