Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett logo

Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett is a North America-based creative solutions company founded on the idea that “what helps people helps business.” By solving human problems with the power of creativity, Leo Burnett delivers value for people and prosperity for brands.

Leo Burnett recognizes the correlation between the demands of a client-service oriented workplace and the mental health and wellbeing of our over 1100 employees. We strive to foster a culture of flexibility and inclusivity that empowers employees to live balanced and full lives.

Overall Approach to Mental Health

The agency provides a wide range of services and resources to employees to encourage the holistic health of individuals and families.

In addition to providing comprehensive insurance to employees and their families across
several plan options, Leo Burnett offers access to several no-cost resources:

  • Workplace Solutions, offering employees support and guidance in the form of consultations and referrals to address life challenges, including those most closely correlated to mental health—stress, anxiety, depression, addiction and more;
  • Health Advocate, which assists employees in navigating the insurance benefits world, from finding specific medical providers in network, to helping break down the potential costs of enrollment plans;
  • Employee Assistance Program, a voluntary and anonymous service that helps employees identify resources and support systems to suit their particular needs; and
  • Rethink, a scalable wellness program and elearning support system for parents who have children with developmental disabilities; and more.

In addition, short-term disability coverage is provided to employees at no cost, allowing employees eligibility for 100% pay when they need to be medically out of the office, whether for physical or mental health. Leo Burnett is also proud to offer flexible vacation days and an optional work-from-home policy which encourages a healthy work-life balance by granting employees the ability to responsibly manage their work in a way that also services the demands of their personal lives.

The practice of mindfulness has become a core feature of our agency culture, and a growing body of research shows that that mindfulness-based interventions can be effective in the prevention and management of mental and physical health issues.

Last year, Leo Burnett North America CEO Andrew Swinand introduced “Conscious Leadership” to his senior team, inviting leaders to help create a culture of accountability, trust and respectful candor where collaboration and creativity could flourish. Shared from the top down, conscious leadership practices have led to the development of meditation classes and a speaker series focused on mental well-being.

This year, the agency unveiled a new internal communications campaign, “Create Greater Than,” designed to encourage an empathetic and inclusive culture. Leo Burnett also utilizes a digital platform called Tiny Pulse to promote constructive communication between agency employees and the leadership team. Employees can, and do, leverage the platform to share positive feedback and appreciation with their peers.

Leo Burnett seeks to provide health and well-being programs that are as diverse as our employees. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) support specific employee populations— women, parents, LGBTQ+, veterans, multicultural and more—through targeted programming and live events.

To ensure a safe and respectful workplace, Leo Burnett hosts trainings and workshops throughout the year in multiple formats—including a mandatory harassment training, a three-day 4A’s Workplace Enlightenment Certification® Workshop and a day-long Unconscious Bias training program.

To address issues of stress and provide employees with positive social outlets, the agency sponsors involvement in extracurricular sports teams and provides multiple opportunities to participate in community service initiatives benefiting Chicago’s Off the Street Club and Ronald McDonald House. All employees are encouraged to join the employee-only Revisions gym and fitness center, which also offers on-going health screenings, wellness seminars and more.

Leo Burnett has high participation rates across its insurance plans, as well as supplemental programming.

  • Approximately 40% of Leo Burnett employees are active across the agency’s ERGs.
  • Approximately 950 employees hold membership with the Revisions gym and fitness center.
  • Across its first three Mindful Morning sessions, the agency attracted 150 employee participants.

A significant percentage of Leo Burnett employees takes advantage of the company’s comprehensive insurance offerings. Many of the supplemental and auxiliary resources are available at employees’ discretion and/or anonymous, so the agency does not necessarily track or gather data on their involvement.

The agency continues to expand its programs and offerings on mindfulness and awareness. In 2019, the agency will provide a portion of the employee population with access to the Life XT Habit System, designed to help users cultivate mindful habits through everyday moments. Further, Leo Burnett will participate in a research project with the American Heart Association designed to evaluate the effect of the Life XT program on employee resilience, mindfulness and well-being.

Signature Andrew Swinand

Andrew Swinand

CEO

Leo Burnett Group