We'd all love the certainty of knowing what the future holds, which trends are here to stay and which challenges to prepare for. Unfortunately there's no crystal ball (yet) to provide those answers.
What we can draw on is research which offers a multi-year, big-picture view of what's happening globally in communications, consumer trends and employee experience to identify trends and changes relevant to your business.
While there is some controversy around some of the reports, and the purpose they play in buttressing the reputations of the organisations which produce them, the data and insights they provide into emerging trends and practices, challenges and potential threats is invaluable for communications professionals.
Whether your remit is internal or external communications, corporate or public affairs, these eight reports will provide you with trend-lines and insights to expand your understanding of the global operating environment you're navigating.
A Glass of Water can help you extrapolate from the macro to the micro, taking these insights and applying them to your organisation. What challenges and opportunities should your strategic communications be tackling?
The European Communication Monitor is the longest-running academic study exploring the field of corporate communications. It has been conducted annually since 2007 and is known as the largest transnational study on strategic communication worldwide.
In 2024, the study design has been refocused by the renowned universities conducting the research. The ECM focuses on corporate communications in the business world. Each year, a random sample of 30 top leaders among the elite group of chief communication officers in the 300 largest companies headquartered in Europe is interviewed. In-depth insights based on statements, experiences, and forecasts from those shaping the future of the field provide unique insights into the current status and future developments of the field.
Click here to view current and previous reports
IABC/USC Annenberg report – Communicating Culture During A Hybrid Revolution
A post-pandemic study of the impact of remote work on companies and their internal communication functions. In the past four years, the world of work, particularly for those who have office-based jobs, has changed in ways that few would have predicted. Since the end of the pandemic, employers have been wrestling with the challenges of how to adapt to this new reality, including issues of productivity and quality, while maintaining the values and culture of their organisations. What's the role communication professionals play in addressing these challenges? The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), working with the Center for Public Relations at the University of Southern California, created the report to help communicators shape the future of work at their organisations.
Gallup’s Global Emotions Index
Gallup's annual Global Emotions report measures people's positive and negative experiences worldwide, giving leaders insights into the emotional health of their societies that traditional economic indicators don't capture.
Click here to view current and previous reports
A Survey of how Americans perceive intentionally misleading news or information. The results found that the American socio-political landscape has been increasingly clouded by concerns over misinformation and disinformation, with both perceived as more pressing threats than critical issues such as border security, climate change, and terrorism.
Click here to view current and previous reports
Edelman Trust Barometer
For over twenty years Edelman has studied the influence of trust across society — government, media, business, and NGOs — to shape conversation, drive results and earn action. Edelman say their work has proven that an organisation’s ability to succeed or fail is defined by trust - in their mission and leadership. The annual Trust Barometer report explains why.
Click here to view current and previous reports.
World Economic Forum - The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third, the digital revolution that has been occurring since the middle of the last century. It is characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres. This technological revolution will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything previously experienced. This report looks at what it means, and how to respond.
Click here to view current and previous reports
Ipsos Global Trends Report - In Search of a New Consensus: from Tension to Intention
This is the 10th anniversary edition of Ipsos Global Trends, and offers nine Global Trends based on more than 50,000 interviews across 50 markets representing three-quarters of the world’s population and 90% of the world’s GDP. As a tool to understand the context of society, markets and people, it provides insight into the evolving values behind the key trends.
Mercer Global Talent Report - Workforce 2.0: Unlocking potential in a machine-augmented world
How are business executives, HR leaders, employees and investors were navigating the evolving work landscape? More than 12,200 voices contributed to this year’s Global Talent Trends study, which draws on insights from 845 C-Suite executives, 1920 HR leaders, 9449 employees and 84 investors from across 17 geographies and 16 industries. Their input defined the four trends that are shaping the People agenda in 2024.
Click here to view current and previous reports.
📸 Mitya Ivanov on Unsplash
Comments