Communication departments are consolidated as key areas of companies

This is one of the main results of the study 'The State of Communication in Spain 21-22' by the Association of Communication Directors (Dircom), prepared by Ángeles Moreno Fernández and Cristina Fuentes Lara, researchers at the Group of Advanced Studies in Communication (GEAC) of URJC.

Writing / Irene Vega

The report 'The state of Communication in Spain 21-22' shows an overview of the sector in our country, incorporating the analysis of some of the key issues of the profession in the current context.

One of the main conclusions drawn from this study is the consolidation of the Communication department as a key area in organizations, at the first executive level. According to those surveyed, 400 Communication professionals and managers, there is an increase in the relevance that CEOs give to the performance of the Communication function compared to the previous edition of the report (ECE 2017), increased from one to three out of ten (28 %) CEOs who give a very important assessment to the area. If we incorporate into this statistic those who value it as important (a 4 on a scale of 1 to 5), there are seven out of ten CEOs.

In the same way, the valuation that the public of interest for a company makes of communication -the stakeholders internal (61%) and external (69%)-, a fact that demonstrates its strengthening and consolidation in recent years. This conclusion is also reflected in the fact that more than half of the professionals surveyed (54,8%) report directly to the CEO or to the person with the highest decision-making power on the Executive Committee. Likewise, more than a third (35,4%) affirm that the head of Communication is a member of the Executive Committee, increasing 3 and a half points compared to the ECE 17-18 (32%).

Online communication and Big Data, key trends in the next three years

The report has also analyzed some trends that are invigorating the communication function and that could shape the profession in the coming years. Among them, a greater deepening in digitization stands out, with the area of 'Online communication and social media' (53,4%) being the most important in the next three years (2024). The consolidation, already sustained in the last five years, of 'Internal communication and change management' is also reflected, (42,5%) in accordance with the strong cultural transformations that organizations are experiencing in the current era.

As strategic issues of greater relevance in the next three years (2024), the concern for the implementation of innovations in the field of 'Big data and automations' (52,4%), followed by the 'Integration and alignment of ESG, CSR and/or sustainability' (38,9%) in the Communication area. Online communication and Big Data are trends that are consolidating in recent years. However, ESG, CSR and/or sustainability, which had played a leading role after the 2008 financial crisis and had subsequently declined, are once again taking center stage with the crisis associated with the pandemic.

Professional profile: woman, between 46 and 55 years old

Regarding the profile of the Communication manager in Spain, the study shows how Communication continues to be a predominantly female profession: 56,5% of women compared to 43,5% of men. About 41% of the respondents are between 46 and 55 years old, followed by the age group between 30 and 45 years old (37,5%).

“Most professionals also continue their postgraduate studies in the field of communication. This is probably due to the need for a specialization in strategic communication, since one in two professionals received their undergraduate or graduate training in Journalism and only 15,8% obtained a degree in the specialized degree, Advertising and Public Relations, which was implemented in Spain more recently. This lack of original training may also be linked to the predominance of the operational and technical areas of communication – such as the production of content in social media – compared to a more strategic practice”, explains Dr. Ángeles Moreno.

In terms of training, 89% of Communication professionals have a university degree and 62,5% also have a Master's degree. If we analyze salary, 60% of those surveyed receive more than 40.000 euros per year, of which 36% have a gross salary of more than 80.000 euros per year.