Masti ki Pathshala for stressed minds

CHENNAI: Even those in brand business are jumping onto the experiential-learning bandwagon. Faced with an all-sector worrisome attrition problem, advertising agencies, too, are trying to address the issue by going back to basics. Sample one such initiative of Ogilvy, which is set to roll-out a national training initiative, branded ‘Pathshala,’ on Thursday.

“This is an offsite experiential-learning programme, aimed at improving the efficiency of our highly-stressed people. Our motive is to arm them with in-depth-knowledge, by giving them sufficient net practice time,” Ogilvy’s India training head Krishna Mohan told ET in Chennai. “Many years ago, Ogilvy was synonymous with the school of advertising. But over a period of time, the focus of agencies has shifted to bottomline and topline. We forgot that we are in the business of people,” he said.

Realising the need to communicate effectively with the brands, he said though Ogilvy has an excellent training calendar in place, it developed this concept to create a work-life balance.

“Though training workshops impart valuable lessons, there is hardly any time for implement. We plan to bring in an element of work-life balance by presenting the options of yoga, Tai Chi and salsa to the participants,” Mr Mohan said. The national training mission would cover about 750 of its 1,000 people workforce. From Ogilvy Chennai, over 75 members would get an experiential learning, as they participate in the offsite programme, 100 km away from the city under the ‘Pathshala’ (back-to-school) initiative “We want our people to meet brands face-to-face,” he said, adding that Ogilvy would produce a brand communication for Pathway, an NGO for destitute and orphans, at Madurantakam. Apart from
lectures, community services are also part of the programme.

Instead of merely brain-storming for hours, the agency has found brain-writing as a better option to ideate. Finding attrition levels touching 30% a worrying factor, Mr Mohan said “attracting and retaining talent is difficult. By getting more organised we are aiming to take up our productivity up by 30%,.” Against the usual Rs 1 crore annual training spend, Ogilvy, this time has earmarked Rs 3 crore for training its people, he said.

Specific tools like 360 degree training would help employees reach the customer in a relevant and meaningful manner. “There are different levels of training for different functions, which include client servicing, creative and account planning. Basic negotiation skills, developing leadership and presentation skills, we even teach the art of strategic conversation or the art of negotiation at a national level,” he added.