Inside_Insight_2016

INSIDE
INSIGHT
2016LEADING THE WAY IN RESEARCH FOR THE
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSION

Recruitment Co-ordinator
goneill@vmagroup.com
Grace O’Neill
VMA GROUP
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
PRACTICE
Senior Consultant
cphelps@vmagroup.com
Carla Phelps
Director
aharvey@vmagroup.com
Andrew Harvey
Consultant
nvanabbe@vmagroup.com
Natasha Van Abbe
Consultant
hpayne@vmagroup.com
Hannah Payne
Consultant
stehrani@vmagroup.com
Sara Tehrani
Consultant
amacleod@vmagroup.com
Andy Macleod Natasha Montakhab
Consultant
nmontakhab@vmagroup.com

CONTENTS
04
KEY PROFILE OF INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONALS
24
BUDGETS
16
REPORTING LINE
11
TEAM
SIZE
26
CHANNELS
19
ARE YOU BEING
HEARD?
14
STRATEGY
22
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
SURVEYS
45
VMA GROUP
OFFICES
46
VMA
ENHANCE
43
VMA
EVENTS
44
ABOUT
VMA GROUP
33
LOOKING FOR A
NEW JOB
36
PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
29
REMUNERATION
38
SKILLS & KEY
COMPETENCIES

The fifth annual VMA Internal
Communications market survey reveals
some important trends within the Internal
Communications profession. The report
provides interesting insight and analysis,
not least that over 50% of respondents to
our survey have a decade of experience
or more, meaning IC can no longer be
defined as a “new” discipline.
With the maturing of the profession,
team sizes and roles are also growing with
over a third of IC functions expanding
their headcount in 2015 and a further
third again intending to grow in 2016.
If this unprecedented increase in hiring
intentions becomes a reality this presents
challenges for both recruiters and line
managers alike. This is underlined by the
huge appetite amongst IC professionals
across all levels of seniority to explore new
opportunities. 69% of respondents applied
for a new job in 2015 and nearly 80% will
be looking for a new role in 2016.
We’ve found it especially encouraging to
see a large number of IC professionals
considering themselves highly valued by
their employer. 65% believe they have
a ‘voice at the top table’ which is very
pleasing. This is supported by 72% of
respondents who believe the CEO truly
values the importance of IC within their
organisation, with 87% of these people
stating the demand for IC will increase
within their organisation over the next 12
months.
Thanks to all those that participated in our
survey and on behalf of VMA, we wish you
all a successful year ahead.
Andrew Harvey and the Internal
Communications Practice
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS 2016
03
INTRODUCTION
An introduction by Andrew Harvey, Director of
the Internal Communications Practice,
VMA Group

PROFILE OF
INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
PROFESSIONALS
01

05
Age
Location
The majority of Internal Communications (IC) professionals who completed the survey were aged between 31 and 45 with 58% of respondents falling
within this range. 6% of IC professionals who responded were younger than 25 years old or over 55.
There continues to be a shortage of entry level IC roles for graduates in the last 12 months. In 2015 VMA Group has managed more junior level
vacancies between £20,000 and £30,000 than ever before.
Although VMA Group recognises the growth of IC opportunities across the UK, London remains the key hub with 57% of respondents working in the
capital.

PROFILE OF INTERNAL
06
Gender
The traditional perception of UK IC professionals being female is substantiated by the survey as over 70% of respondents were women.
Flexible working - Do you work part time?
Flexible working - Do you work from home?
While flexible working continues to be an increasing trend, only 13% of our respondents currently work part-time. However, 18% work from home at
least one day a week on a regular basis.

