PR professionals are laid off, change careers, rotate agencies and some individuals even start up their own shop around this time of year. The years end is a natural time for corporations to evaluate their talent pool and make appropriate changes. We've had a fantastic year of tremendous growth which has required constant tweaking of our staff to better serve our clients and provide our team with the best tools and resources available.
Of course, good people are in high demand. It’s always been my manner that if an employee doesn't love working with us, then I always feel like it's my responsibility to find out why and fix it! This was a year of change and growth for our firm; we've said goodbye to a senior staffer, switched up players on our different teams, beefed up our training and mentoring program, restructured reporting relationships in all three offices, promoted two directors to vice presidents and we added two new senior vice presidents to help lead the charge in 2007. It's been exciting to see the positive results in the last few months!
I hear stories all the time of an employee jumping ship and starting their own agency and stealing a few clients as they pick up the last paycheck. While it may be a common practice in our industry, this type of behavior does not display the level of professional ethics that are so vital in business. In fact, we're proud to help employees transition out of PR when they realize it's not for them any longer.
Here are some guidelines that every PR professional should understand:
1. PR firms own relationships both on behalf of the clients they represent and for the staff that they train and mentor.
2. PR firms should be compensated if those relationships are jeopardized or challenged.
3. Employees are accountable to their PR firm first and foremost rather than clients or the media.
4. It is always better to take the high road; business relationships are recycled everyday and you never know whose path you will cross again, so never burn bridges.
My golden rules for maintaining integrity as a PR professional are:
#1
Thou shall not work for a client without written approval from the PR firm that secured that client.
That means if your working at a PR firm and you love one of the accounts that you’re working with so much that you want to become their employee, you must document this request directly with the PR firm first, before entertaining conversations with the client about your future opportunities. Even after you leave the agency, communicating directly to that PR firm is the most appropriate format. For clients who want to hire an employee of the PR firm, they must document this action directly to the PR firm with a written request and an offer of compensation. If the employee leaves the agency under false pretenses with the intention of working for a client of the PR firm, the employee could face a cease of action suit as well as legal action for fraudulent termination of their employment. Usually in this situation the firm will terminate the client and seek punitive damages from the past employee.
#2
Thou shall pay compensation to the PR firm if the employee crosses over.
Be prepared to pay 20% or a flat rate of $20,000.00 to the PR firm from the client when you make the switch. Headhunters typically charge this amount and it is common industry practice. This compensation offsets the costs the PR firm will have to incur for interviewing a replacement.
#3
Thou shall take time to remove themselves from their NDA
The length of time an employee is prevented from working with a client of the PR firm depends on the non-disclosure agreement. Some agreements stipulate a period of six months while others extend to up to two years. However long is specified is what you as a professional should ethically abide by.
#4
Thou shall build your professional relationships on your own merit not from the prior existing relationships that your former PR firm secured.
People always asked me what PR firm I worked at before launching Pierce Mattie PR and what clients I took from my former employer before opening up my own shop. The truth – none of the above. I left an in-house position and started with three clients: Jane Iredale, Thalgo and Institut DERMed. None of those three clients has any affiliation with my past employer. I developed those relationships in my own free time and not at the expense of my past employer.
#5
Thou shall not take clients with you when you leave
That is of course unless the PR firm is compensated and gives their blessing. But if the client and the former employee go into action together they both again could be faced with a legal battle that will end in the payment of damages to the PR firm.
#6
Tell the truth and Use Common Sense
Our business lives are complex and some times we can develop one of two bad habits. The first is analysis paralysis – this is when you evaluate a decision for so long, it becomes impossible to make it. This is where you should “go with your gut”. If something feels wrong it usually is, and this is where you can choose to focus on two important values – honesty and common sense. The second bad habit is fear of change – this leads to indecision. When people get stuck in the decision making process it’s usually because of fear. It’s been my experience that verbalizing the decision is harder than actually making the change. Again honesty and common sense will take you far.
The ethical practice of PR is very important to me, probably because I built my company in a thoughtful and ethical manner. I realize as I write this that I am reacting to some events that occurred here at Pierce Mattie this year, and putting a voice to my disappointment. This disappointment could have been avoided if the lines of communication had been more open and if I had really listened to my gut. But we all have our lessons, and we all grow and change. I sincerely hope that by sharing my big lesson of 2006 with you, it can help your business in 2007.
