The Future Face of Public Relations
Transparency, Strategy, Values
The practice of public relations is evolving as it adapts to globalization. Paul Holmes, former editor of PR Week and President of the Holmes Group, addressed the Canadian Public Relations Society recently and discussed some of the emerging trends he is witnessing in the practice of public relations around the world.
Of particular interest were these three points:
We have entered into an age of transparency. Every aspect of an organization can be held up for public scrutiny. Companies and non-profits must recognize that key decisions have an impact on their public reputation in an information-laden society where sound bites can determine success. For example, how you invest your money is of increasing interest to your stakeholders and can affect your public reputation.
Public relations is much more than its various components such as publications, media relations or crisis communications. In the future, it will be more concerned with guiding organizations and working with companies and non-profits to help them understand how all aspects of their corporate culture affect not just their employees, but the public at large, in significant ways. Public relations practice will be applied to areas such as human resources, finance, ethics and customer service.
An organization must live by its corporate values. This will sometimes mean enduring a storm and standing up for what your organization believes. For example, if your organization's values lead you to support Planned Parenthood, then do so and be willing to maintain your support when an opposing group highlights your activities.
The future of public relations is still unknown, but these trends will become increasingly influential and affect the success of organizations in the years to come.
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