07
Which industry do you work in?
Which of these titles is most like yours?
While our research indicates that IC professionals work across a wide and varied range of sectors, 20% of all respondents work in the Banking and
Financial Services sector. The next largest sectors are professional services and energy.
‘Internal Communications Manager’ and ‘Head of Internal Communications’ are the most common job titles within the IC function, with 41% of
all respondents holding one of these two titles. Although the job title of ‘Business Partner’ has become more commonplace recently, only 9% of
respondents hold this title.
Internal communications executive
Internal communications officer
Internal communications manager
Internal communications business partner
Senior internal communications manager
Senior internal communications business partner
Head of internal communications
Director of internal communications
Corporate communications manager
Communications consultant
Communications advisor
Employee engagement manager
Head of employee engagement
Director of employee engagement
Other

PROFILE OF INTERNAL
08
Is your role 100% dedicated to Internal Communications?
What other responsibilities do you have?
Is your role?
As the remit for IC professionals continues to evolve, 33% of respondents now have additional responsibilities as part of their role. Of those 33% the
most common additional responsibilities are External Communications 73%, closely followed by Marketing 37% and Public Affairs 30%.
Our survey suggests that the majority of IC professionals continue to work in UK-focused roles while 34% of respondents are working either
internationally or globally.

09
What areas have you previously worked in?
How many years of Internal Communications experience do you have?
What qualifications do you have?
Many IC professionals have previous experience in other functions or disciplines with PR, External Communications and Marketing being the most
common.
Although many people consider IC to be a relatively new profession, over 50% of our respondents now have over a decade of experience.
While not an essential requirement for IC professionals, 70% of respondents hold a Bachelor’s degree. As the IC profession continues to evolve it is
interesting to see that the number of IC practitioners holding post-graduate qualifications is growing. As organisations seek to employ IC professionals
with business and commercial acumen, it is interesting to see that 3% of respondents hold an MBA.

PROFILE OF INTERNAL
10
Do you speak more than one language fluently?
Do you have line management responsibilities?
55% of IC professionals have line management responsibilities, with the majority managing a team of between two and four people.
17% of IC professionals speak more than one language fluently. This number is likely to grow given that 35% now work in international or global roles.
“I read this chapter and immediately thought ‘this sounds a lot like me’. So I guess I’m not surprised at most of what
it reveals. You only have to look around you at a conference or event to see that we are largely women and often ‘of a
certain age’.
It will be interesting to watch the future trends for location, flexibility and sector. Will that London/South East bubble
burst? Will technology really come to the fore and support greater flexible working? Will any other sector come close
to employing as many IC professionals as banking and financial services?
Two very encouraging stats for me were that two thirds of practitioners are solely working in IC, which suggests that
its importance as a discipline in its own right is increasingly recognised. And also that a third have been in the sector
for more than 15 years suggests a rich pool of not only talent, but experience, which stands both the discipline and
organisations in good stead for the coming years.”
Justine Stevenson
Group Communications Manager
SABMiller

TEAM
SIZES
12
Within you organisation, how many people work in Internal Communications?
Over the past 12 months how has your function or team size changed?
Are there plans to grow your IC function/team in the next 12 months?
61% of IC teams comprise 10 people or less with 14% of respondents working independently as the only IC professional within their organisation. With
these results we have also seen a marked increase in the number of teams with 26 or more members, growing from 4% to 23% since our last survey.
In 41% of cases team size remains unchanged. However, 35% of respondents report their team has grown within the past 12 months. Moreover, 26%
of organisations intend to grow their IC function within the next 12 months.
“Organisations are under constant pressure to be more efficient, reducing budget and headcount while improving
performance. It’s impressive that, according to the results, three-quarters of the organisations surveyed did not reduce
their Internal Communications function. In fact, 35% of the organisations increased their team size. That is testament
to the value of Internal Communications and proof that business leaders understand that investment in good Internal
Communications is critical to staff engagement, which improves performance.”
Tracy MacNicoll
Head of Internal Communications
HS2

13
How many interims/contractors work in your IC function/team?
Do you expect more interims/contractors to join your team in the next 12 months?
57% of IC functions currently employ at least one interim. Whilst this is a positive indicator for the current interim market, 72% of respondents do not
anticipate growth in their interim support within the next 12 months.
“It seems logical that most organisations employing interims only have one or two, as the very nature of the role
suggests that they are meeting a short-term need. Organisations that rely predominately on interim resource will see
a knowledge drain once their interim’s contract/programme has completed, which is counter-productive. Also, if there
is a foreseeable demand for resource, it may be more cost effective to employ one or two keen full time employees
covering a range of activities than being over dependant on interim support.
In terms of future demand for interims, it seems quite surprising that 72% of IC leaders do not foresee an increase
in demand for this type of resource. With so many organisations striving to improve performance and drive customer
and shareholder value, the need for Change Communications is increasing. Managing Change Communications
requires specialist skills and experience outside of BAU comms, which interims can often provide. It may well be that
firms have already started hiring permanent resources to meet their known needs, have not recognised the difference
in skill set yet or may not have a level of change that justifies specialist resource. Not all interims focus on Change
Communications, and often the need is driven by a specific event, such as maternity cover or sickness. These are not
necessarily things that IC leaders can predict, so the 72% of leaders not anticipating an interim hire in 2016 may yet
find themselves in need of one.”
Allen Bruce
Head of Change Communications EMEA
AIG

INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGY
03

15
Does a formal IC strategy exist within your organisation?
How often is your IC strategy reviewed?
Of the 64% of organisations which have a formal IC strategy, only a small majority review this strategy every six months with annual and ad hoc reviews
being the most common review cycles.
It is surprising to find that 36% of organisations have an IC function yet no formal IC strategy.
“There’s a common complaint amongst IC professionals that we are not taken as seriously as some other enabling
functions in our organisations. Why should we be, if we don’t apply the most fundamental management principles
to our work? It is disappointing to note that so many of the survey participants do not have an IC strategy. And even
amongst those who do, 24% are only reviewing their strategy on an ad hoc basis. Perhaps we feel that ‘strategy’ is a
dirty word, perhaps we are a little scared of planning and governance, or perhaps we don’t think that the rules apply
to us. But, for this profession to flourish and deliver real, sustained value to our organisations, we must get the basics
right. A strategy shouldn’t be a dusty tome left on a shelf. It’s a living, breathing and (at best) very simple roadmap
aligned to the “parent” strategy of the organisation. Get it right, and both you and your stakeholders will see the
benefits.”
Drew McMillan
Head of Internal Communications & Innovation
Virgin Trains

INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
REPORTING
LINE
04

17
Is your IC team centralised or decentralised?
Within your organisation, which function does IC report into?
Within your organisation, which function do you think IC should report to?
The reporting line of the IC function is another topic of regular debate. 46% of IC functions currently report to Corporate Communications, 18% to HR
and 12% to the CEO/MD. This is a change from our previous survey which showed that 38% reported to Corporate Communications, 13% to HR, 8%
to Marketing and 6% to CEO/MD.
A frequent topic of debate within the IC community is whether IC should be centralised or decentralised. 72% of our respondents IC teams are
centralised.

REPORTING LINE
18
Do you expect the reporting line for IC to change in the next two years?
When asked where the IC function should report, 46% feel it should report into Corporate Communications, 27% into CEO/MD and 12% into HR. The
majority of respondents (78%) do not expect their reporting line to change within the next 12 months.
“It’s interesting that the percentage is the same for the people who think IC should report into Corporate
Communications as those who do and that reporting line is still a topic of debate among IC professionals. I’d say that
it’s more valuable to focus on adding value than it is to debate who you should report into. Reporting lines alone don’t
add value, individuals and teams do. Focus on your stakeholders and make sure you understand your business and
what business issues you’re helping to solve and soon reporting lines won’t matter.”
Jenny Clark
De Beers Group

ARE YOU BEING
HEARD/VALUED?
20
Within your organisation, does IC have a voice at the top table?
Do you feel your CEO/MD truly values the importance of Internal Communications within your organisation?
How much time does your CEO/MD spend on Internal Communications each week?
Have you personally engaged in conversation with your CEO/MD about Internal Communications within the
last 12 months?
The age-old ambition of every IC practitioner is to have a voice at the top table. It is fantastic to see that 65% of respondents feel they have achieved
this goal.
It is very positive to find that 72% of IC professionals believe that their CEO/MD truly values IC within their organisation. However, whilst a high
percentage of IC professionals feel that IC is valued by their CEO/MD, 74% of respondents believe their CEO/MD spends less than half a day on IC per
week.
It is reassuring to learn that 70% of respondents have engaged directly with their CEO/MD in the last 12 months.

