Motivation and Retention of Employees in the Advertising Industry

The motivation and retention of employees are important to companies of many types and fields of operation. Especially in the advertisement industry, a high employee turnover rate is observed. This results in great costs to agencies. The objective of this research-oriented bachelor’s thesis is to improve the understanding of the factors that motivate employees in the advertising industry, enabling the development of effective motivation methods, and possibly increasing retention rates. The theory section starts on the definition of concepts relating to employee motivation and its importance. Factors and methods linked to employee motivation are dealt with, followed by a description of the main theories related to the topic. The theories reviewed for this study include need-based and process-based motivation theories, as well as aspects of ethics and national culture associated with motivation. Subsequently, theories related to employee retention are reviewed, presenting the importance of this concept and its impact on organizations. Additionally, employee retention through motivation is briefly discussed. Aiming to support the thesis objective, a quantitative research was conducted by an online survey using the Webropol tool. Data were collected from employees in the advertising industry, focusing on three target countries (Brazil, Finland, and the United States of America), and using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling methods. The survey received 191 answers which were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel software. The key findings of the research indicated that the main motivation factors contributing to a high employee retention rate in the advertising industry are supportive management and leadership, a work climate that is safe, enjoyable, and fulfilling, career advancement opportunities, a competitive salary, and having a job that allows employees to achieve their career goals. Additionally, other important factors and methods to employee motivation and retention are presented in this study. Recommendations for organizations include asking employees about their ideas and feelings related to their work through regular feedback practices, being attentive to the relationship between employees, management, and working teams, besides understanding that employees are the most valuable asset to organizations. To support further research on the same topics, it is suggested to use a larger sample size and to deeper investigate how each culture perceives employee motivation and retention