 According to a report from IoIC member VMA Group, entitled "Professional Development in Internal Communication 2010", nearly 60% of companies’ internal communications (IC) teams have stayed the same or increased in size during the recession. In addition, there is increasing advocacy of the profession by CEOs, with 68% of respondents stating their senior executive teams are either supportive or key advocates for IC (up 12% on 2008 figures). The report polled 250 Heads of IC and Heads of Corporate Communications in March 2010 and follows VMA’s inaugural IC report published in 2008.
The increasing advocacy of the profession internally is mirrored by changes in reporting lines. More heads of IC are now reporting directly into the CEO and increasing numbers into Heads of Marketing instead of reporting into Heads of Communications. However in spite of better support internally, the ‘public’ perception of the IC profession hasn’t shifted in the past two years, with nearly 75% saying they regularly have to explain what they do.
“The amount of change that went on during the recession has forced CEOs to motivate and engage key employees in a way that they’ve never had to before. This has provided the platform for a big ‘powerplay’ for internal communication. We’ve had to be more creative due to tightened budgets,” commented Helen Farrar, Head of Internal Communications at Virgin Media.
When asked about the top skills deficits in IC professionals, both hiring clients and team members put ‘coaching senior leaders’ in the top two. ‘Strategy setting’ and ‘Influencing’ are also listed in the top three deficits as judged by hiring clients and team leaders, perhaps indicative of the demands of a profession growing in stature.
Charlotte Butler, author of the report and Associate Director at VMA Group commented, “It’s encouraging that influencing skills and business acumen are now being recognised as crucial to the effectiveness of Internal Communication Professionals. This goes hand-in-hand with the ability to coach senior leaders.”
Nick Green, Director of Internal Communications at BSkyB commented, “Internal Communications as a profession has got to stop navel gazing. For example, it’s not important where the function reports to – HR, Corporate Comms, Marketing. What’s important is that the discipline has credibility throughout the organisation. We need to be business people first, it’s our license to trade. The nitty gritty ‘communication tools’ and techniques simply back that up.
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