18 communications priorities for 2021 and beyond

New priorities have emerged in the communications discipline this year, all of them related to the shocks of 2020. They include diversity, equity and inclusion, communicating with the remote workforce, workplace wellness and communications via mobile technology.

These 2021 priorities come in addition to traditional concerns like media relations, internal comms, crisis management, new technologies, and thought leadership. They’re in addition to honing brand journalism skills, and focusing on measurement.

These are among the key findings from Ragan’s third annual Communications Benchmark Report, an exclusive study from Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council. The Benchmark Report is based on responses to an online survey conducted between Jan. 13, 2021-Feb. 7, 2021. The survey yielded 755 qualified responses from internal and external communicators worldwide.

The results paint a picture of a dynamic time, one where communications professionals have very much moved to center stage in an anything-but-typical year. Nearly 71% of respondents in the Benchmark Report indicated an increased focus on DE&I-related communications this year. “We need to be more outward spoken on social issues,” was a typical sentiment.