Omnicom Steals Christmas & Cuts IPG Benefits
- The recent merger of Omnicom and IPG is causing notable anxiety among employees, who report ample changes to benefits packages, a stricter return-to-office (RTO) policy, and a generally...
- Employees are expressing dismay over a significant reduction in paid parental leave.
- Documents obtained by ADWEEK reveal Omnicom offers 10 weeks of paid parental leave, a decrease from the previous flexible maximum of six months offered by IPG.
Omnicom-IPG Merger Sparks Employee Concerns Over Benefits, Return-to-Office Policy
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The recent merger of Omnicom and IPG is causing notable anxiety among employees, who report ample changes to benefits packages, a stricter return-to-office (RTO) policy, and a generally diminished sense of job security. Concerns center around reduced parental leave, rising healthcare costs, and a less favorable severance policy, leading some to consider unionization.
Parental Leave Reduced, Deemed “Cruel”
Employees are expressing dismay over a significant reduction in paid parental leave. One buisness manager recounted being told,”You could work it out with your partner,and be there for your kids as best as you both can.”
Documents obtained by ADWEEK reveal Omnicom offers 10 weeks of paid parental leave, a decrease from the previous flexible maximum of six months offered by IPG. This leave must be taken continuously within 20 weeks of birth, adoption, or foster placement, and employees are required to exhaust all state or disability benefits before receiving payment from Omnicom.
“We’re going from a flexible, maximum six months to a rigid, not flexible, 10 weeks,” the business manager stated. Another media employee described the new policy as “so absolutely cruel to the workers and their children.”
Healthcare costs Increase for “Lower quality” Coverage
Employees previously benefited from IPG’s comparatively affordable healthcare plans, wich included inexpensive HMO options and single combined deductibles. Many praised plans through UnitedHealthcare or Cigna as “straightforward” and easy to understand.
Omnicom’s 2026 benefits materials outline four Aetna medical plans: an EPO option, a Premier PPO with a lower deductible, a Health Savings Plan, and a high-deductible HSA-eligible plan. Employees report this lineup is more limited and expensive, with some plans featuring higher premiums and separate deductibles for medical and prescription drugs. A more expensive plan offering broader out-of-network coverage is also available.
“It’s generally more expensive for lower quality care,” saeid a health creative. “If you do want the premier package, it’s notably more expensive.”
Return to Office Mandate Threatens severance
Prior to the acquisition, IPG did not enforce a return-to-office mandate, with many teams operating remotely or in a hybrid model.Omnicom’s policy,requiring three days per week in the office with plans to increase to five,is being described as a jarring cultural shift. Managers have been instructed to immediately begin bringing teams back to the office.
The policy also stipulates that employees who do not comply may be denied raises and promotions, and those terminated for violating the policy are ineligible for severance.
The business manager called the policy “jarring,” while the health creative noted Omnicom “is obsessed with RTO [return to office].”
Omnicom’s severance policy is also less generous than IPG’s, offering approximately one week of pay per year of service, capped at 12 weeks for employees with five or more years of tenure. IPG’s previous policy, reviewed by ADWEEK, provided two weeks’ pay after three months of service, three weeks at two years, and an additional week for each subsequent year up to the 14th anniversary. Employees with over 14 years of service received two additional weeks per year, potentially exceeding 20 or 30 weeks of pay.
“It’s the worst severance package I’ve ever seen,” the health creative said of the omnicom plan.
Employees anticipate Layoffs, Explore Unionization
Many employees believe the new benefits package is designed to encourage voluntary departures, in addition to the 4,000 job cuts already announced. Omnicom declined to comment on potential future layoffs.
“I’m fully expecting to get laid off or fired in the next six to 12 months,” said the media employee. “I don’t think Omnicom is going to keep most of us around.”
The business manager highlighted the impact on younger employees: “Younger talent who entered the industry in the last couple of years have only ever experienced layoff after layoff for pretty blatant shareholder value gains. We’re at the precipice of it not being sustainable for employees.”
The situation has prompted renewed discussions about unionization. “I’ve probably talked to three people about unionization in the last couple of days,” said the business manager. ”With the way these holding companies are operating, it’s so clearly a race to the bottom.”
“Workers are shafted in every possible way,” the media employee concluded, adding that the primary challenge is a lack of leverage. “If we went on strike,they’d replace us in 30 seconds.”