It’s that time again, when the current year winds down and the new one is on the horizon. I see this period as a time to reflect on what happened over the last 366 days (2024 was a leap year) and what will potentially happen over the next 365; which trends will die, which will reup for next year, and which will come out of nowhere and take hold.
I think what was a priority in 2024 will continue to be one in 2025, with perhaps a greater emphasis on some. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here is what I’m seeing corporate communicators will focus on in the New Year.
Communicate from the top
According to a survey by Workshop.com, transparency within the organization is a key goal for corporate communicators next year. Open, transparent communication plays a crucial role not only in employee morale, but also in employee engagement, and employees want to hear more regularly from the executive suite, in good times and in bad.
When things are going well, a merger is almost complete or the company is consistently hitting its target, employees want to hear from their leadership. The same is true when things aren’t so good and there’s uncertainty in the air. An example of this is after the recent horrific murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealth Group’s CEO, Andrew Witty was—and continues to be—in regular contact with the entire organization. This is critical to help employees cope, feel safe, and understand what is being portrayed to and by the media.
Communication from the top also humanizes those in the executive suite. When the CEO tells a story or opens up about a particular topic, it paints them in a different light. It shows that they are human, and it helps employees better relate to them. That said, not all CEOs are comfortable putting themselves in that position and may not always be the best messenger. If that’s the case, it’s better to tap another top executive to be the communicator rather than not communicate at all. I hope more companies continue to see the benefit of communicating from the top, especially in the current environment.
Internal communications as a strategic lever
Another trend that will continue next year is recognizing the role communications plays in supporting overall business goals. Whether with internal employees or external stakeholders, timely and relevant communication is critical in helping the organization reach those goals, particularly if the company is undergoing some transformation.
Change is hard, and employees want to know and understand how their roles connect with the organization as a whole. At the same time, customers and stakeholders want to understand what any change means to them. A solid communications plan helps everyone through the change while also creating organizational alignment. In fact, companies going through any kind of change need to prioritize communications if they want that change to succeed. Change without communications is an exercise in futility.
AI in corporate communications
Last year at this time, there was uncertainty over the use of generative AI in corporate communications. How would it be used, and would it replace the need for humans?
I think it’s fair to say that while AI is here to stay, it’s not (yet) replacing any corporate communications jobs. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a place in corp comms, because it does; it’s a powerful tool to help with research, drafting an outline, or an initial draft of an article or news release. For now, when it comes to writing, the human touch is very much needed for editing and ensuring accuracy.
That said, AI is a powerful tool for streamlining processes and routines, and I think communications teams will continue to use it that way. For example, generative AI can help monitor the news and industry trends by delivering a personalized news briefing each morning based on specific prompts about customized topics. Another tedious yet important task that AI can help with is analysis, whether it is analyzing customer feedback forms, survey results or interview responses. As time goes on, I’m sure there will be other ways corporate communicators can use AI but again for now, I see it as helping save time while streamlining tedious tasks. It’s a space I’m watching closely because I can already see how using AI is saving time for Evo Communications.
Am I correct in thinking these trends will continue in the new year, or are there other trends that will overtake these? Time will tell, but in the meantime, let me know what you think are the most important trends in corporate communications for 2025. And cheers to another year of growth within the corporate communications industry!
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