WPP AUNZ to give back staff salary sacrifices
WPP AUNZ, one of the region’s leading creative tech company has today announced the return of the majority of salary sacrifices made by staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the positive financial results for the business, and the announcement of return to full salaries in August, the news reinforces WPP AUNZ’s commitment to the wellbeing of its staff whilst recognising sacrifices made during unexpected circumstances.
The decision offers a full reimbursement to all staff on salaries of under $200k who opted to take a voluntary pay cut during 2020; those opting instead to reduce their workdays will be offered extra annual leave days.
Commenting on the news WPP AUNZ CEO and managing director, Jens Monsees (pictured) said this was a well-considered decision to give back to the company’s strongest business driver, its talent: “Over the last few months, we have asked some incredible things of all our people, and they responded in the most positive and productive ways.
“As 2020 draws to a close we are very happy to be able to say a big thank you to those that made very personal sacrifices that have put WPP AUNZ in such a strong position for the next year.”
37 Comments
Who’s next?
What about us?
I’m flagging ‘giving back’ as the most overused term of 2021.
I don’t know how any agency will be able to justify future shareholder dividends without first paying back their staff what they owe – most of whom didn’t “volunteer” to sacrifice their salary, they didn’t have a choice. I’m looking at you Clemenger Group.
Should probably do what’s right by the employees that got you through this patch
Well done WPP. Every other holding company should follow suit.
*Cough cough*
Millions being made in PAT. Any danger of treating your people right??
So glad I work for such a caring group that puts their people first!
After they made a number of us redundant.
Thank you.
Surprised and impressed.
Cummins did this 2 months ago.
Why does doing the right thing need a press release?
Other agencies have done this and not felt the need to pr it. Even before Cummins. It’s a bit like announcing that you gave money to charity.
Great place to work. Never been shy to make it clear we are in business to make money. Always looked after it’s staff when it counts. Thanks Jens
We made no one redundant during the period of salary sacrifice. You are simply wrong @cummins.
If you’re any agency whose books / balance look better then they did last year and haven’t compensated your staff who accepted cuts in good faith.
Shame on you.
Hmmm…
Making me look good salary sacrifice and handing over your annual leave. People (aka me) first. Shame on you Clemenger Group.
So Clems hasn’t paid back their staff who sacrificed their salaries? Must be horrible to work there. Good onya WPP.
Wonder if any interest was paid to employees or if WPP kept the difference?
PRing this is low
Meanwhile some will be starting next year in the red after another forced and extended stint of annual leave over Christmas. Salary and annual leave sacrifices were made as a gesture of goodwill to save jobs NOT a donation to shareholders. Clemenger boasting about growth under these circumstances is disgraceful.
Any agency that turns a huge profit this year without reimbursing ‘voluntary salary sacrifices’ should not be considered for any award accolades in 2021.
Look after those that kept you breathing.
To everyone criticising the decision to PR this, does it not occur to you that when one of the biggest networks in Australia publicly announces they’re paying back their employees, others tend to follow? PRing this is a great move for the industry. Good on you WPP.
It ain’t happening people. Get over it.
Meanwhile, SWM didn’t have the money to pay people but did to extend sports rights, campaign for basil and pay for lawyers.
Get over it? People have their livelihoods swept out from under their feet so the companies they work for can still post massive profits and they’re supposed to get over it and not complain? Apathy and acceptance that “ah well, that’s advertising” simply encourages these businesses to carry on behaving like this. People have a right to be outraged and these companies deserve to be called out.
some of us in one group
– lost 15% (across 350 people that’s probably somewhere around 3m)
– lost 2-3 weeks of holidays (another 1-2m min.) each through mandatory time off (no reduction of work however)
– lost colleagues
– continued to work 50+ hours a week
None of us are gonna see any of that back. Exceptional subsidising of profits … total it all up and it’s a good $5m plus in money lifted directly from staff.
Applause to WPP for paying it back. The right thing to do but something not done by that many.
Let’s not forget to add in Job Keeper, which no doubt many agencies / holding groups would have qualified for (or at least the numbers given to the ATO would support this)
Surely actions speak louder than words. The fact they are PRing this is actually pretty desperate.
Big ups to wpp. I feel sorry for people working at Clemenger. They’re made redundant, made to work contract, had to salary sacrifice. And for what, so execs reach targets. Once a powerhouse now a slave house. Remember the people, people, people who do the work, work, work.
Can’t wait for all the staff who were under 200k to open their pay-packets and see no difference. I wonder if that will get PR’d!?
As a WPP employee that sacrificed their salary, this is nothing but a PR stunt.
As we learnt today, WPP have NO intention of giving anything back as they gave employees only 2 choices on the form – a 10% or 20% cut showing the equivalent reduction in working hours that these cuts reflected. This was then considered ‘opting to work reduced hours’.
Shame on you WPP for pretending to be the good guy.
I agree with one giant pr stunt. A very small group of people are getting this pay back.
As an employee I found out friday that hardly anyone qualifies for this. Its misleading when people PR ‘giving all the sacrifices back” and the reality is very different. Don’t expect any money back WPP employees – its not going to happen.
Incorrect comms to the employees, with no consideration to the actual number of people that would get the money back verses the majority of people that were forced to reduce their working hours – which is not technically taking a paycut in their eyes! So maybe 1% of the staff are eligible.
Think they payed back any of those who reluctantly agreed to heavily discounted COVID freelance rates?