COVID-19 Resources for PR Professionals

IPR is committed to sharing the latest COVID-19 research with communicators. Every two weeks, time-sensitive articles will be placed into the archive at the bottom of the page. (Last Updated: August 22, 2022)

COVID-19 Research Topics:

IPR Signature COVID-19 Reports:

E-Book: Leadership Perspectives: Leading and Looking Ahead Through COVID-19
Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm
July 15, 2020
This e-book features 30 profiles and interviews with communication executives and senior leaders from corporations, public relations agencies, nonprofits, and universities. In addition to talking about the impact of COVID-19 and the increased importance of internal communication, other topics including the return to work; the future of business and the industry; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and the impact of Black Lives Matter protests; and corporate purpose.

Report: How Engaged are Employees During COVID-19?
Institute for Public Relations and Leger
June 24, 2020
Across Canada and the United States, many employees’ working arrangements, including how they interact with their organizations, employers, and colleagues, have shifted rapidly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early May 2020, Leger and IPR, conducted a survey among Canadian and American employees to explore how they feel about the return to work. 

Study: Employee Expectations Are Changing Due to COVID-19
Institute for Public Relations and The Harris Poll
June 8, 2020
This online survey was conducted from May 15-17, 2020 among a nationally representative sample of  831 U.S. adults to find out they feel about returning to work and what safeguards they would like employers to put into place. Explore the six key findings from this report.

Special Report: How Companies Are Engaging Employees During COVID-19
Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm
April 21, 2020
This survey of 403 communication executives and senior leaders share how companies are communicating with and engaging their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key topics include what are the most trusted go-to sources and channels for communicators, how the pandemic has impacted the workforce including employee satisfaction and productivity; and more!

COVID-19: How Businesses are Handling the Crisis
Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm
March 12, 2020
This survey of 300 communication executives and senior leaders determines how companies are faring in the COVID-19 pandemic, including what sources they trust, how prepared they are for the crisis, and what their businesses are doing to fight against the disease and resulting panic. 

Watch the IPR webinars on the reports here!

  Behavioral Science: 

Misplaced Trust: When Trust in Science Fosters Belief in Pseudoscience
Thomas O’Brien, Ph.D., Ryan Palmer, & Dolores Albarracin, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
August 11, 2021
At a time when pseudoscience threatens the survival of communities, understanding this vulnerability, and how to reduce it, is paramount. Four preregistered experiments with online U.S. samples introduced false claims concerning a (fictional) virus created as a bioweapon, mirroring conspiracy theories about COVID-19, and carcinogenic effects of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). We identify two critical determinants of vulnerability to pseudoscience. First, participants who trust science are more likely to believe and disseminate false claims that contain scientific references than false claims that do not.

Optimistic vs. Pessimistic Endings in Climate Change Appeals
Brandi S. Morris, Polymeros Chrysochou, Simon T. Karg, and Panagiotis Mitkidis 
November 30, 2020
The use of emotion in climate change appeals is a hotly debated topic. Warning about the perils of imminent mass extinction, climate change communicators are often accused of being unnecessarily ‘doomsday’ in their attempts to foster a sense of urgency and action among the public. Pessimistic messaging, the thinking goes, undermines engagement efforts, straining credulity and fostering a sense of helplessness, rather than concern. This research puts these claims to the test, investigating how affective endings

Survey Finds Large Increase in Psychological Distress Reported Among US Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
June 3, 2020
A new survey conducted during the pandemic by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University found a more-than-threefold increase in the percentage of U.S. adults who reported symptoms of psychological distress–from 3.9 percent in 2018 to 13.6 percent in April 2020.

We’re Less Likely to Spread Alarming Information While Experiencing Physiological Stress
Emily Reynolds, The British Psychological Society
May 26, 2020
To examine the relationship between stress and the spread of alarming information, Nathalie Popovic at the University of Konstanz and colleagues recruited 141 participants who completed either control tasks or these same tasks plus having to explain to two interviewers why they were a good fit for the job as well as mental arithmetic. Discover how the participants were influenced by increased stress.

Cognitive Dissonance: Examining Discrepancies Between Understanding and Action During a Crisis
An-Sofie Claeys, Ph.D., KU Leuven; and Timothy Coombs, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
May 19, 2020
When facing the stress and time pressures of crisis communication, practitioners often rely on intuition instead of critical thinking, which can lead them to use other strategies that may negatively impact their organization. The authors looked to insights from behavioral economics to examine this discrepancy between understanding what to do and the action that actually takes place during a crisis.

How Does Stress Affect the Social Amplification of Risk?
Nathalie F. Popovic, Ulrike U. Bentele, Jens C. Pruessner, et al, University of Konstanz, Germany
May 12, 2020
Dr. Nathalie Popovic and researchers at the University of Konstanz conducted an experiment to see how stress influences risk perception and communicating about that risk to others (i.e., the social amplification of risk). In an experiment, 146 participants were exposed to either an acute stressor situation (i.e., symptoms develop quickly but do not last) or assigned to the control group. Next, they were given information with a “concerning” message and real-world articles about the banned antibacterial agent Triclosan.

11 Cognitive Biases That Influence Political Outcomes
Marcus Lu, Visual Capitalist
May 7, 2020
This infographic details the 11 cognitive biases politicians and the media most often use to sway public opinion and election outcomes. Visual Capitalist share this report to advise on how to identify and overcome these biases in our everyday lives.

Using Social and Behavioral Science to Support COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Authors: 43 behavioral science and economics scholars
April 30, 2020
This paper-in-progress provides evidence from a selection of behavioral science and economics research topics relevant to pandemics, including work on navigating threats, social and cultural influences on behavior, science communication, moral decision-making, leadership, and stress and coping. In each section, the scholars note the nature and quality of prior research, including uncertainty and unsettled issues.

The Effectiveness of Moral Messages on Public Health Behavioral Intentions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Jim Everett, Ph.D., Clara Colombatto, Vladimir Chituc, William Brady, Ph.D., and Molly Crockett, Ph.D.
March 31, 2020
Authors investigated the persuasiveness of messages among 1,032 U.S. participants from varying moral traditions (deontological, virtue-based, utilitarian, non-moral) as it pertains to adopting social distancing behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health in the United States: Are Appeals for Choice and Personal Responsibility Making Americans Sick?
Cayce J. Hook, Ph.D., and Hazel Rose Markus, Ph.D.
March 25, 2020
Popular narratives centering on “free choice” and “personal responsibility” might contribute to high rates of ill health and poor well-being in the United States, suggests a recent article in Perspectives on Psychological Science. The authors propose shifting to a narrative emphasizing that health depends on the individual and the environment, health has impacts beyond the individual, individuals can help cultures to support health, and more.

The Emotional Path to Action: Empathy Promotes Physical Distancing During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Stefan Pfattheicher, Ph.D., Laila Nockur, Robert Böhm, Ph.D., Claudia Sassenrath, Ph.D., and Michael Bang Petersen, Ph.D.
March 23, 2020
The authors tested the idea that physical distancing can be the result of a genuine prosocial motivation—empathy for those most vulnerable to the virus- in three studies that include samples from the US, the UK, and Germany (total N = 2,192) collected at the beginning of the outbreak.

Research Reveals Appealing to Our Best Nature is the Most Effective Way to Communicate Through COVID-19
Hill + Knowlton Strategies United Kingdom
March 19, 2020
Based on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 U.K. residents, H+K’s behavioral science unit found appealing to people’s good nature and sense of community are the most effective ways to communicate crucial public health messages through testing a series of messages.

Self-Nudging and the Citizen Choice Architect
Samuli Reijula, Ph.D., and Ralph Hertwig, Ph.D.
January 19, 2020
Authors apply behavioral science insights to explain how nudges can often be turned into self-nudges, empowering interventions that enable people to design and structure their own decision environments and to act as their own citizen choice architects. 

Communicating Effectively:

Doomscrolling on Social Media Newsfeeds
Bhakti Sharma, Ph.D., Susanna S. Lee, Ph.D. & Benjamin K. Johnson, Ph.D., University of Florida
April 4, 2022
Researchers examined Americans’ doomscrolling habits. “Doomscrolling” refers to a media habit where social media users persistently attend to negative information in their newsfeeds about crises, disasters, and tragedies. In June 2021, four online focus groups were conducted with 10 participants in each who frequent social media.

The State of Business Communication
The Harris Poll and Grammarly
March 1, 2022
The Harris Poll and Grammarly examined the barriers to collaboration, productivity, and output in the hybrid work era. A survey of 251 business leaders and 1,001 knowledge workers in the U.S. was conducted Oct. 1–28, 2021.

How Communication Professionals Fared During the COVID-19 Pandemic
New York Women in Communications
February 16, 2022
Researchers explored the impact of COVID-19 on communication professionals. A survey of 1,200 employees (400 women in communication, 400 men in communication, and 400 people of the general population) was conducted in July 2021.

Tech Trends in 2022
The Harris Poll
January 28, 2022
The Harris Poll examined Americans’ views on cybersecurity and technology development at the outset of 2022. A survey of 2,037 U.S. adults was conducted from Jan. 7 – 9, 2022. Seventy-four percent of Millennials follow tech trends like electric vehicles, virtual reality, smart home technology, and health wearables “a lot” or “a little bit.”