21
Do you feel your Communications Director values IC as much as other communications functions within their
function/team, e.g. External Communications, Media, Public Affairs?
Overall, how is Internal Communications viewed by senior leaders in your organisation?
Internal Communications will have more influence within my organisation during the next 12 months:
As much as 43% of respondents believe their Communications Directors value IC less highly than other communications functions such as External
Communications, Media and Public Affairs.
Amongst those polled, 63% believe that senior leadership are ‘advocates’ or ‘on board’ with IC.
On a positive note 63% believe IC will have more influence in their organisation over the next 12 months.
“Building internal pride and brand advocacy is a fundamental contributor to a positive external reputation.
Organisations who overlook this fact are missing a huge opportunity.”
Mairi Doyle
Director of Internal Communications
Bupa

EMPLOYEE
ENGAGEMENT
SURVEYS
06

23
Do you annually measure Employee Engagement in your organisation?
What was the Employee Engagement score from your last company survey?
In 78% of organisations, employee engagement is measured annually and 53% of companies have an employee engagement score between 61-80%.
“Culture is at the heart of employee engagement and Internal Communications is perfectly placed to influence
that. We know engaged employees provide a productive workforce - extensive research proves the link between
engaged employees and business results - but we need to measure it. By measuring engagement levels and the direct
correlation with customer satisfaction, internal communications can demonstrate a ROI.
Measurement is the most critical step in improving employee engagement and judging by the increasingly high levels
of engagement, the challenge for Internal Communications is how we support leaders in sustaining that engagement.
At LV=, Internal Communications works with the business leaders to drive engagement and we have seen significant
improvements in our customer satisfaction metrics as a result of keeping our employees engaged.”
Karen Martin
LV=

INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
BUDGETS
07

25
Over the past year has your IC budget:
What is your annual company IC budget?
Do you expect your IC budget to increase in the next 12 months?
Do you think the demand for Internal Communications will increase within your organisation within the next
12 months?
Over the past year 49% of organisations’ IC budgets have remained the same whilst 32% have decreased. This suggests many are being asked to do
more with less. In a surprisingly high 9% of organisations there is no dedicated IC budget.
When asked if the IC budget for their organisation was likely to increase within the next 12 months, only 20% agreed. However, a majority of 87%
believe that the demand for IC will increase during the same period.

INTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS
CHANNELS
08

27
Does your IC team manage a specific programme of Leadership Communications activity, for the top level
managers within your business?
Which Internal Communications channels are currently used in your business?
How would you rate the use of Digital Communications and Social Media within your organisation?
The most commonly utilised IC channel is the intranet (91%) followed by posters (79%) and leadership conferences (76%).
70% of IC teams manage a specific programme of leadership communications for top level managers within their business, which reflects an increasing
trend seen by VMA Group over the past 12 months.

28
Social media is the future of Internal Communications:
Digital and social media is thought to be underutilised or improperly used, with 70% of respondents believing that their organisations’ use of digital
communications and social media is either poor or average. While social media is utilised by 40% of organisations, only 43% of IC professionals either
agree or strongly agree that social media is the future of IC.
CHANNELS
“Being social is human nature. Why are so many corporations threatened by social behaviour and social media? We
just need the courage to trust people inside the company to create, discover, consume and share ideas in ways that
are natural to them. We use these platforms to engage with a variety of audiences by promoting existing content on
our more traditional channels. We use it to prompt discussion, publicise activities, make announcements as well as
reinforce core messages. Social media’s not the future. It’s the present.”
Kathleen Aiken Rojas
Head of Corporate & Functions Communications
BP

30
After five years of relative stagnation since the recession, average salaries have started to rise over the last 18 months. Economic growth now affords
organisations more flexibility when it comes to agreeing salaries for IC positions both on a permanent and interim basis. However, this renewed
flexibility is not consistent across all industries with salaries in some sectors, such as the charity sector, remaining static. There is still a lower volume of
opportunities at the entry level, meaning few IC roles exist at £20k-35k. Also, fewer opportunities are available attracting salaries above £150k. In the
graph below we have outlined average salaries based on our research across job titles that exist within the IC market.
REMUNERATION
What is your current basic salary?
Permanent
Interim

31
Which benefits do you receive as part of your package?
34% of respondents receive a company car or alternative cash allowance as part of a benefits package. 61% receive an annual bonus with the majority
of these bonuses paying up to 10% of the basic salary. 55% currently receive private health insurance. However, only 14% receive an annual personal
training and development allowance.
What is your current interim day rate?
Based on responses from our survey the distribution of salaries between £20k and £200k+ is relatively even with a slight uplift between salaries of £35k
to £65k. There are relatively few respondents earning more than £120K. Interim day rates follow a similar trend to permanent salaries with a somewhat
consistent number of respondents in each bracket. There is a higher volume between £350 and £600 per day.

