The Creative Manager of Monks speaks out about challenges to mental health in the workplace and offers intuitive solutions.
Santiago Losada knew there was a mental health problem in the advertising industry. He knew it from personal experience, because he was suffering from bruxism ¨C teeth grinding. ¡°When I was under pressure, working late and so on, consciously I was calm, as if I could manage the pressure. But unconsciously my body was telling me otherwise.¡±
He was aware that others in the agency world were suffering from extreme hours, presenteeism and intellectual strain, but he didn¡¯t feel empowered to talk about it. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in a leadership position yet,¡± he explains. ¡°But I decided that, once I got the opportunity to be a leader, or have a voice with senior management, I was going to start focusing more on the people and less on the work or the awards.¡±
Based in Bogot¨¢, Colombia, Santi ¨C as he prefers to be called ¨C has had a starry creative career, starting out at Grey London before stints at McCann, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett and Proximity BBDO. He became part of Monks when the youngish network acquired the tech company he worked for ¨C Zemoga.
¡°The pandemic opened things up, because it made the world smaller. People could work remotely. So if they could work from anywhere, why not other countries? In the States you have the money, the business, the opportunity ¨C but in Latin America, you have a lot of talent. It¡¯s amazing how quickly people from here can rise if you give them exposure to other markets. So that¡¯s what Monks saw when they came to us.¡±
But the pandemic sparked another revelation too. ¡°I felt it was the first time that people started talking openly about mental health and the problem of burnout. When I first heard that word, I thought, ¡®Oh, so that¡¯s what it¡¯s called.¡¯ This issue I¡¯d been seeing in agencies all these years.¡±
¡°You¡¯d feel bad if you left when it was still daytime¡±
He describes some of the typical traits of a toxic work culture. ¡°You¡¯d spend 16 hours a day, even more, in the agency. You¡¯d feel bad if you left while it was still daylight, so you always had to leave at nighttime. That was normal. Working at weekends ¨C normal. We spent a lot of time preparing pitches, then pitching, or making case studies for awards.¡±
Sooner or later, says Santi, the pay wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°We were not spending enough time with our family, with friends.¡± Not to mention the fact that all of these efforts had no impact on salary. ¡°A lot of it was about ego. You¡¯re not getting more money. And you¡¯re certainly not getting more time for yourself.¡±
Now he¡¯s risen higher in his profession, Santi feels free to talk about what he feels should be ¡°the true KPI of leaders¡±, which is the well-being of the team.
He observes that with the rise of AI has come a new source of pressure, to learn and adapt to constantly evolving tools. ¡°We¡¯re focusing a lot on tools, but we should also focus on ourselves. Because emotional intelligence is one of the most important things we can learn from.¡±
A baby boom, he adds, was another consequence of the pandemic, and parents often find themselves struggling to cope with workload and the challenges of parenthood. One positive aspect of remote working is that video conferences have brought co-workers, at least virtually, into one another¡¯s homes, humanising them and encouraging empathy.
¡°Empathy is vital. So is building trust, which allows people to be open, to be vulnerable, to talk about the problems they¡¯re having. And that includes the clients too. It¡¯s about creating a community of well-being. That¡¯s what I want to do with my teams. I love having one-on-ones to talk about, not only their career path, but also how they¡¯re growing as a person.¡±
We¡¯re focusing a lot on tools, but we should also focus on ourselves.
¡°You have to start setting the example¡±
He believes that workers should be given the right to ¡°disconnect¡± at certain times during the day. ¡°Do you want to exercise? Do you want to read? The life of the creative is also about going to places, going to museums, being open to art, being open to new things. We shouldn¡¯t just be checking references online. We should be out there spending time with the people we love, having new experiences. Because if you raise the quality of life, you raise the quality of the work.¡±
Does he think the industry should come up with a mental health chart? ¡°It¡¯s not about what it says on the website or a PowerPoint deck. It¡¯s what you do. It¡¯s what you start saying and expressing.¡±
Often, he says, human resources departments raise the issue of mental health and give advice; but at the end of the day nothing changes. ¡°So you have to start doing it by yourself and setting the example, right? You can always start small. You don¡¯t have to be in a huge team. Just applying it from one person to another, I think, is important.¡±
Some agency bosses with demanding clients and an increasing scope of work may scoff at all this, their eyes riveted on the bottom line. Santi repeats: ¡°If the workplace is healthier, I¡¯m pretty sure the work is going to be much, much better.¡±
If you raise the quality of life, you raise the quality of the work.
Six takeaways from Santi¡¯s thoughts that could help employers create a healthier workplace:
Prioritise well-being as a core KPI: Measure leadership success by the health and happiness of your team, not just output.
Encourage work-life balance: Respect boundaries, allow time to disconnect, and avoid normalising long hours or weekend work.
Foster empathy and trust: Create an environment where employees and clients alike feel safe to be open, vulnerable, and understood.
Support growth beyond tools: Balance technical learning with emotional intelligence and personal development.
Acknowledge personal lives: Be mindful of employees¡¯ family responsibilities and support flexible ways of working that accommodate them.
Lead by example, not policy: Demonstrate care and balance in your own behaviour; small actions from leaders can shift culture more than slogans or presentations.