Consumer Intelligence: Live and Learn
Netbase Quid and PR Week
January 28, 2022
This report explored how public relations professionals collect and implement consumer intelligence. A survey of 217 U.S. PR professionals was conducted from May 3–14, 2021. Sixty percent of professionals spend more of their time monitoring social media for specific intelligence about their brand alone.

How Corporations Engage on Social Issues
Public Affairs Council
December 1, 2021
Public Affairs Council examined how and why companies get involved in social issues related to discrimination, environmental sustainability, human rights, immigration reform, and other issues. A survey of 82 companies was conducted in July 2021. Ninety-one percent of major companies believed the pressure to engage on social issues has increased in the past three years, a considerable jump since 2016 when 60% felt increased pressure.

Despite Providing Millions of Free Vaccines, Pharmaceutical Firms Still Considered Untrustworthy
Doug Pinkham, Public Affairs Council
November 22, 2021
What does it take for a company — or an industry — to get back in the good graces of the American public once it has a poor reputation? It takes more than 380 million doses of a life-saving vaccine distributed free of charge. We know this because the pharmaceutical industry remains the least-trusted industry in the U.S., according to a recent Public Affairs Council poll.

Measuring Stakeholder Perceptions of the “Social Impact” in ESG
Institute for Public Relations and Cision
November 22, 2021
IPR and Cision examined the conversation around environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) topics. This first report focuses on the ‘S’ in ESG — social impact. The past few years have brought a renewed focus on social issues and activism, which has had an impact on consumers’ expectations from brands.

How China’s Fortune 500 Companies Cultivated Relationships via Weibo During COVID-19
Qiongyao Huang, Ph.D., Hong Kong Baptist University, et al.
October 27, 2021
This study examined the relationship cultivation strategies and disaster social media functions that China’s Fortune 500 companies used in their Weibo posts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed that both relationship cultivation strategies and disaster social media functions effectively increased engagement between Chinese companies and their audiences during the pandemic, although on different levels. This study highlighted the salience of two-way communication between companies and their audiences on social media in order to maintain relationships and foster engagement during disasters.

How to Improve Digital Acumen in “Industry 4.0”
Juan Meng, Ph.D. & Jeonghyun Janice Lee, University of Georgia
October 7, 2021
Digital acumen is essential for communication management in today’s technology-driven communication environment. However, not every communication professional is well equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in managing the digital aspects of their daily practice.

U.S. Public Opinion is Divided on Workplace Vaccine Mandates
The Harris Poll
October 7, 2021
The Harris Poll examined Americans’ opinions regarding workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. A survey of 2,055 U.S. adults was conducted from Sept. 17–19, 2021. Key findings included that 55% of employed U.S. adults supported vaccine mandates for employers with 100+ employees. Sixty-eight percent of vaccinated Americans supported the mandate compared to just 23% of those unvaccinated. Seventy-six percent of Democrats supported the vaccine mandate while only 39% of Republicans did.

Employees Report Feeling Emotionally Drained without Adequate Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mental Health America
September 15, 2021
Mental Health America (MHA) explored the mental health challenges employees faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of 5,030 employees was conducted from February 13 – September 9, 2020. Key findings include: 9 in 10 employees reported that their workplace stress affects their mental health.

Which Skills Will be Necessary in the Future Workplace?
McKinsey & Company
September 15, 2021
To future-proof citizens’ ability to work, they will require new skills—but which ones? A survey of 18,000 people in 15 countries suggests those that governments may wish to prioritize.

Communication Professionals’ Priorities are Shifting in Latin America
EUPRERA
September 15, 2021
EUPRERA examined a wide range of topics in the strategic communication and public relations industry in Latin America. A survey of communication professionals in 20 countries was conducted. When it comes to managing ethical challenges, 89% of respondents place their personal values above the ethical guidelines from their organization or professional associations. 

The Top 100 Global Companies Based on Brand Perception
FutureBrand, QRi, & PwC
September 15, 2021
FutureBrand partnered with QRi and PwC to identify the global top 100 companies according to brand perception. A survey of over 3,000 professionals across the globe was conducted from April 27 – May 12, 2021. Thriving companies were those that prioritized innovation to impact individual well-being and drive change for good.

PR Industry Rises To Covid-Era Creative Challenge
PRovoke Media
August 25, 2021
PRovoke Media explored how the PR sector has risen to the unique creative challenges of the COVID-19 era. This report is based on a survey of more than 300 agency and in-house executives from across the world, which took place earlier this year.

The Evolving Communication Function
Institute for Public Relations & PR News
August 25, 2021
When defining the ‘best’ structure of a communication function, there is not a clear answer or a one-size- fits-all approach. Our research indicates that while structure is important, other components are arguably more so, such as the operations, relationships, and resources within and among the other organizational functions. For example, some communication leaders argued that marketing should be a part of the communication function, while others said it was more effective as a separate function. What works best structurally depends on each organization.

Majority of Unvaccinated U.S. Adults Say Vaccine is Bigger Risk Than Getting COVID-19
Kaiser Family Foundation
August 18, 2021
The Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor is an ongoing research project tracking the public’s attitudes and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. A survey of 1,517 U.S. adults was conducted from July 15–27, 2021. Key findings included that 3 in 10 adults remain unvaccinated, including 1 in 10 who say they want to “wait and see” how the vaccine works for other people before getting vaccinated.

The Fluency Report: Health Literacy
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and Real Chemistry
August 11, 2021
This study indicates that the paths by which traditional healthcare organizations relied on are morphing. In the digital era, the role of social media in healthcare has changed vastly. With the addition of social media tools, healthcare organizations can now reach diverse audiences and more people. Social media has also made it easier and faster for healthcare institutions to connect with followers for news delivery and other updates.

Out-Group Animosity Drives Engagement on Social Media
Steve Rathje, Ph.D., Cambridge University; Jay J. Van Bavel, Ph.D., New York University; Sander van der Linden, Ph.D., Cambridge University
August 11, 2021
Researchers investigated how political posts on Facebook and Twitter containing negative emotion words affect engagement. More than 2.7 million posts from news media accounts and U.S. congressional members were analyzed. Posts about the political out-group (the political group with which one does not identify) were shared or retweeted about twice as often as posts about the in-group (the political group with which one identifies).

PR Challenges in 2021: News Placement, Topic Relevance, and More
Muck Rack
July 19, 2021
Muck Rack explored the current challenges PR professionals are facing and what the future of the industry looks like. A survey of 1,618 communications professionals was conducted from April 26 – May 17, 2021. 52% of agencies and 48% of brands and nonprofits said placing coverage in the new news cycle has been a challenge during COVID-19.

State of the Industry Report 2021 – Public Affairs Asia
Public Affairs Asia
July 13, 2021
PublicAffairsAsia examined compensation levels, job satisfaction, perceived value, and remote work in the communication industry across Asia. A survey of 257 professionals in the Asia Pacific was conducted. Key findings included, 71% of agency respondents noticed a greater appreciation of the value and importance of the communications function within organizations since the emergence of COVID–19.

People in Advanced Economies Say Their Society Is More Divided Than Before Pandemic
Pew Research Center
July 13, 2021
As the coronavirus outbreak enters its second year disrupting life around the globe, most people believe their society is now more divided than before the pandemic, according to a new Pew Research Center survey in 17 advanced economies. While a median of 34% feel more united, about six-in-ten report that national divisions have worsened since the outbreak began. In 12 of 13 countries surveyed in both 2020 and 2021, feelings of division have increased significantly, in some cases by more than 30 percentage points.

Trust: The New Brand Equity
Edelman Trust Barometer: Special Report
June 28, 2021
Edelman examined consumers’ expectations of brands. A survey of 14,000 people in 14 countries was conducted from May 12 – June 2, 2021. Key findings included that 86% of respondents expect brands to take one or more actions beyond their product and business (i.e., give money to a good cause or address political issues).

How Reputation Management is Changing
Institute for Public Relations
June 16, 2021
Recently, a dozen members of the IPR Measurement Commission participated in an online discussion about reputation measurement. In this conversation, each member offered their perspective on whether reputation measurement has changes as well as the opportunities and challenges of measuring reputation.

Do Brands Have a Role in Encouraging the COVID-19 Vaccine?
The Harris Poll & Adweek
April 21, 2021
The Harris Poll and Adweek examined whether or not brands should be encouraging COVID-19 vaccinations. A survey of 1,989 Americans was conducted March 26 through March 28, 2021. 60% of respondents said brands have an “obligation” to to encourage people to get vaccinated.

Consumers Want the Facts Regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine
SmithGeiger Group
April 13, 2021
SmithGeiger Group explored the factors that impact Americans’ decisions on whether or not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Interviews of 3,046 U.S. adults were conducted December 4-11, 2020. All respondents consumed news media sources on at least one platform weekly.

Relationship Cultivation via Social Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Qiongyao Huang, Ph.D. Candidate, Hong Kong Baptist University; Benjamin Lynn, University of Florida; Chuqing Dong, Ph.D., Michigan State University; Shijun Ni, Hong Kong Baptist University
April 13, 2021
The goal of this research was to explore relationship cultivation and social media strategies that Chinese and U.S. companies used to maintain relationships with their stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. A content analysis of Weibo and Twitter posts from Fortune 500 companies in China and the U.S., respectively, was conducted to examine the effects of their relational efforts on stakeholder engagement.

