World Mental Health Day: “We Can’t Control the Geopolitical Landscape, but We Can Control How We Show Up for Each Other”
Agency mergers, the threat of redundancies, AI disruption, global uncertainty, cost of living challenges are taking their toll on people’s mental wellbeing. LBB’s Laura Swinton Gupta investigates what agencies and individuals can do to navigate a difficult environment
Advertising has never been gentle, but today’s mix of shrinking budgets, holding company restructuring, geopolitical uncertainty, and AI-driven disruption is testing even the most resilient teams. Agencies that once championed mental-health initiatives now face leaner margins and relentless client demands. How do businesses and individuals protect their well-being when the workload – and the stakes – keep rising?
Annabel McCaffrey runs the advice line for advertising and marketing industry charity NABS. She says that the team is really seeing the impact of the complicated and, at times brutal, business environment.
“Last year we had the biggest number of calls so far to our helpline in our 110-year history. We received over 5,200 calls and we’re at similar numbers at the moment. But what we've noticed this year is some of the calls are taking longer. There are greater complexities for people, there's layer upon layer. It's not just one element that they're struggling with.”
They’re seeing people who are struggling with unemployment taking longer to find new work, having to cope with repeated rejection. They’re seeing issues compound and feed into each other, as people juggle uncertainty at work with the pressures of supporting kids and aging parents, unease around the possible impact of AI and feeds packed with upsetting global news.
“We’re all so aware of what’s going on in most of the world because of social media and doom scrolling. We need to feel we know what’s going on, but on the other hand it can be flooding,” reflects Annabel.
What Can Businesses Do?
When budgets are under pressure, support for employee wellness can be the sort of cost that’s ripe for cutting.
Sara Anhorn is chief talent officer at Critical Mass and she she's up close how burnout and stress can have a real impact on the creative product. "Whether it’s caused by rising workloads, shrinking budgets, AI anxiety, or constant digital connectivity, burnout is real—it impacts creativity, productivity, and retention," she says. "Agencies must go beyond surface-level perks and build cultures that support well-being in meaningful ways."
Magdalena Bailey is client success director at Bright Blue Day, and she says it’s vital that wellbeing and mental health should remain a priority for agencies and individuals. “Advertising has always been a ‘If you can't take the heat don’t do the job’ kind of industry, but right now the pressure feels sharper than ever. Budgets are tight, clients are demanding more with less, and AI is reshaping how we work, sometimes faster than we can keep up,” she says. “It’s no wonder wellbeing can slip down the list.
“But here’s the truth: protecting people’s mental health in this climate can’t just be an HR
initiative or a line on a policy doc. It has to come down to daily choices; by leaders, by
teams, and small daily work and awareness by each individual.”
Even in difficult times, when hard decisions must be made – up to and including redundancies – Annabel advises that businesses should make sure things are conducted with compassion and empathy. “One of the coaches says she’s hearing from people who do make it out and say, ‘I wish I hadn’t put so much into the company’. And it’s probably going to make them much warier about how they approach the next company. That’s not because they were made redundant but the way they were treated,” she shares.
Annabel reflects that in some cases, leaders may hold back from being as compassionate as they might be, perhaps because it requires a degree of courage and vulnerability, but also for fear of giving out mixed signals. “If you’re giving bad news, how can you do that with compassion and kindness and acknowledgement that this is going to be really tough for you,” she says, suggesting that companies that are having to make the hardest decisions can do things like provide coaching, like giving people a clear roadmap and timescale.
Humanity is key, says Leslie DeMent, EVP of people and operations, at Attention Arc. “As leaders, our role is to help teams navigate those cycles from a human element. You can’t put people into an algorithm and expect it to understand their limits. That’s a leader’s job. We have to provide our team members with access to mental health resources, tools, education on how to prioritize, and using automation to work smarter, better and faster. The demands are high, but so are the rewards.”
Cactus is a Denver-based agency that was founded in 1990 with a commitment to “help people thrive”. They have an on-staff clinical psychologist, provide employees with a Calm app subscription and have a ‘Common Sense Time Off’ policy. “The values we set when Cactus was founded are more than just words on paper,” says Ainslie Fortune, VP of account leadership and people. “They’re what keep us grounded when everything feels uncertain – from shrinking budgets and nonstop deadlines to the impacts of AI. We know who we are, and we take care of our people first. That’s how we’ve not only made it 35 years, but stayed strong through every wave of change.”
Besides compassion, another crucial principle, says Annabel, is transparency. That transparency comes with a few caveats, however. When leadership don’t know where they’re going, that can cause greater anxiety. Moreover, transparency can still be communicated with sensitivity.
“Cactus prioritises trust and transparency with our employees,” says Ainslie. “We openly share agency financials, provide access to salary reports, and set clear growth plans. This honesty removes the anxiety and speculation that so often fuel burnout. Our core values, including belonging and wellbeing, ensure that every decision is filtered through a people-first lens.”
According to Sara, at Critical Mass the philosophy is to "lead with empathy". They've created safe spaces like their Mental Health Affinity Group and have rebranded 'sick days' as 'wellness days', which she says sends a clear signal that the company wants people to look after their physical and mental health. Building a healthy culture is, she says, an ongoing process.
"To truly protect mental health, agencies should audit workloads, set (and manage) clear expectations, and automate repetitive tasks to free up employees to focus on more complex and creative work," she says. "Mental health is dynamic—so our commitment to it must evolve too. By prioritizing adaptable work practices and fostering empathetic spaces where employees can seek support without fear of judgment, we can create environments where people thrive."
