How PR firms must adapt to new workplace models

My first job in the fast-paced NYC PR world was in January of 2008, which feels like a lifetime ago. The public relations industry and corporate management tactics in general were much different then—best exemplified by one manager, smart but tough, who mandated nothing but media pitching from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All writing, planning and administrative work was for early or late hours. I remember ordering beer pizza for me and a couple other junior colleagues who would sit around updating reports and stuffing press kits for the next day’s DHL shipping service until 10 p.m.

Those times are gone, and good riddance to them. There was little mention of or focus on work-life balance then, and as the Great Recession took hold, things were very stressful.

Now, things are still stressful, probably even more so than then. The impact of rapid climate change, fractured political discourse, social unrest and the pandemic have created an environment where professionals across all industry are on edge.

For those of us fortunate enough to face the  challenge of running a PR firm in 2021, now is the time to listen and adapt.

A new landscape