North West risks losing marketing professionals post-pandemic  

By John Paul Simpson, CIM North West chair

As research reveals six in 10 marketing professionals working in the region are looking to change jobs after the pandemic, John Paul-Simpson, chair of The Chartered Institute of Marketing North West, provides insight into how businesses can attract and retain talent.

Of all the professions that have helped keep the country going in the last year, marketers are probably not the first that spring to mind. But for many businesses, lockdown restrictions have helped shine a light on the vital role their marketing teams play. Adaptable, creative and reactive, marketers have been able to swiftly tailor strategies to the pandemic, ensuring their businesses remain visible and relevant.

It’s worrying then, that research we conducted with recruitment firm Hays shows half of marketers are considering career changes in the next year as a direct result of the pandemic.

Of those, 61% said they planned to make changes to their working practices and find a new role that offers hybrid working. 17% said they planned to find a new role based completely remotely. The research also captured views on the role of the physical workspace. 74% of those surveyed said that their workplace would not return to the way it was before the pandemic. When discussing the workplace changes required once restrictions ease, 45% of marketers believe their existing office space is not fit for purpose and will need reconfiguring, while 32% say that improved access to technology will be necessary.

To read John Paul Simpson's full article in Prolific North, click here