Behind the numbers: a follow-up survey and discussion shed light on the results of IABC's Profile salary study

Communication World, Nov-Dec, 2007 by Tamara L. Gillis

Highlights from the first part of IABCs 2007 Profile salary survey appeared in the September-October issue of CW. For more insight into the survey results, IABC conducted two additional fact-finding activities: a pulse survey of 724 accredited members (125 of whom responded, for a response rate of 17.3 percent), and a roundtable discussion with 12 accredited communicators (three are also IABC Fellows). The roundtable discussion took place at the 2007 International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The state of satisfaction

Respondents to the pulse survey somewhat or strongly agreed with the following statements:

* If I had to do it all over again, I would choose a career in corporate communication (84.8%).

* Corporate communication is more respected by the media now than it was five years ago (63.2%).

* My salary compensates for the number of hours I am compelled to work (70.4%).

* I am satisfied with the opportunities for career advancement at my current company or organization (60.8%).

Roundtable participants were pleasantly surprised to see the increase in salaries reported in the 2007 survey. They attributed the growth in salaries, staff sizes and budgets to a long period of stable growth in the economy.

"It looks like we're satisfied in our career path--we're satisfied with the organizations we work for," says Bill Spaniel, ABC, of the California Society of CPAs in Glendale, California, who participated in the roundtable. Of the survey respondents, 61 percent indicated that they see themselves working in their current organizations for the next two years.

The majority of the survey respondents represent professionals with 10 or more years of experience, and their salaries reflect their dedication to the profession. Even with smaller staffs and the outsourcing of tactical work, communicators are becoming more senior-level members of their organizations.

Practitioners are concerned with job security and how management values corporate communication efforts. Survey respondents somewhat or strongly disagreed with the following statements; these responses are similar to those of practitioners in the 2002 salary survey.

* Corporate communication is a relatively low-paying field (51.2%).

* I feel there is more job security in corporate communication than in most other professions today (67.2%).

* Corporate communication is perceived by top management to be more prestigious than most other professions (84%).

The majority of those surveyed responded positively to the following statements regarding gender equity; in 2002, these statements received lower scores.

* There are just as many opportunities for the advancement of women working in corporate communication as there are for men (82.4%).

* Women are gaining more top job positions (84%).

The power of membership

The maturation of IABC's member population may also be evident in the higher salaries reported outside the U.S. According to Sharon Larkin, ABC, of PartnerComm in Arlington, Texas, members outside the U.S. and Canada tend to be the senior-level communicators; junior people don't join. Some participants speculated that for communicators outside North America, joining IABC may be a means to make greater connections to the global communication community.

According to Cloreth Greene, ABC, of Wild & Wonderful in St. Catherine, Jamaica, accreditation is changing the business landscape. "Over the past year there have been a lot of accredited business communicators in Jamaica," she says. "Companies are looking at the role of the communicator in a different way."

Opportunities for career advancement

Pulse survey respondents indicated that the following areas present the greatest opportunity for career advancement in corporate communication ill the next five years:

* Strategic planning (29.6%)

* Issues management (12.8%)

* Generalist (10.4%)

* Crisis management (8%)

* International relations (6.4%)

* Employee relations (6.4%)

Survey respondents and roundtable participants agreed that being results-oriented, using research and measurement, and having strategic planning skills will be increasingly in demand. Even independents and consultants need to emphasize strategy. Being a generalist call also be an advantage for consultants and communicators working in organizations.

Challenges for the future

According to pulse survey respondents, the following Factors have a great effect on corporate communication:

* How management values communications contribution to the bottom line (82.4%)

* Technical advancements (54.4%)

* Customer satisfaction (48.4%)

* Ethics and accountability (48%)

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The following were rated as having some effect on corporate communication:

* Inflation/recession (59.2%)

* Economic competition (58.4%)

* Outsourcing (57.6%)

* International development/ growth (56%)

* Quality programs/processes (54.4%)

* Reengineering/restructuring (52.8%)

* Corporate mergers/acquisitions (49.6%)

The value of communication

Fewer respondents in this year's survey than the 2002 survey indicated contact with senior management (53 percent in 2002 versus 49 percent in 2007). Says Stuart Doyle, ABC, of Enterprise Florida in Orlando, Florida: "I've seen more communicators have more access over the last 10 years because of restructuring. CEOs are seeing the value of communications and working more with practitioners, especially for speechwriting and coaching."