One Year Into the Pandemic, The Latest on What Consumers Want Brands to Say and Do
Morning Consult
March 24, 2021
Striking the right balance between advocating for important issues, staying open to support employees’ livelihood and communities’ wellbeing, and delivering for shareholders will remain a challenge, with real implications for positioning, advertising, and strategy decisions, writes Morning Consult’s Victoria Sakal.

Improving Crisis Communication in the Age of COVID-19
Ki Yong Kim, M.A., APR, Biola University
March 3, 2021
Due to COVID-19, public relations leaders have never been more aware of the need to pivot quickly in crisis communications. However, while crisis communication research is well established, this is the first time that research has integrated the strategic management theory of dynamic capabilities. These are the “organizational capabilities that allow firms to build and renew resources and assets, reconfiguring them as needed to innovate and respond to changes in the business environment.”

COVID-19 & ESG

How Identity Impacts Reactions to Environmental Messaging
Yanni Ma, Ph.D., Oregon State University & Jay Hmielowski, Ph.D., University of Florida
March 18, 2022
Dr. Yanni Ma and Dr. Jay Hmielowski examined why environmental messages may be ineffective when they challenge the audience’s opinions. They specifically looked at the role of identity threat as a trigger of defense mechanisms. Three experiments were conducted from 2017-2018 with 223, 358, and 389 participants respectively. Respondents who reported higher levels of environmental identification reported higher levels of identity threat when seeing an anti-environmental message.

Consumer Activists Reward Brands Taking Steps to Reduce Global Warming
Anthony Leiserowitz, Ph.D., Yale University; Edward Maibach, MPH, Ph.D., George Mason University; Seth Rosenthal, Ph.D., Yale University; & John Kotcher, Ph.D., George Mason University
January 28, 2022
Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz and colleagues examined Americans’ willingness to engage in consumer activism to reduce global warming. A survey of 1,006 U.S. adults was conducted from Sept. 10 – 20, 2021. Thirty-three percent of Americans said they have rewarded companies that are taking steps to reduce global warming by buying their products in the past 12 months.

ESG and Sustainability: How Boards are Adapting to Support Strategic Change
Korn Ferry
October 7, 2021
Korn Ferry examined board governance and how boards need to evolve to support the delivery of ESG strategy. Korn Ferry has compiled strategies to help organizations embed their commitment to ESG and sustainability into all aspects of how they do business. ESG and sustainability are so integrated into strategy development, risk management, and financial statements that boards will need to invest time to understand and evaluate these issues in the context of their organizations. 

The Impact of ESG on Investment Strategy and Market Performance
Violeta Díaz, Ph.D., Denada Ibrushi, Ph. D., & Jialin Zhao, Ph.D., St. Mary’s University
October 7, 2021
Dr. Díaz and colleagues examined how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings impact investment and market performance. Researchers used data from ESG research firm Sustainalytics to gather companies’ percentile rankings for ESG practices. Key findings include how the COVID-19 pandemic moved ESG investing strategies into the spotlight.

  COVID-19 Trackers:

Communication in the Private Equity Industry
Edelman
August 18, 2021
Edelman examined how COVID-19 is shaping private equity communications priorities. A survey of 60 private equity firms was conducted from March 17–April 2, 2021. Key findings include that 88% of respondents said conferences and events were “very” or “somewhat” important contributors to the success of their communications program.

Dose Skipping May Slow Vaccination Rates
The Harris Poll
May 19, 2021
The Harris Poll surveyed 2,096 U.S. adults about their attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccination from April 30-May 2 as part of its weekly COVID-19 tracker. 23% of respondents say they believe one dose is enough to keep them safe. 34% of Americans report wanting to make sure they don’t have any negative side effects from the first dose before receiving their second dose.

COVID-19 Online Newsroom
EurkeAlert!
Ongoing
This website acts as an information hub for COVID-19 research and resources. New releases are published every day ranging in topics from the news, scholarly research, business, innovation, and society news sources, and more.

Real-Time COVID-19 Media Communication Center
W20 Group, California Life Sciences Association
Ongoing
COR provides several “slices” of information that users can explore through several lenses: Coronavirus, California, Life Sciences, Health care providers, or Media. The platform is refreshed every 60 seconds and only analyzes posts that mention the coronavirus.

Disinformation:

How Repetition Makes False Claims Seem True
Doris Lacassagne, Ph.D., Jérémy Béna, Ph.D. & Olivier Corneille, Ph.D., UCLouvain
April 14, 2022
Dr. Doris Lacassagne and colleagues examined the role that the Truth-by-Repetition (TBR) effect influences what people believe to be true. The TBR effect posits that repeating a statement increases how true it is perceived to be. An experiment with 232 participants was conducted in June 2021. Participants were repeatedly presented with “very implausible” statements (as rated by participants from a previous study) and asked how interesting they found the statements.

2022 IPR Disinformation in Society Report
Institute for Public Relations
March 1, 2022
The third annual Institute for Public Relations (IPR) “Disinformation in Society” study examines and tracks how disinformation — defined as deliberately misleading or biased information — is spread in U.S. society. The poll of 2,200 Americans was conducted Nov. 10-14, 2021 by Morning Consult, and new to this year’s study are the impact of disinformation on topics such as COVID-19, vaccinations, and elections.

Combating Foreign Disinformation on Social Media
RAND Corporation
August 3, 2021
As the popularity and use of social media continues to climb, concerns of quickly spreading disinformation also increase. In 2019, it was confirmed that Russia interfered with the 2016 election through social media propaganda and disinformation. Since then, other instances of disinformation have caught the attention of the public and U.S. government. RAND Corporation conducted a study of how disinformation campaigns pervade social media, commissioned by the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command.

Defending An Organization Against Disinformation
Jay Solomon, for the Institute for Public Relations
July 13, 2021
The use of disinformation by states and intelligence agencies to undermine their enemies and political rivals has become commonplace in recent years. Hacked emails, fake websites, and doctored photos and messages are now staple weapons for spies and government operatives globally. But these digital dark arts are no longer solely the providence of the espionage world. Indeed, Dark PR, as it’s called, is increasingly infecting corporate competitions and legal struggles. And executives at the C-Suite level need to be able to identify gathering disinformation campaigns targeting their operations and quickly move to neutralize them.

Vaccine Misinformation Management Guide
UNICEF, The Public Good Projects, First Draft, Yale Institute for Global Health
February 18, 2021
Misinformation threatens the success of vaccination programs across the world. Unicef, First Draft, Yale Institute for Global Health, and PGP (The Public Good Projects) have partnered to create the Vaccine Misinformation Management Field Guide. This guide aims to help organizations to address the global infodemic through the development of strategic and well-coordinated national action plans to rapidly counter vaccine misinformation and build demand for vaccination that are informed by social listening.

Under the Surface: COVID-19 Vaccine Narratives, Misinformation, and Data Deficits on Social Media
Rory Smith, Seb Cubbon, and Claire Wardle, First Draft News
February 10, 2021
This research demonstrates the complexity of the vaccine information ecosystem, where a cacophony of voices and narratives have coalesced to create an environment of extreme uncertainty. Two topics are driving a large proportion of the current global vaccine discourse, especially around a Covid-19 vaccine: the “political and economic motives” of actors and institutions involved in vaccine development and the “safety, efficacy and necessity” concerns around vaccines.

Long-Term Effectiveness of Inoculation Against Misinformation: Three Longitudinal Experiments
Rakoen Maertens, Jon Roozenbeek, Ph.D., Melisa Basol, and Sander van der Linden, Ph.D., University of Cambridge
October 30, 2020
This study investigates the long-term effectiveness of active psychological inoculation as a means to build resistance against misinformation. Using three longitudinal experiments, they tested the effectiveness of Bad News, a real-world intervention in which participants develop resistance against misinformation through exposure to weakened doses of misinformation techniques.

10 Ways to Identify Disinformation – A Guide and Checklist
Institute for Public Relations
September 23, 2020
In August 2020, the Institute for Public Relations released its second annual “IPR Disinformation in Society Report” based on a survey of 2,200 Americans to find out the prevalence of disinformation, or “deliberately misleading or biased information” in the U.S. The report investigated the parties most responsible for sharing disinformation, the level of trust the American public has for different information sources, and whose job it is to combat disinformation.

2020 IPR Disinformation in Society Report
Institute for Public Relations
September 9, 2020
This study examines and tracks how disinformation — de­emed as deliberately misleading or biased information — is spread in U.S. society. The poll of 2,200 Americans, conducted March 25-27, 2020, by Morning Consult, explores the prevalence of disinformation in the U.S., the parties most responsible for sharing disinformation, the level of trust the American public has for different information sources, and whose job it is to combat disinformation.

The International Fact-Checking Network
Poynter
Ongoing
The International Fact-Checking Network is a unit of the Poynter Institute dedicated to bringing together fact-checkers worldwide. The IFCN was launched in September 2015 to support a booming crop of fact-checking initiatives by promoting best practices and exchanges in this field.

Why Do People Believe COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories?
Joseph E Uscinski, Adam M. Enders, Casey Klofstad, Michelle Seelig, John Funchion, Caleb Everett, Stephan Wuchty, Kamal Premaratne & Manohar Murthi, Harvard Misinformation Review
April 28, 2020
This research study analyzes the psychological foundations of conspiracy beliefs. Based on a survey of 2,023 adults, the research shows that COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs are widespread. Beliefs in two popular variants of COVID-19 conspiracy theory are the joint product of the psychological predispositions 1) to reject information coming from experts and other authority figures and 2) to view major events as the product of conspiracies, as well as partisan and ideological motivations.

