NATREL Employees Stay Longer vs Industry Standard
30% of staff has been there 10 years or more!
Parsippany, NJ — According to a survey in the September 2010 issue of Medical Marketing & Media, employees in the pharmaceutical industry, including those at pharma or biotech companies, advertising agencies, media/publishing companies, and other service suppliers, have spent an average of 4.6 years in their current positions. Regarding the overall workforce, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, "The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.4 in January 2010." While NATREL’s average employee tenure may appear only slightly higher at 5 years, almost one-third of the staff has been with NATREL for 10 years or more, and 5 employees have been at the company since it opened its doors 12 years ago. NATREL Partner Allan Trent said the average tenure would be far higher still had the agency not recently brought in a new crop of employees to meet increasing demand for the agency’s services.
"Because we retain our employees, our client-service teams are well-oiled machines composed of senior personnel who know the industry, the process, and each other," said Nicole Hyland, SVP, Director of Client Services, who has been with NATREL from the beginning. Asked why NATREL employees tend to stay at the firm, the veteran agency members offered a number of explanations. "I’ve heard that legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach once said he didn’t just want the best players, he wanted the right players," said Creative Director Dave Scott, who has been with the agency for 11 years. "When we make hiring decisions, we look beyond talent and experience alone to assess who will best complement our agency’s culture." "We have a fairly flat organizational structure that encourages participation from all team members," added Creative Director Susan Roher, who is also an original agency member. "NATREL employees know that their contributions are being considered, judged on merit alone, and recognized. I also think our low employee turnover has created a very stable environment that minimizes political complications." Marcy Tyler—a 10-year agency member who heads up the editorial department—explained why she has stayed at NATREL for so long: "The agency has grown consistently, we're doing great work, and the future looks bright. Why would I go anywhere else?"
NATREL Communications is a health care advertising agency that serves pharmaceutical companies and brands through the integration of traditional and innovative strategies, tactics, and media. The firm’s comprehensive service spectrum ranges from developing positioning strategy and all aspects of branding (including global brand development) to tactical implementation (including world-class creative execution). The company relies on a wide-open creative brainstorming process and offers a proprietary Brand Personality Workshop that is unique in the industry.
For more information, contact Allan Trent at NATREL Communications, 119 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054; (tel) 973.292.8400; (fax) 973.292.9101; or access the NATREL Web site at www.natrelusa.com.
