This is part of a series of blog posts celebrating our 50th anniversary, all of which address the question: What does the future of the PR and communications industry look like?
From my time chairing the PRCA’s NextGen London Group and working closely with a network of PR and comms freelancers at The Work Crowd, I’m happy to report that the future of the industry is in safe hands.
The next generation of PR professionals are curious, big-picture thinkers that want to have a positive impact on their careers, the companies they work for, and the world around them.
So with that in mind, here are my three predictions of what the future of the comms industry has in store:
1. Taking mental health seriously
At our recent NextGen event on ‘Becoming the Leaders of Tomorrow’, the audience was very keen to discuss the topic of mental health. While mental health awareness has risen to prominence in recent years, discussions at this event made me realise that we still have a long way to go. Many felt, that whilst they are seeing small improvements in attitudes towards mental health issues at work, they still don’t feel comfortable having an open discussion about the issue with their line managers.
Our panel also agreed that companies as a whole will need to shift their thinking about mental health in the future, expecting them to as a minimum have a mental health policy in place, as well as staff training in mental health first aid - just like you would for medical first aid.
The NextGen have grown up in an environment that is more open to discussing mental health issues, so I believe they will be our champions of change in this area in the years to come.
2. Careers with purpose
Purpose-driven campaigns are everywhere at the moment, driven by the rise of conscious millennial consumers - including the next generation of PR and communications professionals. And these values don’t just influence their purchases, they shape their career decisions too, with young communications professionals increasingly wanting to work for a company that shares their values and is ethical and sustainable in what they do.
So, if purpose isn’t already at the heart of their product or service, businesses will need to instill this into other elements of how they work, including their workplace culture and brand vision, to ensure they continue to attract and retain the best talent.
3. Freelancing at the junior end
Typically PR professionals opt to go freelance when they have a number of years experience under their belt, however this is now changing, with an increasing number of junior professionals taking the plunge. And I believe this is only going to continue over the next few years, again driven by the ‘purpose’ that is so important to this age group.
What we’re seeing is that the next generation doesn’t distinguish between their work-self and home-self, or traditional ideas of work-life balance. Instead, they want to find purpose across all aspects of their lives, and a blend between the two sides. Many are also driven by the fact that going freelance early on allows them to grow their skill set, explore different sectors and discover which agencies or brands are going to give them this purpose. They can then decide whether they want to stay independent permanently, or commit to a brand that matches their values and ways of working.
