CorpComms Magazine

It is no great surprise that we hear every type of organisation talk about how much it values its people as their most prized asset. Companies in our industry are no exception. But I find it disappointing that, within our own discipline, the mantra may be recited but actions don't always reflect the rhetoric.

Ours is a 'people' business and, as such, we need to look after the 'people' and ensure that we nurture them. Simultaneously, we must attract the brightest and the best of future generations to ensure that our industry survives and flourishes when we, in turn, swap our influencing prose for the countryside walks with the dogs.

Undoubtedly, the growth in communications and public relations 'academic' courses has elevated the world of communications to one seen by many students as aspirational, although this is occasionally counterbalanced by the cynicism with which the generic media studies syllabus can be greeted. But it is still hard to deny that, as an industry, we are not doing enough to promote our skill set; the influence of our profession; the results we deliver and the value for money we offer.

If our role is to build long term reputation and brand value then we should approach our 'most prized asset' with a similar mindset. It is time for all of us - both in house and agency - to broaden our approach to graduate training programmes. Why shouldn't we aim for programmes that will, one day, challenge those of McKinsey and Goldman Sachs in terms of breadth and depth? We should also look to create a betterenvironment for retaining our best talent for the duration of their career.

Our ultimate aim is to bring closer the day when the communications function can enjoy, with absolute authority and accountability, a permanent place at the board table where so many of our actions and responsibilities belong and where we can make a real difference in times of jubilation and crisis. This will also enhance  ur ability to attract the best of the next generation of ambitious high-flying students.

I would like to make a couple of suggestions to attract and retain the best talent. First, let's live the principle that quality breeds quality. We must avoid future problems created by a dearth of quality people caused by our lack of investment, which ultimately results in a vicious circle of wage inflation for those with average ability. As marketing activities converge, there is also no reason why those with a background in advertising, direct marketing, brand strategy, promotional marketing, design, market research and so on cannot be shown that, for the best in each field, there is a bright and opportunity laden career option available to them through the world of PR.

Next, I would like to see a step change in our industry's confidence. We have the expertise, the people and the knowledge to offer brands best advice on how to build reputations and expand their sales opportunities. But we must now have the confidence to take debates to key stakeholders within a business, not just deliver messages through creative communications programmes to our various audiences.

This step change in confidence brings the opportunity to seize the future. For too long we have been forced to accept that communications teams, in house and agencies alike, get briefed on marketing campaigns a little late in the day. We have accepted the view that we are told what to do whilst others 'tell it like it is', walking off with greater budgets and the ability to do bigger, more challenging pieces of work. For too long we have not had the confidence to stand up and take the lead on a new initiative and declare our intention to own a new channel of communication.

Today, this opportunity exists in the guise of social media - a term which generates excitement, nerves, confusion and no end of bluff and bluster. But, while the debate rages and we dither, other marketing disciplines grab the social media gauntlet and declare it their domain.

Our investment in working closely with senior management, coupled with attracting and keeping the best talent, should give us the confidence and, indeed, the right to own the social media space. Think of the power of our discipline where we offer an integrated option from public affairs, through to strategically welldeveloped communications programmes delivered through clever and creative media relations programmes all underwritten by a solid and well balanced social media programme.

While I know that some have been hugely successful in what I have discussed, for others there is a very long way to go. Why is it that PR teams lose out on social media budgets on a vast scale to our media buying and advertising cousins? Why is it that, in some quarters, PRs still struggle to get such a simple yet compelling discipline as our own recognised and talked about at board level? Why are we not seen as the career of choice for top tier graduates? And why don't our staff retention rates match up long-term with other industries?

And what of our greatest communications challenges? We have all had the conversation with our Great Aunt Maud, trying desperately to explain to her what it is we actually do. The sweet smile and nod of the octogenarian speaks of their pride in our achievements, even if they haven't a clue what we spent the last half an hour talking about. If we are able to elevate our industry in the way that I firmly believe we can, then the great nephews and nieces of the future will have something significant to thank us for. So will Great Aunt Maud. The understanding of our industry and the high regard in which it is held will increase as we use our skills and reputation to build an even more exciting future for tomorrow's graduates - as long as we can have the confidence in ourselves and the communications discipline to deliver.

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