Communicators, each exterior and inside, have needed to pivot — rather a lot. In 2023, important transformations, starting from an unstable social media panorama to new RTO insurance policies and evolving roles in disaster administration, sophisticated many comms methods.
In 2021, HarrisX started partnering with Ragan Communications on an annual survey to raised perceive how CEOs and communications leaders view one another’s roles and duties. The outcomes from this yr’s CEO-Communicators Perceptions Survey shall be offered on the Way forward for Communications Convention in Austin, TX on November 6-8th.
Forward of that survey launch, we’ve been monitoring the rising challenges and evolving priorities for the communicator, all of which shall be coated within the survey this November. Right here’s what we’re watching.
The RTO motion is off to a rocky begin.
The mandate is evident: Most CEOs are pushing to have workers return to the workplace. However the actuality, in keeping with Appspace, is that work continues to happen outdoors of the normal workplace atmosphere. Simply 3% of workers function completely in-person, in comparison with 44% of respondents working absolutely distant.
For communicators, sharing RTO insurance policies which might be unpopular amongst workers has led to disengagement and dissatisfaction. And as soon as that hurdle has been handed, the problem turns into discovering advanced methods to speak. Tried and trusted strategies of communication and relationship-building proceed falling quick in work environments that embrace workers working absolutely distant, hybrid and completely in workplace.
There’s confusion on tips on how to greatest implement AI.
Communications groups are consistently trying to improve to extra environment friendly techniques and instruments. Rising synthetic intelligence was high of thoughts for respondents in Ragan’s Benchmark Report who indicated AI will stay a spotlight over the following three years. That’s removed from a shock contemplating how ChatGPT has dominated the information cycle since its arrival in November 2022.
A joint survey carried out by Ragan Communications and The Convention Board shared that 82% of respondents believed AI would assist them do their work sooner. However there’s a variety of unanswered questions, a lot of which revolve round misinformation, authorized uncertainties and information safety. Obtain the total report right here.
Inner comms can have exterior implications.
In Ragan’s Benchmark Report, 61% of respondents indicated oversight of each inside and exterior communications. That’s a development that has been slowly inching upwards, up from 58% in 2022’s report.
This interconnectedness underscores how efficient inside communication not solely shapes organizational tradition, but in addition extends its influence to exterior stakeholders and perceptions. As communication features more and more converge, inside communicators should change into sturdy bridges between inside methods and outward-facing messages.
However there’s a proper time for every part: Worker leaks forward of correctly delivered messaging are a rising concern. Confidential inside documentation, or rumors being shared on social media forward of an official press launch, can create an avoidable disaster. Right here’s one communicator’s recommendation on tips on how to mitigate or stop these leaks.
It’s onerous to craft technique round new and rising social media platforms.
Greater than ever, communicators are utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn to craft and ship clear strategic messaging. However figuring out which platform is only and related for a model has change into a problem.
Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X (previously Twitter) in 2022, greater than half of the platform’s high advertisers have fled to spend advert price range with opponents. The social media platform uncertainty has expanded to different social media platforms, together with TikTok, which is indefinitely banned for all federal workers and choose state workers in 34 U.S. states, with extra restrictions more likely to come.
With model new gamers like Threads going head-to-head with X, it’s vital that communicators keep vigilant about the place they make investments their time. Ragan and PRDaily will deal with this scorching subject in an upcoming webinar on August 23rd.
In occasions of disaster, organizations depend on the communications workforce, however that’s shifting.
Prime executives are keenly conscious of unanticipated crises which will happen at a second’s discover. For example, the COVID-19 disaster showcased inside communicators’ have to swiftly relay distant work protocols, security measures and emotional assist assets to workers throughout numerous places.
In keeping with Ragan’s 2023 Benchmark Report, 58% of organizations rely firmly on communications groups to take the lead in disaster messaging technique. However that’s been trending down. In-house PR groups are dealing with extra in 2023 than ever earlier than, as much as 24%, which is 11 share factors greater from 2022’s survey.
This shift in disaster administration duties can current challenges for communicators striving to safe a seat on the govt desk and the ear of the CEO. Inner communicators face the chance of being relegated to a supporting position, doubtlessly diminishing their affect on essential strategic choices.
On the Way forward for Communications Convention on November 6-8th, we’ll be sharing the outcomes from the third annual CEO-Communicators Perceptions Survey that can deal with a few of these traits.
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