The PRCA Americas has launched the first LATAM PR and Communications Census. We asked three leading LATAM PR practitioners for their views on two of the report’s key topics.
Most respondents to the Census (85%) told us they were working from home full-time. Very few (8%) said they expected to return full-time to the office - the majority (63%) expect a mix of home and office-based working. What does this switch mean for the PR and communications profession?
Pedro Cadina MPRCA, CEO, VIANEWS Communications: “Remote work during the pandemic prompted two very important changes in the communication sector in Latin America. Firstly, professionals and agencies realized that they could make the most of each other regardless of the region where they lived. An agency located in São Paulo, for example, can hire professionals in Buenos Aires or Mexico City, which was not so common before the pandemic.
“Secondly, people in Latin America’s big cities, most of which have major urban mobility problems, no longer need to spend two to four hours a day in traffic to get to work. This means gains in terms of productivity and quality of life - and should mean a more creative, productive and healthier sector in the coming years.”
Ciro Dias Reis MPRCA, Founder and CEO, Imagem Corporativa; Global Chair, PROI Worldwide: “In Brazil - and from what I learn from my conversations with colleagues in Argentina, Chile and Colombia - it seems the hybrid mode will prevail. The challenge is to ensure healthy/realistic work relations: during the pandemic extra work hours have been dedicated to clients due to online connections that replaced in-person meetings, and made virtual discussions an open door for more frequent meetings/dialogues.
“For a more sustainable hybrid system, clients and PR pros need to re-adapt to this new scenario, instead of keeping connected from 8am to 8pm (or more) on a daily basis, as happens today very often. Productivity and time management will be key.”
Everton Schultz MPRCA, President and Partner, Ágora Strategic Communications: “Remote working has its pros and cons. I believe the choice of a hybrid model, indicated by the respondents, shows that PR professionals do need personal contact. We have changed our office to become a more pleasant place, more like a living room - it is an open space, with sofas, chairs and more decoration, and no fixed desks. This makes our talent feel more comfortable in the office, it means they get some of the benefits of the home office - and returning to the office is optional.
We have been living through a period of huge uncertainty, and our census shows that nearly a third (30%) of PR employers in LATAM have made redundancies as a result of the pandemic. What do you see ahead, will 2022 be a better year for the industry?
Everton Schultz: “For sure, 2022 will be a better year for the industry. Many companies have decided to hold up investments due to uncertainty - but as vaccination programmes continue in Brazil, our economy is likely to return to its full potential.
“There are challenges ahead, due to political instability in Brazil, but I believe companies will need our services to better understand the complex scenario after the pandemic. Digital adaptation, consumer activism, ESG challenges and media transformation are some of the themes PR professionals will need to be well prepared to help companies to thrive in this new world.”
Ciro Dias Reis: “There has been a shortage of good PR professionals in the Brazilian market - there are good opportunities for PR professionals with digital, offline, strategic vision and ESG expertise. Competition for talent has been aggressive among PR agencies - but not so much among in-house teams.
“This is happening despite the predominant move from clients to reduce or limit budgets and fees based on the impact of COVID-19 in their businesses. However, the market is not bad for the PR industry this year because lots of projects that had been cancelled or postponed in 2020 are now being put in place by clients.”
Pedro Cadina: “Next year, Covid vaccination campaigns will have made much more progress across the region, particularly in Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. This factor is poised to drive recovery in the region’s economies, especially infrastructure, finance and e-commerce, which have great potential and pose opportunities for Latin America’s countries.
“However, some major countries will be having elections [in late 2021, or 2022]: Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru - and Honduras and Nicaragua will be holding presidential elections. There will be midterm elections in Mexico, Argentina and El Salvador. These elections will likely cause instability in these countries, thus reducing foreign investment and growth.”
Find out more about the Census, and read the whole report, here.