BATWF: Flexibility & Culture Drive Asia-Pacific Agency Staff Satisfaction

(MENAFN- PRovoke) New data from PRovoke Media's Best Agencies to Work For study suggests that work-life balance is emerging as an increasingly important driver of staff satisfaction in the Asia-Pacific region.

The study, which polls employees across more than 20 PR firms in the region, found that work-life balance has jumped from fifth position last year to third among workplace attributes that are valued most. That remains lower than their counterparts in North America, but Asia-Pacific PR agency employees continue to place greater emphasis on workplace culture and agency leadership.

In common with global trends reported by this research study every year, people and co-workers is the most important workplace attribute, ahead of harder metrics like financial compensation, which ranked fifth - compared to third in North America.


After ranking first last year, workplace culture drops to second place, with agency leadership - consistently valued more highly in Asia-Pacific than other regions - dropping to fourth from third.

Notable again was the low priority given to diversity and inclusion in Asia-Pacific region. While it ranked eighth in North America, it was 10th among 11 characteristics in Asia-Pacific - rising one spot vs 2023 at the expense of high ethical standards.

That may be because Asia-Pacific agency staff, in common with last year, believe their agencies are highly inclusive across gender, sexual orientation and ethinic/racial diversity. Indeed, these attributes garnered the most support from agency staff in this region.


The top four is the same as last year, while the highest levels of dissatisfaction are again reserved for financial compensation, benefits and long hours.

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DEI & gender

In general, the findings again reinforce the pay and promotion gaps that PRovoke Media first revealed a few years ago.


The charts here demonstrate that white executives are considerably more likely to secure more senior positions compared to East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian agency employees. The same is largely true in terms of salaries, with the following chart reflecting the significant pay gap between white and Asian executives at the higher end of the scale.


When it comes to gender, though, the picture is somewhat less clear. Men certainly appear disproportionately represented at Partner level and above, but the findings at other levels reflect the industry's overall gender balance.


According to Best Agencies to Work For data, 75% of Asia-Pacific agency employees identify as female. The same proportion of employees earning more than $300k are women, even if men disproportionately represented between $125 to $250k per year.


Culture & favourites

When asked to rank their favourite and least favourite things about their agencies, interesting findings emerge. Flexibility is the most favoured aspect of agency life, ahead of cultures, teams and balance.


Meanwhile, when asked to rank the least favourite thing about their agencies, leadership will be happy to see that 'nothing' comes out on top. But compensation ranks second, ahead of clients.

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