32
In terms of remuneration, do you feel:
Have you received a pay rise in your current job in the last 12 months?
If offered an extra £10,000 to do the same role for your company’s main competitor, would you accept the
offer?
REMUNERATION
The majority of both interim and permanent IC professionals feel they are adequately paid (66%). While 33% of IC professionals feel they are underpaid.
45% of all respondents have not received a pay rise in the last 12 months.
Although there are many factors that motivate IC professionals to remain with their employer, it is unsurprising to find that salary is one of the key drivers.
In response to our survey we found 66% of IC professionals would leave their current role to work for their organisation’s main competitor, if offered a
£10,000 pay increase.
“It’s really interesting to find that 66% of people would move for an extra £10k. I guess there’s a couple of things at
play here; from other findings in the survey, quite a few people haven’t had a pay rise recently; secondly, I suppose the
more highly paid you are, the less that £10k makes a difference, and it seems to me that Internal Communications is
getting better paid! For me though, I think the culture of the organisation, the people I work with, and the opportunity
to learn about different sectors and businesses is what is important. I’m genuinely more interested in a more fulfilling
role than I am in the money.
Ask the question the other way, and check whether I’d consider moving if my pay were cut by £10k - that might be a
different matter…”
Colin Archer
Imperial Tobacco

34
How many job vacancies have you applied for in the last 12 months?
Are you considering seeking/taking a new job within the next 12 months?
When recruiting someone new for your team, how long does the average recruitment process take?
Over the past 12 months 69% of IC professionals have applied for new jobs, with the majority applying for between two and four roles. Interestingly,
while 31% of IC professionals have not made any applications in the past year, nearly 80% are considering seeking a new role within the next 12
months.
LOOKING FOR A
NEW JOB
“Over the past few years, the economic climate has made some want to batten down the hatches and simply stay put
in their jobs. Now that the economic climate is easing again, it’s no surprise people are starting to think about their
next career move. But what is surprising is that a whopping 80% of those surveyed say they’re planning to move in the
next 12 months. That’s some shift.
Now that the market is beginning to change, it’s interesting that 80% of hiring IC professionals don’t think sector
experience is necessary. I would agree with that view. The way a business works can be learnt. The skills that make for
a successful career in IC: great strategic planning, the ability to build strong relationships at all levels, to write well, to
tell compelling stories, and to bring those stories to life across a range of media, are harder to find.
It’s an exciting time for IC, so if you’re one of the 80% planning a move, polish off your CV, get busy networking, and
good luck. Remember that recruitment is a two-way thing. A business has to feel you’re right for them, and they have
to be right for you. Make sure you choose somewhere you can really grow your career. Somewhere you can thrive.”
Nicole Dempster
Internal Communications Director
ITV plc

35
When recruiting for your IC team, how many candidates would you want/expect to interview?
In your opinion, when recruiting for your company, does the candidate need relevant sector experience to
ensure they will be successful in their job?
A specialist qualification in Internal Communication is necessary to be a successful IC practitioner.
When recruiting a new IC professional for their team over 90% of IC practitioners would expect to interview between two and six candidates. The
average recruitment process takes between four and eight weeks for any organisation.
Hiring managers often stipulate that potential candidates must have relevant sector experience. However, our survey shows that 80% of IC professionals
do not believe, when recruiting for their organisation, that sector experience is necessary for a candidate to be successful in their role.
Although specialist IC qualifications exist, 61% of respondents feel such qualifications are not necessary to be a successful IC practitioner. Only 14%
agree or strongly agree that formal IC qualifications are a prerequisite for successful IC practitioners.