Misinformation During a Pandemic
Leonardo Bursztyn, Aakaash Rao, Christopher Roth, David Yanagizawa-Drott, Becker Friedman Institute
Working Paper – April 19, 2020
The authors study the effects of news coverage of the novel coronavirus by the two most widely-viewed cable news shows in the United States – Hannity and Tucker Carlson Tonight, both on Fox News – on viewers’ behavior and downstream health outcomes. They discuss how misinformation in the early stages of a pandemic can have important consequences for how a disease affects the population.

Impacts of Rumors or Misinformation on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Social Media
Samia Tasnim, Ph.D., Md Mahbub Hossain, Ph.D., and Hoimonty Mazumder, Ph.D., Journal of Preventative Medicine and Public Health
April 2, 2020
Authors analyze incidents caused by rumors that have been reported globally related to COVID-19, such as the spread of misinformation masking healthy behaviors and promoting erroneous practices that increase the spread of the virus and provide information on how to address these issues.

Fighting Fake News in the Pandemic
Sarah Ostman, American Libraries
March 20, 2020
Misinformation runs rampant during times of unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Your library may be closed to the public, but you can still help thwart misinformation by sharing media literacy resources. This article provides some of these resources.

Fighting COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media: Experimental Evidence for a Scalable Accuracy Nudge Intervention
Gordon Pennycook, Ph.D., Jonathon McPhetres, Ph.D., Yunhao Zhang, David Rand, Ph.D.
March 18, 2020
Across two studies with over 16,000 participants, researchers investigate why people believe and spread false (and true) news content about COVID-19, and test an intervention intended to increase the truthfulness of the content people share on social media.

10 Ways to Combat Misinformation: A Behavioral Insights Approach
Terrence Flynn, Ph.D. and Tim Li
May 6, 2019
The IPR Behavioral Insights Research Centers compiled 10 effective ways to combat misinformation and prevent people from adopting inaccurate beliefs and making misguided decisions.

Using Expert Sources to Correct Health Misinformation in Social Media
Emily Vraga, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, & Leticia Bode, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
September 14, 2017
Dr. Emily Vraga and Dr. Lars Bode conducted a study to examine how people corrected their own misinformed beliefs after seeing others corrected on social media and the role of source credibility in all this.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

What Investor Engagement on Disability Inclusion Looks Like
Paul Gennaro, IPR Trustee, Voya Financial & Robert Ludke, The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement
July 25, 2022
As part of a collaboration between The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement and Voya Financial, we are sharing a paper that explores the connection between competitive, integrated employment for persons with disabilities and creating long-term value for companies, investors and society.  

Can Embracing Neurodiversity Give Companies a Competitive Advantage?
Paul Brewer, 6XDMedia
April 14, 2022
Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the variations in human thinking, sociability, learning, and mood. Unfortunately, many companies do not recognize how embracing neurodiverse employees can benefit the organization, and they miss out on a vast range of talent. Thankfully, large companies such as SAP and Microsoft are leading the way in actively hiring and supporting neurodiverse talent, which will hopefully inspire change in the recruitment process.

Companies Have More Work to do on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Harris Poll & Hue
April 4, 2022
The Harris Poll and Hue examined employee demands and perceptions of their companies’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. A poll of 3,000 professionals across the United States was conducted December 2021 – January 2022.

Accessibility in the Workplace
Adobe
April 4, 2022
Adobe explored how work environments have changed since the pandemic and how accessibility and inclusion have evolved with these new work environments. A survey of 1,000 full-time workers, part-time workers, and students based in the U.S. with and without disabilities was conducted in October 2021.

The Language of Diversity: A Report on How Communication Leaders are Defining and Discussing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Organizations
Institute for Public Relations & The Wakeman Agency
November 10, 2021
The first-of-its-kind report examines how nearly 400 communications professionals perceive the current language of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) being used in their organizations and its impact on workplace ecosystems. It also delves into ways the power dynamics in language can reinforce, advance, or impede creating authentic, DEI-infused professional cultures. Based on feedback from industry experts, the report offers suggested standard definitions for commonly-used DEI terms.

A Data-Driven Approach to Improving Diversity & Inclusion: Examining PRSA’S Efforts to Measure Perception
Felicia D. Blow, Ph.D., APR, Hampton University; Christopher F. Bonney, President, Bonney & Company; Meghnaa Tallapragad, Ph.D., Temple University; and David W. Brown, Temple University
November 3, 2021
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) set out to measure diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts in the field. In 2019, the organization began a year-long effort to better understand PRSA members’ thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes in the areas of D&I. To obtain this information, PRSA executed a comprehensive, three-phased study to assess D&I perceptions. This article analyzes PRSA’s process and goes into detail regarding the 2019 study findings. It examines details on the discoveries uncovered and concludes with insights on how PRSA can best utilize the data to build programs that will be meaningful in the organization’s long-term D&I strategies.

Talking Inclusion Into Being: How Communication Can Make or Break an Inclusive Work Environment
Daniel Wolfgruber, Lina Sturmer, and Sabine Einwiller, Ph.D., University of Vienna
October 13, 2021
Researchers examined how internal communication facilitates or obstructs employees’ perception of an inclusive work environment. Interviews with 84 employees from organizations in Austria and Germany were conducted. There were significant gender differences when it comes to viewing promotion opportunities and using gender-sensitive language.

How Media Coverage Can Impact Discrimination Toward Immigrants
Pierluigi Conzo, Ph. D., Collegio Carlo Alberto, et. al.
September 22, 2021
Dr. Pierluigi Conzo and colleagues explored the effects of negative and positive portrayals of immigration in the media on discrimination toward immigrants.Conservative and liberal participants showed different levels of trust toward immigrants.

White Men In PR are Still Paid More and Promoted More Readily
PRovoke Media
September 15, 2021
PRovoke Media examined pay disparities in the PR industry. A survey of more than 3,000 PR professionals was conducted in 2021. 51% of partner-level employees are men, while men make up only 25% of the PR workforce. 25% of male respondents reported making more than $200K per year. 51% of companies still cloak salaries in secrecy, although transparency around salary has been shown to lead to more equal pay.

2020 Race and Ethnicity in Public Relations and Communication Benchmark Report
Diversity Action Alliance
August 18, 2021
The Diversity Action Alliance (DAA) released a report to benchmark and track diversity numbers in the public relations industry. This analysis is based on data reported as of January 1, 2020, by 122 qualified organizations that are signatories of the DAA. The categories of analysis are based on the guidelines of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

The Role of PR in Diversity and Inclusion Management
Academic Society for Management & Communication
July 19, 2021
The aim of this research project was to examine the role and practice of communication in D&I management. While there is already a considerable body of research on the management practices of D&I, the communication aspects have been largely overlooked so far. By interviewing D&I experts in major organizations, we provide insights into good practices of D&I management and communication as well as challenges in this field. Interviews and a survey among employees complement these insights by highlighting factors that influence employees’ perceptions of inclusion.

The economic state of Black America: What is and what could be
McKinsey & Company
July 13, 2021
The disparities on display during the COVID-19 pandemic were a jolt to America’s conscience. Job losses were greater for people of color, many of whom lacked savings to cushion the financial blow. The long-standing issues of underperforming public schools and gaps in digital infrastructure exacerbated learning losses among children of color. With Black workers concentrated in low-wage frontline jobs that could not be done remotely, exposure to the virus and inadequate access to healthcare cost lives, widening an already sharp racial gap in life expectancy.

Redefining Identity in Research
Lucid, ThinkNow, & Insights in Color
July 7, 2021
Lucid teamed up with ThinkNow and Insights in Color to create new standards for the language used in identity questions. Key findings include: 59% of Gen Z consumers believe forms asking for gender should include more than just “male” or “female.” For studies centering on LGBTQ+ consumers, including more identity variables as well as variables of uncertainty gives consumers the ability to self-identify more accurately.

Critical Race Theory has a Role to Play in Business Communications and PR
Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., PR Daily
June 28, 2021
Nneka Logan, Ph.D., associate professor at Virginia Tech University, recently published a foundational article for our field in the “Journal of Public Relations Research,” outlining a new theoretical foundation influenced by CRT—the “Corporate Responsibility to Race Theory” or CRR. Before diving into Logan’s theory, we should further examine CRT. Originating in the legal field in the 1970s, CRT rapidly expanded to other disciplines, according to Richard Delgado, one of the theory’s founders, and his colleagues. CRT posits that racism is embedded throughout social systems, and those who have most benefited by these systems have little incentive for change. It goes on to argue that these structures need to be acknowledged and studied.

The Way PR Leaders Communicate About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matters
Nilanjana Bardhan, Ph.D., & Craig L. Engstrom, Ph.D., PR Journal 
June 23, 2021
There is rapidly growing awareness across industries that leaders need to take diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) seriously and actively support initiatives that can root out systemic bias and discrimination within organizations. In fact, there is plenty of research suggesting DEI in any industry cannot succeed without leadership support, and support includes communication choices. How leaders narrate and construct messages regarding DEI is consequential.