Look After Yourself
It can be difficult to talk about advice for individuals who are experiencing stress and anxiety due to conditions at their workplace, challenges in the market or difficulties in the world at large. If these are systemic issues, urging people to take a meditation break can feel tone deaf or like it’s shifting responsibility.
Paradoxically, however, a sense of agency and a clear idea of what one can and can’t control can be powerful and protective.
“I'm a bit wary about the idea of building resilience because these are systemic situations we find ourselves in, and in some ways, why should we?” reflects Annablel. “But it's about noticing. Perhaps it's all about saying, ‘actually, I have managed the difficult situations, how did I do that?’”
Jessica Reininger is people advisor, at amp, and for her wellbeing and mental health is a journey that's both professional and personal, so she sees it both from an organisational and individual perspective.
"Wellbeing is a deeply personal and individual journey, recognizing that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is ineffective, because what supports one person’s mental health may not necessarily resonate with another’s. Both personally and in my professional capacity as a People Advisor, I am dedicated to fostering a supportive environment," she says. "This involves cultivating safe spaces for open dialogue, as it is only through the identification of challenges that targeted solutions can be effectively developed.
"Ultimately, however, the cornerstone of sustainable wellbeing lies in self-awareness: understanding one’s unique strengths and weaknesses, and employing self-reflection to identify specific needs across various circumstances."
These ideas of reflection and understanding what you can and can’t control is something that Magdalena Bailey really believes in – and it’s a principle that applies at the individual and organisational level alike.
“YOU choose what you focus on. That means knowing when to zoom out and protect the
bigger picture, instead of burning out on the small stuff. YOU decide who you surround yourself with. As leaders, that’s about building teams who lift each other up, not tear each other down under pressure and build their own tribes. YOU control the habits that set the tone for your day,” she says.
“For agencies, that means modelling balance: encouraging breaks, celebrating smart boundaries, and recognising when“enough” is enough,” she continues. “We can’t control the geopolitical landscape or economic cycles. But we can control how we show up for each other. And in an industry built on ideas, that’s where resilience really begins.”
In some cases, worry about situations beyond our control is inevitable and there’s no point pretending we don’t have those feelings. But taking a moment to consider what is proportional can be helpful. “Allow yourself to put a little bit of energy into the things you can’t control… and then stop,” says Annabel. “It’s utterly exhausting, which is why people are burning out.”
Going further, there are other small things that can help people reclaim some peace. For one thing, if things are starting to feel strained and stressful, reach out to organisations like NABS for help and don’t wait for things to escalate.
“Rest is a form of resistance,” says Annabel. Managers and leaders can allow employees small chunks of ‘no demands on you’ time, whether that’s 10 minutes or half an hour. Individuals can give themselves that permission too in their life. And when it comes to people looking for work or struggling with redundancy, she advises that they treat the job hunt as a nine-to-five occupation, not 24-7.
“I often remind my team: when there’s a lull, take advantage of it. Don’t fill the quiet just to stay busy. Rest, recharge, catch your breath – because the next big week is always around the corner. Learning to ride those waves is one of the best forms of self-care,” says Leslie.
Connection is another important tool. That’s why at NABS, they have therapist-run group Connect programmes that allow people to talk over their experiences with others navigating similar situations. However, Annabel also advises advertising folk to look beyond the adland bubble. “It can be a bit of an echo chamber, if everybody is struggling,” she says.
Indeed, it’s easy in the advertising world, where people often invest heavily in building profiles as creatives or strategists or leaders, rediscovering your identity beyond the world of the industry can be powerful. Annabel suggests that volunteering can be very helpful, a way to connect with new people who have no preconceptions of you, a way to lean into personal passions and to feel purposeful.
Managers in the Middle
One of NABS’ recent initiatives is a programme called Managers Mindset. Its 2023 census revealed an urgent need to help managers who have been promoted but without any training around how to support their teams in difficult times. It can be hard to know how to create space and support for teams, while also dealing with your own emotions and wellbeing.
“It’s about having those challenging conversations. A team member might be struggling and you as a manager might think, ‘I don’t know how to respond if I do say something?’” says Annabel. “We’ve got guidance about creating that safe psychological space as a manager.”
Sara at Critical Mass notes that this issue around training for managers is something that the agency has picked up on and addressed. "People managers receive training to support career growth and personal well-being," she says.
One of the big challenges that managers face is looking out for their teams and making sure that they are listened to, while also protecting their own wellbeing. And in times of uncertainty, in business or in the world, these managers are usually employees with their own limited view of what’s really happening.
“It can be easy to try and ‘fix’ things for people, but just to say ‘it sounds like you’re having a really tough time, I hear you’ can be magic, it really is,” says Annabel. She also advises that managers have their own boundaries in place.
Leslie from Attention Arc and she notes that it’s important to have a realistic sense of what you as a leader or manager can do. While you can’t take on other people’s feelings, you can create conditions and provide the tools and support that can help.
“Advertising has never been for the faint of heart. The pace, the pressure, the peaks and valleys - it’s part of what makes this industry both challenging and exhilarating. I don’t believe we can protect people from that reality, but we can equip and support them through it,” she says.
If you are navigating any of the issues discussed, check out Nabs.org.uk, or contact the Nabs helpline on 0800 707 6607 or check out their calendar of events and workshops.
