90% of young communicators are looking for flexible work arrangements, MEPRA Youth Board Talent Barometer reveals

The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) Youth Board revealed results from its first Talent Barometer survey, which provided insights into the motivations, challenges, ambitions and opportunities of young communication professionals today. The MEPRA Youth Board Talent Barometer polled over 120 young communicators to help guide employers on how to nurture the next generation of industry professionals.

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The Talent Barometer survey, which will be run annually to monitor and benchmark young communicator sentiments revealed:

90% of young communicators are looking for a hybrid working model with flexible working arrangements selected as the most important workplace benefit
60% of respondents revealed that mental health + salary reduction were the two biggest challenges faced as a result of Covid-19 impacts
Salary scored the lowest for the reason to pursue a career in communications with only 4% of respondents selecting salary as the primary reason.
The top reason young communicators pursue a career in communications was for exposure to leading brands and industry leaders with 28% of respondents stating this
When asked to rank their skills, videography was ranked the weakest technical skills for both in-house and agency young communicators, while writing was ranked the highest
38% of respondents revealed workplace culture was most important when considering a job switch

The MEPRA Youth Board developed a comprehensive white paper on the Talent Barometer to delve into the insights around the motivations, skillsets and drivers for pursuing a PR career for young communicators.

Jennifer Love, MEPRA Youth Board president and senior account director at Brazen MENA said:

“The survey revealed that a new working model, career progression and company culture were high on the agenda for the next generation of PRs. We also found that respondents expect mental health and wellbeing to be prioritised more heavily in a post-pandemic world, citing it as one of the most crucial factors for supportive and positive company culture.”

“With talent retention increasingly becoming a challenge in the industry, the Talent Barometer and the white paper seeks to offer a practical perspective on what young communicators expect and need to thrive in their careers. We hope this can help guide employers on how to nurture our next generation of PR superstars.”