37
Are you a member of any of the following professional bodies?
How much time each week do you personally invest in your professional development (outside of the office)?
Have you been on an Internal Communications-related training course in the last 12 months?
Of the relevant professional bodies, our survey shows The Institute of Internal Communications has the highest membership with 23% of all
respondents. The majority of IC professionals, however, are not affiliated with any professional body.
While personal investment in professional development varies greatly, the majority of IC professionals independently invest less than one hour per week.
Similarly a surprising 58% of all respondents have undertaken no IC-related training within the last 12 months.

39
Which ten of the following skills/competencies do you think are most important for an IC professional?
When asked which skills are key for successful IC professionals, the top five were communications planning (71%), employee engagement (69%),
influencing (69%), change communications (69%) and stakeholder relationship management (68%). In our last survey the top five were business acumen
(63%), influencing (63%), employee engagement (56%), stakeholder relationship management (50%) and coaching senior leaders (43%).
“Get a bunch of internal communicators together and it won’t be long before they’re debating who owns employee
engagement. The answer, increasingly, is that engagement is shared territory between communications, HR and
change professionals. Without skills like influencing and stakeholder management, we’ll struggle to navigate that
territory, much less be effective working within it. Our tactical skills are a given; we need to become as astute on
politics and partnerships.”
Kate Jones
Tarmac

40
If you manage a team, or have ever recruited IC professionals, which skills/competencies do you find most
lacking in candidates?
The top five skills perceived to be most lacking amongst IC professionals are business acumen (42%), influencing (37%), measurement (34%), coaching
senior leaders (34%) and strategy development (33%). In our last survey the top five skills most lacking were business acumen (51%), coaching senior
leaders (41%), influencing (38%), strategy development (37%) and writing corporate messages (34%).
SKILLS & KEY
COMPETENCIES

41
As well as reviewing the current state of the IC market we wanted to gather opinions from industry professionals on some of the biggest challenges this
sector may face, both now and in the future. Although we received a broad range of responses, the comments below are representative of common
opinions held by our respondents. Throughout this report we want to add value above and beyond the traditional recruitment services we operate. The
aim is to contribute to the conversation, providing research and action that will shape the future of the IC sector.
“Working with leaders who don’t understand the art of
Internal Communications - it’s not just broadcast!”
“Being dismissed as a “fluffy” profession”
“Politics/approval processes”
“Tedious bits like distribution lists”
“Long hours”
“24/7 expectations.”
“An evolving corporate strategy.” “Lack of budget and resources”
“Delivering more for less”
“Engagement of Exec & Directors”
“Huge change programme” “Technology/IT”
“Delivering successful and concise communications,
reducing the noise” “Recruitment of skilled IC professionals”
“Organisational and cultural change”
“Digital communications without a supporting
infrastructure”
“Lack of investment in tools and technology to improve
the IC function further.”
“Everybody thinks they can do Internal Communications -
they can’t!”
“Leaders who think Internal Communications is about
broadcasting what they want to say”
“Reluctance of business to treat IC as a strategic business
function”
“Perception that my role is about developing PowerPoint”
“Assumption that all communication is my responsibility”
“Lack of respect from the business for the professionalism
that we offer.”
“Having to draft communications plan, after plan, after
plan, that everyone WANTS before anything is done, but
no one wants to READ and least of all that anyone wants
to STICK-TO.”
“Having several ‘masters’ and managing their expectations,
being expected to deal with their competing priorities.”
“Senior managers not wanting to tell the truth, hiding key
information from our people, while complaining of a lack
of engagement.”
“That my current organisation does not see the value in
Internal communications as much as they do for external
communications”
The top challenges of working in Internal Communications/the worst thing about your job?
What will be the single most important challenge facing your Internal Communications team within the next
12 months?

