Just over one in five communications directors say their hiring plans are unchanged and another third indicate they are investing in hiring for different parts of the communications function as a result of Covid-19. 

Over one-quarter (26%) say their hiring plans are now on hold or that they will not be hiring anyone in the next year. This is the finding of a recent poll from The Pulse Business.

Over the next 12 months, will you change your hiring plans for your comms function as a result of Covid-19?

Discussing the findings, Rebecca Whitney, managing director of executive search firm Whitney Murray, says this is good news: "This is a very topical issue given the government’s focus on protecting jobs and keeping as many in work as possible. I think the results are surprising, but in a positive way. Only 19% said their recruitment plans were now on hold and as little as 7% said they had no plans to hire over the next 12 months.

“Of that an equally small proportion of companies (7%) indicated they had not been planning to hire in the next 12 months anyway. So what is encouraging is that over one in two respondents will continue to hire as planned or hire in a different way.

“Nearly a third (30%) have stated that they will hire for different parts of the communications function and there seems to be a focus on appointing internal communications and digital marketing specialists.

The future
“This demonstrates how agencies and in house teams are responding to the new way we work and are also keen to retain good staff with effective internal communications. So whilst traditional PR roles may be in decline, this research clearly points to areas of growth, especially in internal comms and that is hugely positive. Another encouraging sign is that very few organisations are making redundancies or contracting. In short, the communications function is clearly seen as fundamental to the success of companies and thankfully, the agencies do not appear to be losing lots of business. There is plenty to be hopeful about over the next 12 months.”

Methodology
Around 1,000 communications directors, based in the UK either working in-house or at the agency MD level, were questioned for a Comms Index Pulse from the Pulse Business.