The Gap Between Company DE&I Efforts and Employee Experiences
Weber Shandwick
June 2, 2021
Weber Shandwick examined diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in the workplace to examine the divide between corporate efforts to advance DE&I and the lived experiences of employees. A survey of 1,527 full-time employees at large companies and across industries was conducted. Leadership tone and behavior were the strongest predictors of whether or not employees were satisfied with their organization’s approach to DE&I.

Race in the Workplace: The Black Experience in the Private Sector
McKinsey & Company
March 9, 2020
McKinsey & Company studied Black workers’ participation in the entire U.S. private sector economy, and their representation, advancement, and experience in companies. Researchers analyzed employment data from 24 companies as well as qualitative and quantitative research conducted with nearly 25,000 participants.  Overall, our analysis found that Black workers are underrepresented in the highest-growth geographies and the highest-paying industries. Meanwhile, they are overrepresented in low-growth geographies and in frontline jobs, which tend to pay less.

  Internal Communication:

Understanding the Human Reality During the Great Resignation
Leger
May 31, 2022
Leger explored employee satisfaction, quality of life, and reasons for switching roles. An online survey of 3,008 employees in Canada was conducted Nov. 15 – Dec. 1, 2021. Fifty-one percent of employees aged 35-54 who were dissatisfied with their quality of life were likely to look for a new work opportunity in the next two years, compared to 29 percent of employees aged 55+.

How Servant Leaders Contribute to Employee Advocacy
Patrick Thelen, Ph.D., APR, Chief Research Editor, IPR Organizational Communication Research Center, San Diego State University
April 14, 2022
Researchers examined the impact of servant leadership on employee advocacy. Servant leadership is a leadership approach centered on developing, serving, and empowering followers. Employee advocacy is a verbal or nonverbal voluntary manifestation of support, recommendation, or defense of an organization or its products by an employee to either the internal or external public.

The Five Types of Workers in the New Normal
Morning Consult
April 14, 2022
Morning Consult examined workers’ priorities, work preferences, and lifestyles. Researchers then separated workers into five distinct types, which provide insight into their values and preferred work environments.

Motivations for Work Are Changing: How Employers Can Keep Up
Bain & Company & Dynata
March 18, 2022
Bain & Company and Dynata identified five key themes that are reshaping the future of work. A survey of 20,000 workers across the globe was conducted, along with in-depth interviews of more than 100 workers. The report also draws on data from CEO Forum conversations that Bain has held since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Companies to Offer More Perks and Benefits for Employee Retention
The Harris Poll & Fortune
March 18, 2022
The Harris Poll and Fortune examined how employers are adjusting benefits to retain employees. A survey of 2,019 U.S. adults was conducted from Feb. 11-13, 2022. Key findings include: Benefit costs have risen 2.8% over the past 12 months, or 0.9% between the second and third quarter of 2021 — a rate that’s been on a relatively steady upswing in recent years.

IPR Report: Takeaways from Industry Research on the “Great Resignation”
Anetra Henry, Institute for Public Relations
February 16, 2022
Within a span of two years, major changes have affected the workplace due to the pandemic: shift for many to remote work, concerns about protecting essential workers, and battling the “Great Resignation.” These sudden shifts have spawned several studies about how expectations and collaboration have been affected. 

U.S. Organizations are Failing to Listen to Employees
Marlene S. Neill, Ph.D., APR, Baylor University & Shannon Bowen, Ph.D., University of South Carolina
January 28, 2022
Listening to employees is critical for a myriad of reasons including employee retention, motivation, inclusion, and commitment. A new study examined the state of listening in U.S. organizations and found several areas in need of improvement. Findings show that female and non-management employees did not perceive that they were being listened to by management in their organizations. In addition, employees identified barriers to listening in their organizations, such as a lack of training in analyzing insights from employee listening.

How to Predict Employee Engagement During a Crisis
Ganga Sasidharan Dhanesh, Ph.D. & Gaelle Picherit-Duthler, Ph.D., Zayed University
January 28, 2022 
Picherit-Duthler explored how internal communication practices (such as two-way communication and message content) impact employee engagement during a crisis. An online survey of 304 participants was collected in 2020 after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates, India, and Pakistan.

Five Internal Communications Trends for 2022 and Beyond
Aniisu K Verghese, Ph.D., Sabre
January 28, 2022
While the world is focused on the ‘Great Resignation,’ there is an increased need for communicators and leaders to be mindful of the ‘Great Realization’ – a trend in which employees are re-examining the way they choose their places of work and find professional and personal fulfillment. It isn’t the benefits, salaries, or policies that bother them. The focus on workplace culture is witnessing a revival that organizations can’t ignore. It is about doing what’s right, being part of a community that cares, an organization that is socially conscious and having a workplace culture that respects people.

Measurement Roundtable: Measuring Internal Communication
Institute for Public Relations
December 1, 2021
Recently, members of the IPR Measurement Commission participated in an online discussion about internal communication measurement. Led by IPR Measurement Commission Member Sean Williams, the IPR Measurement Commissioners discussed how to measure internal communication outcomes and behaviors.

2021 Employee Stress Check
The Harris Poll and Talkspace
November 3, 2021
Talkspace commissioned a survey with The Harris Poll to explore current employee attitudes toward mental well-being and work. A survey of 1,015 full-time employees in the United States was conducted July 29 – Aug. 2, 2021. Nearly 60% of employees believe that supportive management can improve retention.

How Leaders Can Promote Organizational Authenticity and Identification with Motivating Language
Cen April Yue, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
October 27, 2021
Researchers examined how leaders’ oral communication strategies impact organizational authenticity (i.e., the level of truthfulness, transparency, and consistency employees feel about their organization) and organizational identification.

When Employees Speak Out About Workplace Injustice
Yeunjae Lee, Ph.D., University of Miami
September 15, 2021
When employees experience negative emotions at work (such as anger, contempt, disgust, and fear) they are more likely to share bad aspects of their organization externally, internally, and on anonymous online channels (i.e., Glassdoor). Employees’ perceptions of injustice in the workplace can erode employee-organization relationships and increase the likelihood of employees feeling anger, anxiety, or frustration. Organizations should identify and proactively prevent any issues that make employees feel that they are mistreated to reduce employees’ motivation to engage in negative communication behaviors.

Working from Home: A Guide to Creating a Healthy and Productive Workspace at Home
Sixth Degree Media
September 15, 2021
Eye-opening statistics and surveys of work from home (WFH) employees: 68% felt more productive at home, 80% said WFH reduced their expenses, yet 57% also felt more stressed from working remotely. Understanding the biggest challenges faced by remote workers: dealing with stress, anxiety, and maintaining work-life balance at home. Practical tips and advice to set up a productive and healthy workspace at home including links to other useful resources.

Employee Burnout: The Ethical Problem that Can’t be Ignored
Laura L. Lemon, Ph.D., University of Alabama
August 25, 2021
One aspect of employee engagement that is minimally discussed in the public relations literature is employee burnout. Burnout was initially established and investigated in the human resource literature and is conceptualized as the opposite of engagement (Gonzalez-Roma, Schaufeli, Bakker, & Lloret, 2006). Specifically, the Job-Demands-Resources (J-D-R) model demonstrates the two processes that lead to job burnout include the high demands of a job and a lack of job resources (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007).

Workers Want More Digital Skills, More Inclusivity, and More Flexibility
PWC
June 15, 2021
In one of the largest global surveys of workers, people revealed a mostly optimistic story, but one with some concerning undercurrents. Workers reported feeling excited or confident about the future. Most said they believe they can meet the challenges of automation — and they proved it during the pandemic: by learning new digital skills and by quickly adapting to remote work.

The Complex Nature of Internal Communication
Laura L. Lemon, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, University of Alabama
March 15, 2021
Whether it is a government contractor, research center, university, or non-profit, internal communication is always more complex than what we assume. In a recent conceptual piece, my co-author and I discussed the complexity that underpins employee engagement (Lemon & Macklin, 2020). Given employee engagement’s connection to internal communication, a complex perspective could also be applied to internal communication. Adopting a complex lens leads to suggestions and strategies that result in holistic solutions devoid of silos.

How COVID-19 Strengthened the Value of Internal Communication
Alessandra Mazzei, Università IULM of Milan
January 25, 2020
Like all crises affecting companies, the COVID-19 emergency brought employee communication to the forefront. This time even more than usual: with physical distancing, employee communication became the primary way to promote closeness between people in organizations. In particular, employee communication managed various challenges and expressed its highest potential.

Five Lessons Regarding Organizational Listening & Empathy in Times of Global Pandemic
Marlene Neill, Ph.D., Baylor University
January 19, 2020
This study was sponsored by a grant from the Arthur W. Page Center. It involved 30 in-depth interviews with communication professionals specializing in internal and external communication, followed by an online survey with approximately 250 professionals.  While the study is still in progress, here are several lessons to take away based on the experiences of public relations executives.

