Read the executive summary from Ragan’s 2024 Communications Benchmark Report

Amid the turbulence of the past few years, the outline of a new breed of communicator is taking shape.

Insights from the 2024 Ragan Communications Benchmark Report, an exclusive research project for Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council, paint a picture of communicators at the center of some of the most important conversations shaping the culture of their organizations.

The challenges are clear. Disinformation and misinformation erode the trust needed to attract customers and engage employees. A burgeoning backlash among a vocal group of stakeholders against priorities like corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion continues to gain steam. Within the workplace, shifting power dynamics are pushing leaders to rein in popular hybrid and remote work arrangements.

Combine those trends with economic nervousness, global geopolitical tensions and a surge in technological innovation, and an opportunity emerges for communicators to reinforce the strategic value they bring to their stakeholders.

By linking their relationship management expertise and storytelling prowess with strong business acumen, communicators are poised to increase their influence and reshape the strategic role of communications.

The full 66-page report, based on a survey of 1,000 communicators worldwide, is available exclusively to members of the Ragan Communications Leadership Council and includes detailed analysis of the best practices emerging among the community of communications professionals.

Key highlights include:

• The skills and competencies comms teams are prioritizing to reskill and upskill.
• Detailed data on the rapid rise of generative AI investments.
• The most effective channels for internal and external communications.
• Key opportunities for measuring the effectiveness of communications.
• How the boundaries between internal and external communications continue to blur.
• Tips and tactics to reboot culture and rebuild trust and employee engagement.
• How shifting priorities around ESG and DEI are influencing strategic direction.
• How comms tactics are changing in response to a rising emphasis on in-person work.

Download your copy of the 2024 Benchmark Survey Executive Summary today to see how your communications efforts measure up. To receive a full copy of the report, become a member of the Communications Leadership Council.