IPA publishes 2011 Agency Census

Further highlights of the survey include:

• The average agency size has increased from 71.4 employees to 77.5 employees.
  
• The estimated number of first-year trainees in member agencies has increased from 723 to 862, a year-on-year increase of 19.2%.
  
• Flexible working has been introduced or used at 16% of agencies, often for the benefit of Generation Y employees, and 10% of agencies indicated that they were harnessing new technology in order to do this.
  
• The male to female ratio remains roughly the same: males account for 51.3% of the employed base and females for 48.7%.
  
• Females account for 13.5% of those at the highest levels of seniority including Chair/CEO/MD (down 3.5% year-on-year), and 27.3% of other executive management positions (up 1.8% year-on-year). This means that the overall percentage of women on executive boards is 22.4% which is unchanged year-on-year.
  
• The average age of employees in all member agencies remains constant at 33.8.
  
• 90.6% of the employed base is from a white background and 9.4% is from a non-white background.
  
• 13.4% of the employed base is from outside the UK including: 6.6% from Europe; 3.1% from Asia/Pacific; 1.3% from USA/Canada; 1% from Africa; 0.6% from South Asia; 0.4% from the Middle East; and 0.4% from Latin America.

Says Paul Bainsfair, director general, IPA: "In a time of uncertainty these figures provide a good dose of positivity, particularly those showing the sharp increase in first year trainees coming into our industry. As Nicola Mendelsohn's presidential agenda asserts, it is imperative that our agencies continue to invest in fresh talent, and from all backgrounds, in order to embrace change, harness new technologies, and lead globally. I hope that the programmes we have put in place in light of this, as well as those planned for this year, will increase these figures further, and will also help to encourage greater numbers of people from ethnic diversities into our industry."

Says Alex Hunter, finance director, IPA: "These findings provide an insightful account of the breadth and depth of staffing levels in IPA member agencies. Interestingly, despite agencies doing more for less these past three years, the recovery in staff numbers to near 2008 levels is an indication of how much more robust the industry is compared to the recession of 20 years ago."

The report is free to IPA members and £45 for non-IPA members and is available to download from the IPA website: www.ipa.co.uk

Agency Census 2011

The IPA:

The IPA is the trade body and professional institute for 240 UK advertising and marketing agencies which together manage media and marketing budgets valued at over £30bn per annum.