42
“Proliferation of channels and business units being able to
do their own thing separately from the IC function.”
“The development of new technologies and continued rise
of user generated content.”
“The need for hybrid roles i.e. combined Internal and
External Communications”
“Closer integration of communications skills sets across
different disciplines, e.g. marketing, PR, IR etc.”
“Emerging technologies; virtual team working; shrinking
budgets”
“Adopting new skills for managing in a digital era where
internal and external have no boundaries”
“(Misguided/incorrect) belief that ESN is the answer for
IC”
“Showing that there’s still a need for traditional
communications despite having the many digital options.”
“Move to digital and 24/7 requirements of responding to
feedback”
“The endless battle of Internal Communications being
seen as a partner to External Communications.”
“Social media integration”
“Budget”
“Being recognised as a strategic asset.”
“Being asked to do more with less”
“Generation Z.”
“More change, fewer resources.”
“Move to curating content rather than creating it”
“Budget cuts”
“Bridging the generation gap”
“Reaching mobile/flexible workers.”
“Getting/maintaining a seat at the table”
“Integrating external and internal media skills”
“Cracking the translation of strategy into relevant
messages the front line can do something with to impact
P+L”
“Keeping up to date with new ESN and intranet
developments while not losing sight of the importance of
F2F communication.”
“Getting used to curating content not creating it and
being able to influence and add value in an organisation
without doing all the doing”
“Dealing with the need to have business acumen - we
need to break ties with IC just being about products and
tactics and focus it as a business function”“Recreating the digital multi-channel experience that
employees are used to in the rest of their lives within a
corporate network - on a shoestring budget.”
“Moving from a transactional role to a more strategic
partnering/advising role within an organisation. Old school
communicators will be left behind.”
“People increasingly working away from the office/
home working and not in the same location as their line
managers”
“The blurred lines between internal and external, together
with the shift in how the younger generations contribute
to the internal dialogue.”
“Continuing to educate senior leaders and executives
about the strategic value of Internal Communications so
that we are leading proactive, effective communications
that support the business strategy”
“To keep up with all of the demands that are now put
on IC professionals. We tend to be small teams but one
individual may be expected to be both strategic and
tactical, expected to create and write the strategy, and
also develop Internal Communications tools and materials,
develop intranet sites etc.”
What do you think will be the biggest single challenge for the IC professional over the next 5 years?
What do you think will be the biggest changes to impact the IC sector within the next 5 years?

43
BUILDING PROFESSIONAL
NETWORKS
BLCS Report
UK & Europe
This event is where the latest findings from our annual research report are shared with the industry. Top-line findings
from the research are presented with a number of senior industry experts joining a panel discussion.
Type: Presentation
Frequency: Annual
Level: Head of Function
Head/Director of Communications Panel
UK, Europe & Asia-Pacific
This quarterly breakfast provides senior communicators with a confidential forum to discuss current issues, trends and
developments influencing the profession. Participants will be notified of the agenda topics in advance so that on the
day they can join the discussions and network with fellow senior-level practitioners. This is an ideal forum for:
• Benchmarking
• Sharing of best practice
• Networking
Type: Member Panel
Frequency: Quarterly
Level: Senior/Director
IC Advisory Panel
UK, Europe & Asia-Pacific
The panel provides a quarterly forum for Senior IC professionals to join discussions and share best practice across a
range of issues. Selected topics address key areas for IC such as crisis and change communications, measurement
and evaluation, involving employees in business strategy, the rise of the social workplace and enhancing managers’
communication abilities. Past topics include:
• Focus on the C-suite: making the transition with a new CEO
• Getting to grips with IC measurement
• Managing culture change
Type: Member Panel
Frequency: Quarterly
Level: Senior/Director

44
ABOUT VMA GROUP
VMA Group is the global executive search,
recruitment and career development partner for
corporate communications, PR and investor relations
professionals.
Since our inception in 1978, we have grown our
specialist practices to cover:
• Internal Communications
• External Communications
• Investor Relations
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Public Affairs
• Marketing Communications
• Digital Communications
• Media Relations
With a truly international reach, VMA Group has
offices in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, South
Africa, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Birmingham and
Manchester. We also work with an affiliate partner
covering the USA with offices in Washington and San
Diego.
In 2010, we introduced VMA Enhance - a holistic
approach to professional development for
communication professionals.
VMA Group has also become the leader in analysis
and data for the communications profession. We
regularly publish studies which provide invaluable
resources for the communications profession in
planning and decision making.
What sets us apart?
Heritage: We have been building highly effective
corporate communications teams for over 35 years
Network: We have the largest contact group of
corporate communications professionals available to
clients in the market
Experience: Our practices consist of senior recruiters
and experienced communications professionals
Global: We have a network of offices across UK,
Mainland Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and North
America
Consultative Approach: We listen carefully to the
requirements of our clients and candidates
Career Partner: We foster long-term relationships
and see ourselves as a genuine career partner for our
candidates
Advisory Panel: We have an active partnership with a
pool of over 100 leading Communications Directors
worldwide
Community Building: We source the best talent
through hosting, networking and sponsoring of
leading industry events
Insight: We regularly produce market-leading industry
research and insight
“After making time to meet with me and
understand my career history and aspirations
for the future, VMA was in regular contact to
discuss suitable opportunities. Making the
jump from permanent employment to interim
working was scary but they helped me
understand the advantages, disadvantages,
legislation, current market conditions and
how to get started. My VMA consultant from
the interim team called me excitedly to brief
me on a role that ticked every box on my
wish list and I had an interview and received
an offer on the same day!”
Luke Murdoch
Internal Communications Consultant
National Grid

