Rising polarisation and the communications profession
Updated: 3 days ago
There is a long‑held belief that communications and corporate affairs teams become more valuable in times of disruption, when navigating risk and trust gets trickier.
The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer warned of rising societal polarisation, and now USC, Meltwater and the IABC have collaborated on what these shifts mean for the communications profession.
While the report is skewed heavily to the US, there are a range of insights relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.
Key shifts to watch for the communications profession
Organisations are becoming more risk‑averse: There is a strong push for a more cautious and defensive approach to communications, to minimise exposure and avoid potential controversy.
Public alignment on social causes is declining: Corporate willingness to take positions on causes and issues is dropping, especially for matters seen as ‘politically charged’. This is affecting not‑for‑profits that rely on business funding.
People are retreating into echo chambers: Audiences are gravitating towards media sources that reinforce their existing beliefs. Many journalists, influencers and podcasters have already chosen sides, leaving few voices in the centre.
Volatility is the new normal: Communications and corporate affairs teams are operating in a more permanently unpredictable environment, and priorities and expectations are changing.
Risk and reputation are a priority: Leaders and boards are relying more heavily on reputation and communication experts to navigate uncertainty, manage risk and protect reputation.
Resources are being redirected: Shifts are occurring towards areas central to business continuity: crisis comms, government relations, investor and employee comms.
Structure matters: Communications and corporate affairs functions that are fully integrated across the organisation and at an executive level are set up to be most effective. Those that aren’t, face greater pressure and a higher chance of restructuring.
Message delivery is changing: Messaging is increasingly being delivered through channels that organisations can either trust or control. Industry trade publications, considered safe and reliable, are becoming more influential.
Skillsets are expanding: Traditional communications skills still matter, but there’s growing demand for additional capability in finance, public policy and AI.
Tech is transforming work: AI is improving workflow, efficiency and performance tracking but making cut‑through harder, particularly in the era of same-same AI-generated content.
Gartner also predicts that communications will continue to grow as a core business function, integral to strategy and transformation, with AI, reputation agility, trust‑building and internal engagement central to organisational success.
