Just as many other industries across the world, advertising agencies are also facing major trouble. This is not because clients have not restarted spending, or because the traditional 15 per cent commission is being cut. No doubt, these are issues to be concerned about. But the biggest problem looming is that of talent drain. Nobody has been left untouched with this issue, be it Googles of the world, clients, not even competing services and entrepreneurial bugs.

The greatest asset in advertising, as in any service-oriented business, is people. What makes a campaign outstanding is the creative spark of a few Balkis, Khans and Piyush Pandeys, based on some good briefs from client servicing team. So how do agencies stop the brain drain?

Office environment is one obvious way. Provide an atmosphere that makes the job enjoyable, one that is apolitical and requiring less conformity. An atmosphere where shrewd schemers and backbiters have no place. Though it is easier said than done.

Even though an office is a business environment, it is the place where most of us spend more than a third of our lives. The best offices, for instance, include attractive rooms with levels, pillows and wall space to pin up ideas. But the most important aspect of these rooms is that they provide a place to reach out for new ideas. New economy companies have nice offices as compared with most agency offices across the country. For example, Google offices are legendary.

Good people are attracted by good people and good work (not necessarily good money). Unlike some businesses, agency people respond to a “now” environment. Every year, certain agencies are listed “hot”. Those on the upswing are able to attract major talents more readily. O&M and Lowe are classic examples.

There is no question that agency business may be less secure than others, with the exception, perhaps of dotcoms. And, this insecurity often affects attitude within agencies. The best way to address this problem is to provide an environment with open and honest communication. When the agency has problems, it is best to be honest and share them with the employees. Firing to keep an account do occur and it is important to explain as much as possible to those involved.

Too often top management isolates itself. It should not be so. Instead, the CEOs should roll up their sleeves and dig into the work with their people. In most of the top five agencies, CEOs hardly interact with the employees across the branches; they find more time to interact with the international offices. It is the rare agency that retains this working partnership style as it grows into a giant. And because many agency managers lose touch with their business, lower level people often drift.

Every person is important just as every account is. Within giant agencies such as JWT, Lowe and O&M, people and accounts can get lost. There have been several instances. Top management should schedule regular reviews of each account; not just the HUL or ITC account. This not only provides guidance on the business, but important exposure for lower-level people. It is also important for them to “walk the shop”. If they can spend just 30 minutes on employees on a drop in basis, it could provide a better sense of involvement.

The same holds good for agency outings. These occasions offer management an opportunity to mix and meet with the ranks. These occasions may be used to outline plans. I am sure many agencies are doing that today.

A series of key personnel defections can hurt any agency. Recent drain from agencies across the country has shown this. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but agencies must identify key players and do everything to keep them. Management is sensitivity. It is anticipating needs and taking positive steps to solve problems. Great agencies work hard to retain their most talented, highly motivated people. Those people are the lifeblood of the agency. Keeping them is well worth the effort.

The writer is CEO and MD of CustomerLab Solutions