45
VMA GROUP OFFICES
London
23 Bedford Square
London
WC1B 3HH
T: +44 (0) 20 7436 4243
E: mail@vmagroup.com
Amsterdam
Amsterdam Atrium
Strawinskylaan 3051
1077 ZX, Amsterdam
T: +31 (0) 20 808 3990
E: europe@vmagroup.com
Brussels
14b Rue de la Science
1040 Brussels
Belgium
T: +32 (0) 2 808 90 16
Paris
19 Boulevard Malesherbes
75008
Paris
T: +33 1 79 97 50 10
South Africa
T: +27 (0) 83 338 7794
E: africa@vmagroup.com
Hong Kong
1302, 13/F Prosperous Building
48-52 Des Voeux Road
Central, Hong Kong
T: +852 5808 2526
E: asia-pacific@vmagroup.com
Singapore
133 Cecil Street
#10-01 Keck Seng Tower
Singapore 069535
T: +65 3158 4526
E: asia-pacific@vmagroup.com
Frankfurt
Messeturm, 25th floor,
Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 49,
60308 Frankfurt
T: +49 (0)69 96 75 8227
Manchester
Suite 3C Marsland House
Sale, Cheshire
M33 3AQ
T: +44 (0) 161 358 1700
E: mail@vmagroup.com
Washington
San Diego
*US Affiliate
Partners
Hong Kong
Singapore
Shanghai
London
Manchester
Brussels
Amsterdam
Paris
Frankfurt
Johannesburg
Cape Town

46
“The biggest challenge of learning functions in global companies such as Unilever is balancing the fine line
between learning and development with managing cost. Although the best method of delivering learning is through
instructor-led training, the associated cost can be astronomical when each penny saved matters. However, this does
not mean that learning and development should be put in the backburner.
This was precisely the challenge I faced as I developed the professional skills-development programmes for the
Global Communications team in Unilever. However, by working with VMA, we have achieved transforming a
Strategic Communications workshop from a face-to-face to a virtual workshop. In fact, we managed to save
as much as 60% of the budget, and increase the number of participants at the same time - a definite win-win
situation.”
Shanahan Chua
Manager, Global Communications Capability Building,
Communications Academy
Europe | Asia-Pacific | Africa | North America
For more information please contact: enhance@vmagroup.com
T: +44 (0) 20 7436 4243
VMA Enhance is the training arm of VMA Group and delivers professional
development courses for communications teams across the globe.
VMA Enhance, part of VMA Group, delivers professional development courses for communications teams
and more general communication and leadership development to managers across organisations.
Our courses are based on thorough cross-industry skills research and competency frameworks. We provide
professional development that is timely and relevant to the needs of corporate communicators in business
today. All of our courses are led by a team of highly regarded industry-leading associates. This hand-picked
team all have recent in-house experience at a senior level, allowing them to call upon real-life examples and
understand the challenges and issues facing communications professionals today.
We offer both face-to-face (one day) and virtual training programmes (3x90 mins) to suit regional and
local teams. Recent programmes delivered in Asia for communications teams in Financial Services, FMCG,
Healthcare, Insurance, Property & Construction and many more include:
• Strategic Communications Planning
• Trusted Advisor
• Communication Measurement
• Advanced Internal Communications
• Social Media for PR/IC
• Bullet-Proof your Media Message

Inside_Insight_2016

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