  Leadership:

Charismatic Rhetoric: How Top Leaders Navigated Change During COVID-19
Cen April Yue, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
January 28, 2022
Dr. Cen April Yue examined how leaders’ charismatic rhetoric affected employees’ responses to organizational change during COVID-19. Charismatic rhetoric is defined as communication that fosters employees’ self-esteem, self-expression, self-consistency, and self-efficacy. A survey of 417 U.S.-based executive leaders was conducted. All participants worked for organizations with more than 50 employees impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Road to Success for CCOs in a “New Normal”
Michael Ziviani & Forrest Anderson, IPR Measurement Commission
October 7, 2021
Considering the impact of COVID-19 on communication, now is a good time to examine past research regarding the best practices of 20 leading international chief communications officers (CCOs) and revisit these findings in the context of the “new COVID-19 normal.” COVID-19’s impact on business has been well documented. One of the most significant outcomes we’ve seen is a more agile management style to deal with changing national and international market conditions. That new management style fits the study findings; it implies that internal alignment and cohesive planning are now fundamental to external agility.

Leadership Going Social: How U.S. Nonprofit Executives Engage With Audiences on Twitter
April Cen Yue, Ph.D., University of Connecticut
October 7, 2021
Over the past few years, large and mid-sized nonprofits have rapidly adopted social media to communicate with internal and external constituents. Social media proves to be a cost-effective resource for nonprofits, playing a pivotal role in accumulating social capital, enhancing nonprofit visibility, and strengthening stakeholder engagement.

The Post-Pandemic Board Agenda: Redefining Corporate Resilience
McKinsey
August 25, 2021
McKinsey investigated the topics that board directors and executives are focusing on post-COVID-19. A global survey of 846 board directors and C-level executives in a range of industries was conducted. Boards that were quickest to adapt to the COVID-19 crisis are now focusing more on specific external risks than on corporate resilience overall.

A Leadership Agenda To Take on Tomorrow: 24th Annual Global CEO Survey
PwC
March 24, 2021
For business, 2021 will be a year of reinvention. One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we surveyed 5,050 CEOs around the world about their plans to respond to new threats, transform their operating model and create a more sustainable future.

Research: Women Are Better Leaders During a Crisis
Harvard Business Review
December 30, 2020
Harvard Business Review assessed male and female business leaders’ effectiveness during the COVID-19 crisis. Data on 454 male and 366 female leaders were collected from March-June 2020 using Harvard Business Review’s global database of 360-degree assessments. Women were rated more positively than men on 13 of the 19 competencies in the assessment.

Leadership, Management, and Command in the Time of the Coronavirus
Keith Grint
April 23, 2020
The author discusses the three modes of decision-making (leadership, management, and command) and how they pertain to the COVIS-19 crisis, and how all three modes are necessary because of the complicated nature of this issue. The author suggests we might reconsider the way governments and their leaders act against the frame of societal problems.

American Resolve: Getting on with Life: What’s Next
The Harris Poll
April 24, 2020
The Harris Poll’s eighth iteration of their COVID-19 summary report was conducted online within the U.S. from April 18-20 among a nationally representative sample of 2,029 U.S. adults as well as an overnight poll on April 22nd amongst a nationally representative sample of 405 adults who travel for leisure (3+ flights per year for leisure) and 125 business travelers (5+ flights per year for business). This survey analyzes trends in fear among U.S. adults, perceptions of social life, and the demand for travel and shopping. 

Life During COVID-19

The Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 on Wellbeing
Leathwaite
January 28, 2022
Leathwaite examined the impacts of ongoing uncertainty and intensity of the pandemic on employee wellbeing. Leathwaite partner Austen Advisory conducted employee burnout research in January-November 2021 using the Aura Burnout-Resilience Continuum (seen below). 53% of employees reported not feeling comfortable talking about issues and asking for help.

COVID-19, The Economy, and Society
The Harris Poll
September 22, 2020
This report explores Americans’ perceptions surrounding COVID-19, specifically regarding a vaccine and the future of the United States. Americans are divided on whom to trust to distribute a vaccine: 34% said “the states” are best prepared to distribute the vaccine when ready, 30% said “the federal government,” 13% said “private businesses,” and 23% said “none of these.”

Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Americans and Germans See Changing World in Different Ways
Jacob Poushter and Shannon Schumacher, Pew Research Center
May 18, 2020
This survey is the latest in a series of polls conducted under a partnership between Pew Research Center in the U.S. and Körber-Stiftung in Germany. The research examines how people in the United States and Germany express different views about international relations and globalization.

A Historic Moment: The Values Shift in Pandemic America
Zeno Group
May 11, 2020
This report found Americans’ values rising most in importance in the pandemic were those associated with family, interpersonal relationships, and self-sufficiency, specifically Protecting the Family, Self-Reliance, Helpfulness, Simplicity, Honesty, and Stable Personal Relationships. Also, among the top risers were Thrift and Duty – Depression-era values that have not been in most Americans’ top ten in generations.

Risk Perceptions of COVID-19 Around the World
Journal of Risk Research
May 8, 2020
The study of nearly 7,000 respondents across 10 countries analyzed the risk perceptions of COVID-19, resulting in a map and model of risk perception. Pooled across countries, personal experience with the virus, individualistic and prosocial values, hearing about the virus from friends and family, trust in government, science, and medical professionals, personal knowledge of government strategy, and personal and collective efficacy were all significant predictors of risk perception. The research study breaks down the factors influencing risk perception for each country.

America Recovering
APCO Worldwide
May 7, 2020
As part of a series of polls to understand the effects of COVID-19 on people, businesses, and institutions, APCO Worldwide surveyed Americans on April 17, 2020. In this polling, APCO explored Americans’ views on how the country will recover from the pandemic.

Mental Health 

Deconstructing Psychological Safety
Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, President and CEO, Institute for Public Relations
April 4, 2022
A psychologically safe environment significantly improves happiness in the workplace. One Gallup study found that psychological safety improves retention, reduces safety incidents, and increases productivity. A meta-analysis (or an analysis of research analyses) found that psychological safety leads to stronger learning behavior, improved communication outcomes, better employee attitudes, and even employees engaging in more “work arounds,” or procedures to overcome roadblocks and enhance workflow. Psychological safety is also strongly related to better firm performance, measured by return on assets and goal achievements. Psychological safety also positively affects perceptions of organizational support, access to mentoring, and diversity practices.

How to Use Mindfulness to Become a Better Manager and Colleague
Laura Lemon, Ph.D., The University of Alabama
After reviewing the pieces I have previously written over the years for IPR, mindfulness seems to be a constant theme. I mentioned it when discussing burnout in the workplace. I also introduced the practice as a tool to enhance active listening. Therefore, I would like to expand upon the practice to further discuss how it could positively impact organizations. Specifically, mindfulness can facilitate empathy and cognitive flexibility, both of which are key to enhancing employee engagement and improving organizational workplaces.

Prioritizing Mental Health and Physical Well-Being: An Inevitable Priority for Organizations
Patrick Thelen, Ph.D., APR, San Diego State University, Chief Research Editor, IPR Organizational Communication Research Center
September 15, 2021
The pandemic our world has endured over the past year and a half has dramatically transformed our lives. Not surprisingly, people are experiencing emotions such as outrage, anger, sadness, depression, emptiness, frustration, helplessness, and fear. The emotional stress caused by this reality has, without any doubt, played a role in bringing mental health and psychological well-being to the forefront of the conversation.

CDEI Mental Health Resource Page
Institute for Public Relations
August 25, 2021
Studies have shown that nearly 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year and mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession have negatively affected many people’s mental health and created new barriers for people already suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders. Mental Health America also reports that 17% of Black people and 23% of Indigenous people live with a mental illness, and people who identify as belonging to two or more races are most likely to report any mental illness within the past year than any other racial or ethnic group. 

COVID-19’s Psychological Toll: Mental Distress Among Americans Has Tripled During the Pandemic Compared to 2018
Jean Twenge, Ph.D., Thomas Joiner, Ph.D.
Working Paper – May 7, 2020
This study used a six-item scale from research conducted in 2018 to assess the mental health of more than 2,000 Americans spread across the country. The researchers found an almost 700% increase in the number of adults who meet the criteria psychologists use to diagnose serious mental distress and illness compared to pre-pandemic data.

A Third of Americans Experienced High Levels of Psychological Distress During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Scott Keeter, Pew Research Center
May 7, 2020
To help track and assess the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, Pew Research Center asked members of the American Trends Panel in March and April how often in the past seven days they had experienced five different types of psychological distress (such as anxiety, sleeplessness, or depression). The results are discussed here.

How CEOs Can Support Employee Mental Health in a Crisis
Ryan Smith, Harvard Business Review
May 1, 2020
A global study of 2,700+ employees discusses the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on employee mental health and provides five steps every leader and manager should take to address these issues.

COVID-19 Resources for the Community
University of Florida Department of Psychiatry
Ongoing
UF’s Department of Psychiatry with the College of Medicine provides a resource hub to the community providing resources on mental health well-being, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being, resource for parents, occupational well-being, and resources for providers.

PRCA Mental Health Toolkit
Public Relations and Communications Association
Ongoing
PRCA developed a hub of resources for mental health including top sources for dealing with stress at work, information on work-life balance, the workload in PR and communications, and much more.

The Return to Work/Hybrid Work:

Making Hybrid Work Work
Microsoft
May 31, 2022
Microsoft examined how leaders are approaching the transition to hybrid work. A survey of 31,102 full-time employees was conducted in 30 countries around the globe from Jan. 7, 2022 – Feb. 16, 2022. Fifty-three percent of employees were more likely to prioritize health and wellbeing over work than before the COVID-19 pandemic

Communications’ Role in Managing the Experience of Remote Workers
Gartner
November 10, 2021
As organizations begin to shift to permanent remote work arrangements, communications leaders have the opportunity to make an impact. However, In order to be successful, communications leaders must work with the executive team to build a remote-friendly culture and organizational community.

