Stemming the staff exodus

Regarding your article on salaries and incentives offered by direct marketing agencies (MW January 25), it is unfortunately just a sad case of supply and demand. Back in 1990 and nearly every year since it has been the same story. Shortage of skilled staff and spiralling wage bills for the talented few.

Meanwhile, many agencies’ annual recruitment bills run well into six figures.

If you can’t match the salaries offered by management consultancies or blue-chip companies for students in their early years, who may have overdrafts, then providing staff with a comprehensive, well-structured, personal development and training programme is one proven way of reducing staff churn. People leave jobs for a numbers of key reasons – their contribution is not recognised, they are not learning on the job and advancing, or (for the minority) the money isn’t good enough. Creating the right working environment and providing personal skills training, as a caring employer, will build your business a reputation, and be attractive to new recruits.

The real answer, as a wise man once said, is to increase the supply of talented undergraduates/postgraduates from universities. Whilst the IDM is continually promoting direct marketing, supported by Royal Mail, as a preferred career option, it needs extra resources.

Professor Derek Holder

Managing director

IDM