Glad Communications Week! The high-profile comms occasion is in full swing within the coronary heart of Texas, and considered one of many highlights up to now has been the gathering’s signature occasion, the Way forward for Communications Convention, the place a brand new trade survey was unveiled wherein CEOs and communications leaders chimed in on how they view one another’s roles and duties, what they worth most, and their views on urgent trade points like synthetic intelligence and the return to work.
The third annual Survey of Communications Leaders was carried out by comms media big Ragan Communications, producer of the occasion since 2019, and market analysis associate HarrisX, surveying 375 CEOs and communications leaders. One key discovering was the disparity between chief execs and comms leaders on who truly leads communications for his or her firms: a overwhelming majority of CEOs say they lead exterior communications (78 p.c) in addition to inside communications (73 p.c), whereas solely 15 p.c of communicators agree with that evaluation.
“These insights have the potential to affect how we implement expertise into our work and the way it’s poised to affect how we method comms total,” mentioned Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications, in a information launch. “It’s an thrilling time to be a communicator and a crucial time for communications to prepared the ground for organizations.”
Key findings embody:
Worker communications is the operate that brings essentially the most worth
All respondents famous that worker communications was the primary space of the communication operate that brings essentially the most worth. Notably, worker communications ranked quantity 2 for CEOs, however was the highest choice for different communications leaders, pointing to the truth that communicators perceive staff are a model’s primary advocate—and provides context to the disparity about which place actually oversees communications.
The communications trade is optimistic and able to embrace AI
Communications leaders have a optimistic view of AI’s internet affect on every space of their group, significantly analytics and advertising and marketing and enchancment in productiveness. As well as, 82 p.c of CEOS have a optimistic opinion of it.
The extent of belief between members of a corporation’s C-suite stays excessive, with CCOs successful belief from CEOs for his or her work
Communications leaders’ belief in CEOs is barely decrease than final 12 months however stays very excessive., however the proportion of communicators who belief the judgment of the CEO in the case of exterior communications has fallen from 95 p.c final 12 months to 91 p.c presently.
As well as, the survey outcomes present that the bigger the group is, the much less the C-suite confers repeatedly with communications leaders.
Additionally, 85 p.c of CEOs and communications leaders are taking steps to organize for a recession; 38 p.c of respondents reduce journey budgets and 24 p.c are downsizing groups.
“We’re excited to carry collectively the trade’s most revolutionary leaders in Austin this 12 months,” mentioned Tiffany Guarnaccia, founding father of Communications Week in 2014, co-chair of the Communications Week board and CEO and founding father of Kite Hill PR, in a information launch. “As somebody who’s fascinated by the intersection of communications and expertise, I’m wanting ahead to seeing how this new knowledge will spark dialog and the way innovation can transfer our trade ahead.”
Obtain the complete survey report right here.
Along with HarrisX, Ragan Communications surveyed 375 CEOs and different high-ranking communications officers to achieve perception on the trade. The survey was carried out on-line inside the USA from August 11 – September 11.