Redesigning Work for a Hybrid Future
Gartner
October 27, 2021
We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rethink our workplaces, work models and workflows from the ground up. Let’s not waste it. Our research shows that 75% of hybrid or remote knowledge workers say their expectations for working flexibly have increased, and four out of 10 employees are at risk of leaving if you insist they return to an in-person office environment.

Executive Outlook on Hybrid Work
PwC
October 13, 2021
PwC examined the changes executives are making as they redesign work with a more employee-focused approach. This article is based on two pulse studies conducted on Aug. 19, 2021: a survey of 752 business executives and a survey of 1,007 full-time and part-time employees.

U.S. Public Opinion is Divided on Workplace Vaccine Mandates
The Harris Poll
October 7, 2021
The Harris Poll examined Americans’ opinions regarding workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. A survey of 2,055 U.S. adults was conducted from Sept. 17–19, 2021. Key findings included that 55% of employed U.S. adults supported vaccine mandates for employers with 100+ employees. Sixty-eight percent of vaccinated Americans supported the mandate compared to just 23% of those unvaccinated. Seventy-six percent of Democrats supported the vaccine mandate while only 39% of Republicans did.

What 800 Executives Envision for the Postpandemic Workforce
McKinsey Global Institute
November 5, 2020
McKinsey Global Institute examined global executives’ perceptions on the future of the workforce, especially considering changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A global survey of 800 executives was conducted in June 2020. 85% of companies have accelerated digitization since the start of COVID-19, and 67% of companies have accelerated automation and artificial intelligence.

The Future of Work: New Salesforce Research Reveals How Organizations Should Work in a Pandemic World
Salesforce
October 30, 2020
Salesforce examined how the COVID-19 pandemic is shaping people’s attitudes about current work environments and their perceptions on the future of work. A global survey of 20,000 people was conducted in June 2020 across the U.S., Canada, U.K./Ireland, France, Germany, Brazil, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, India, and Singapore.

What 12,000 Employees Have to Say About the Future of Remote Work
Boston Consulting Group
October 8, 2020
To assess employee sentiment on these changes, from the end of May through mid-June BCG surveyed more than 12,000 professionals employed before and during COVID-19 in the US, Germany, and India. The respondents work in roles such as analysts, engineers, HR personnel, teachers, and health care providers (but generally not in jobs performed onsite such as cashiers or assembly line workers).

  Trust in Sources:

Nearly a Quarter of Americans Get News from Podcasts
Pew Research Center
April 4, 2022
Pew Research explored how Americans get their news. A survey of 11,178 U.S. adults was conducted from July 26 – Aug. 8, 2021 and another survey of 9,220 U.S. adults was conducted Aug. 31 – Sept. 7, 2020. 23% of Americans said they get news at least “sometimes” from podcasts. 33% of adults ages 18 to 29 reported getting their news from podcasts, the highest percentage of all age groups.

Ethical Challenges in an Evolving Digital Communication Era
Juan Meng, Ph.D., Solyee Kim, Ph.D. & Bryan Reber, Ph.D., University of Georgia
March 18, 2022
Researchers investigated the ethical challenges facing public relations professionals in today’s digital communication environment. A survey of 1,046 public relations and communication professionals was conducted.Key findings include: 60% of surveyed professionals reported that they faced a wide range of ethical challenges in their day-to-day work.

News on Twitter: Consumed by Most Users and Trusted by Many
Pew Research Center
January 28, 2022
Pew Research Center examined Twitter users’ views, attitudes, and behaviors on the platform, and how those opinions might vary based on their news consumption habits on Twitter. A survey of 2,548 U.S. adult Twitter users was conducted in May 2021. Seventy percent of respondents said they have used Twitter to “keep up with a news event as it was happening.

Republicans Are Less Confident in U.S. Elections Than Before Jan. 6 Attack
Morning Consult
January 28, 2022
Morning Consult analyzed the trust American citizens have in major governmental institutions. A survey of 2,201 U.S. adults was conducted on Dec. 30, 2021. Only 28% of Republicans said they have at least “some” trust in the U.S. government, down 20% since January 2021.

The Future of Digital Spaces and Their Role in Democracy
Pew Research Center and Elon University
January 28, 2022
Pew Research Center and Elon University explored how experts expect the digital public sphere to evolve by year 2035. A survey of 862 technology innovators and developers, business and policy leaders, researchers, and activists was conducted from June 29 – August 2, 2021. Only 10% of respondents said the current technological evolution is mostly positive and will lead to a better society.

How Did News Media Consumption Change in 2020?
Pew Research Center
October 13, 2021
Pew Research Center examined U.S. news media consumption throughout 2020. An analysis of news audience behavior and a secondary analysis of industry data was conducted. For the first time, newspapers made more money from circulation than from advertising in 2020. In primetime, Fox News’s average audience increased by 61%, CNN’s increased by 72%, and MSNBC’s grew by 28%.

The Gap Between Partisan Groups Continues to Widen for Trust in News
Pew Research Center
September 22, 2021
Pew Research Center examined how political beliefs are related to trust in national news, local news, and social media. A survey of 10,606 U.S. adults was conducted June 14–27, 2021. Seventy-eight percent of Democrat adults trust information from national news organizations compared to 35% of Republican adults.

Is an Entertaining Conspiracy Theory More Believable Than the Truth?
Jan-Willem Van Prooijen, Ph.D., Joline Ligthart, Sabine Rosema, & Yang Xu, VU Amsterdam, The Netherlands
September 15, 2021
Dr. Van Prooijen and colleagues examined the entertaining qualities of conspiracy theories and why these qualities make people believe in them. A series of five studies was conducted. In each study, participants were exposed to different types of conspiratorial articles.

Republicans less likely to trust their main news source if they see it as ‘Mainstream’
Pew Research Center
July 13, 2021
Most Americans place at least some trust in the media outlet they turn to most frequently for political news. But their trust varies widely by political party and whether they see the outlet in question as part of the “mainstream media” or not – though in very different ways between Republicans and Democrats.

Cision 2021 Global State of the Media Report
Cision
April 21, 2021
Cision explored journalists’ thoughts on the factors changing the way they work, the types of stories they want, and how PR professionals can build stronger relationships with media. Surveys of 2,746 journalists were conducted in 15 countries between February 1 and March 1, 2021.

2021 Edelman Trust Barometer
Edelman
March 3, 2021
Edelman annually assesses public trust across the globe, namely trust in four main institutions: business, NGOs, government, and media. An online survey of over 33,000 people was conducted in 28 countries between October 19, 2020 and November 18, 2020. Key findings include: Trust declined in the world’s two largest economies. Government trust declined by 18% in China and by 5% in the United States. Government trust declined by 8% globally.

Americans Concerned About Election Integrity And Government Response To COVID-19
Public Affairs Council
October 8, 2020
The 2020 Public Affairs Pulse survey finds that with just weeks to go before Election Day, most Americans have doubts about the fairness of the voting process. Concern about election integrity and voting access are widespread. And only 29% of Americans have faith that the 2020 elections will be conducted in an honest and open way.

Americans See Skepticism of News Media as Healthy, Say Public Trust in the Institution Can Improve
Pew Research Center
September 9, 2020
In a year filled with major news stories – from a global pandemic to nationwide protests over racial injustice – Americans continue to have a complicated relationship with the news media. While large swaths of the public often express negative views toward journalists and news organizations, a major Pew Research Center analysis – culminating a yearlong study on Americans’ views of the news media – also finds areas where U.S. adults feel more affinity toward the media and express open-mindedness about the possibility that their trust in the industry could improve.

American Views 2020: Trust, Media, and Democracy
The Knight Foundation
August 12, 2020
There is a widening gulf between American aspirations for and assessments of the news media. With each passing benchmark study, the American people render deeper and increasingly polarized judgments about the news media and how well it is fulfilling its role in our democracy.

  COVID-19 Special Edition IPR Research Letter – Archive

To help keep public relations professionals informed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the weekly IPR Research Letter will now primarily focus on COVID-19-related industry research and applied topics related to our IPR Commissions and Centers of Excellence. Below is an archive of these special edition letters.

Subscribe to the weekly edition here!

How Organizations Can Help Increase Vaccine Uptake | August 5, 2021

How can organizations better understand stakeholder perceptions of vaccinations and how does that influence vaccine confidence?

In this IPR webinar, IPR President and CEO Dr. Tina McCorkindale examines critical theories and models that increase vaccine uptake will be addressed as well as the indirect costs of vaccinations, effective message framing strategies, and intervention/incentive strategies for success. Finally, best practices of organizations will be spotlighted.

The Fluency Report: Understanding Communication’s Role in Health Literacy | July 29, 2021

The democratization of information is accelerating. Healthcare consumers are actively seeking out an ever-wider range of information from an expanding range of resources, influencers, and voices to proactively manage their health. But according to The Fluency Report: Health Literacy by Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications and W2O Emerging Insights Lab, companies are not the go-to source. Leading this webinar is Abby Hayes, Practice Leader of DE&I Engagement at Real Chemistry and Jason Davis, Research Professor in the Office of Research and Creative Activity at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

 

The New Live Engagement Program: Virtual is Here to Stay | July 8, 2021

During the past year, meeting and event professionals across the globe were forced to adapt to the “new normal” of virtual events. Although most of us missed our in-person meetings, we discovered some advantages of virtual events like extended reach and accessibility. This has unlocked new opportunities for organizations to build valuable relationships with their customers, prospects, and other constituents through live events- both virtual and in-person. We are entering the era of year-round live engagement programs and it’s important to find a long-term virtual event solution that enables you to deliver best-in-class content, connect your audience members, build community, and allow for sponsor activation opportunities along the way.

In this IPR webinar, we’ll share tips and best practices on how to improve your virtual event channel so you can deliver great virtual events that your attendees will love.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:
-The latest technology trends impacting the virtual world
-The ongoing role of virtual events in your total event program
-How to build an engaging virtual event your attendees will love, and how to connect them with each other
-Best practices from industry peers for virtual events of all sizes

Making Communications Accessible by Design | June 3, 2021

Every day content is published that’s inaccessible to many. Campaigns are launched that aren’t designed to be inclusive of people of all abilities, such as those with sight, hearing, speech and cognitive impairments. Over a billion people – one in eight of the world’s population – have some form of disability, making them a significant audience to exclude by default or design.

Based on the recently released study, Making Communications Accessible by Design by Current Global, this IPR Webinar provides an overview of why communicators have a moral and financial imperative to change, along with helpful resources for how to create more inclusive content and campaigns.

Best Practices in Research, Analysis, and Insights | April 29, 2021

The importance of communication research, analysis, and evaluation continues to grow due to the pace of change in the marketplace and the corresponding need to make smarter and better decisions at the speed of business. Communicators must embrace the data that represent their performance and continue to apply that communication performance data as they evolve from “no data” to “simpler output-based tactical and performance data reporting” to “outcome-based data-informed predictive analysis and insights.”

The Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission released the Communicator’s Guide to Research, Analysis, and Evaluation was created to help public relations leaders understand how they can apply data, research, and analytics to uncover insights that inform strategic decision making, improve communication performance, and deliver meaningful business contributions.

Mark Weiner, Chief Insights Officer at Cognito, presented top-level findings from Communicator’s Guide to Research, Analysis, and Evaluation. Join us as he moderates Allyson Hugley, Vice President, Analytics and Market Research, Global Communications of Prudential Financial and Sarab Kochhar, Ph.D., Director of Communications of Kaiser Permanente, to explore why research, analysis, and evaluation are critical in communication.

Download the full report at: instituteforpr.org/communicators-guide-research-2021/

Best Practices in Research, Analysis, and Insights | April 28, 2021

The importance of communication research, analysis, and evaluation continues to grow due to the pace of change in the marketplace and the corresponding need to make smarter and better decisions at the speed of business. Communicators must embrace the data that represent their performance and continue to apply that communication performance data as they evolve from “no data” to “simpler output-based tactical and performance data reporting” to “outcome-based data-informed predictive analysis and insights.”

The Institute for Public Relations Measurement Commission released the Communicator’s Guide to Research, Analysis, and Evaluation was created to help public relations leaders understand how they can apply data, research, and analytics to uncover insights that inform strategic decision making, improve communication performance, and deliver meaningful business contributions.

Mark Weiner, Chief Insights Officer at Cognito, will present top-level findings from Communicator’s Guide to Research, Analysis, and Evaluation. Join us as he moderates Allyson Hugley, Vice President, Analytics and Market Research, Global Communications of Prudential Financial and Sarab Kochhar, Ph.D., Director of Communications of Kaiser Permanente, to explore why research, analysis, and evaluation are critical in communication.

Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy: A Tool For Practitioners | February 2, 2021

In a world with unlimited supplies of vaccine and budget to support outreach, public officials could craft highly specific campaigns for each community and identity in the world. The vaccine would be simultaneously available to everyone, and our personal doctors would administer it and assure us of its safety and efficacy.

That world doesn’t exist.

The University of Florida recently held a “living literature review” with 16 social and behavioral psychologists, medical anthropologists, behavioral economists, neuroscientists, and political communications scholars to ask: What makes people resilient against misinformation? What drives vaccine hesitancy? Which frames will be most effective? What kinds of message strategies have been effective with specific communities? And finally, what are some of the best ways to make taking the vaccine a social norm? Eight principles emerged from those conversations that we believe can increase trust, acceptance, and demand for vaccination.

In this IPR webinar, Ann Christiano and Jack Barry from the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida, shared these principles and insights from a survey conducted in October to test them, along with examples of these principles in action.

How Communicators Can Navigate the COVID-19 Vaccine | December 17, 2020

With the staggered rollout around the world of the COVID-19 vaccine, compelling and targeted communications are central to increasing vaccine uptake. Employees and external audiences are increasingly depending on companies to be trusted sources for providing credible information and resources.

The Institute for Public Relations recently published an in-depth guide, “A Communicator’s Guide to COVID-19 Vaccines,” outlining research, theories, models, and research-driven recommendations for organizations to use when communicating about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Hosted by the guide’s author and IPR President and CEO, Tina McCorkindale this webinar shares some of the key findings from the guide.

The Career Path of a Social Media Professional | October 29, 2020

Approximately half of social media managers say they work more than their colleagues and plan to leave their current role within two years, according to a new study of social media managers. The Institute for Public Relations, Ragan Communications, and the University of Florida partnered on a survey of more than 450 social media professionals about their career path, including the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The report focuses on the structure and budget of the social media function within organizations; the background, experience, and career path of the social media manager; and the job skills, work-life fit, and performance of the social media manager.

This IPR Webinar features Diane Schwartz, Ragan Communications, Dr. Marcia DiStaso, University of Florida, and Dr. Tina McCorkindale, as they discuss the key findings from the report and what the future looks like for the future social media managers.

Advanced Thinking: AI, Diversity & Inclusion, Reputation, Algorithms, & More | September 29, 2020

The Makovsky Master’s Thesis of the Year Award recognizes and encourages graduate study and scholarship in public relations through an annual competition to find the best master’s thesis. This webinar will feature the four finalists and their outstanding thesis presentations.

Featuring:
—Connecting a Global Capability Framework for PR and Communication Management to Organizational and Cultural Socialization by Luis Fernando Vergara Arietta, University of Oklahoma

—How PR Agencies Communicate Diversity and Inclusion Practices on Their Websites by Gloris Trujillo, University of Alabama

—The Rise of Intelligent Machines: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the PR Industry by Manuelita Maldonado, University of Southern California

Emerging Ethical Issues in Public Relations | September 17, 2020

In celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the [revised} PRSA Code of Ethics, scholars, and practitioners will gather together to discuss the emerging ethical issues in public relations. In collaboration with PRSA Educators Academy, AEJMC Media Ethics Division, and our generous host, Institute for Public Relations, we welcome Dr. Erica Ciszek from UT Austin, Nina Smith from PoliSol Public Affairs, and Dr. Nneka Logan from Virginia Tech for a conversation on what’s ahead for public relations in a very curious environment that we affectionately refer to as “the new normal.”

 

Achieving Intercultural Competence: What PR Leaders Have to Learn about D&I | September 17, 2020

Download Research Brief: Research Brief: Intercultural Competence
Download Presentation: Solutions – Intercultural Competence

Despite incremental efforts to increase training and education for leaders in the area of diversity and inclusion, there is little agreement across the industry about the core competencies needed by leaders to manage more diverse, globally astute organizations and communicate effectively with diverse publics.

What types of education or training resources do leaders in PR need to strengthen their competencies toward diversity and inclusion? Research supported by the Arthur W. Page Society opens a conversation for senior leaders to assess their assets and build the ideal competencies needed to effectively practice diversity and inclusion.

2020 IPR Disinformation in Society Report | September 1, 2020

Join IPR President and CEO Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, as she shares more insights into the IPR 2020 Disinformation in Society Report. The webinar will explore the prevalence of disinformation in the U.S., the parties most responsible for sharing disinformation, the level of trust the American public has for different information sources, and whose job it is to combat disinformation.

 

Leadership Perspectives: Leading and Looking Ahead Through COVID-19 | August 20, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to threaten the health of millions worldwide, it also continues to significantly impact businesses and has led many corporate leaders to shift their priorities. For some, this means focusing more on internal engagement; for others, it necessitates a refreshed look at mobile technologies and the role they will play in this “new normal.”

The Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm have released an in-depth e-book, “Leadership Perspectives: Leading and Looking Ahead Through COVID-19,” focused on critical topics affecting the public relations industry while looking ahead to the future of public relations and communication.

Presented by the Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm, Moyra Knight, VP Communications, Corporate Citizenship & President Astellas Global Health Foundation of Astellas Pharma, Jennifer Witter, Chief Executive Officer/Founder of The Boreland Group Inc., and Jill Carapellotti, Group Vice President, Corporate of Macy’s, Inc., deep dive into the six overarching themes of the report.

Returning to the Workplace in an Era of Heightened Sensitivity | May 28, 2020

Join HOK’s Firmwide Director of Interiors Tom Polucci and Director of Consulting Adam Stoltz as they discuss how to best prepare for the return to the workplace. COVID-19 will not only change the way we work, it will change how we engage with people and physical space. As we prepare to return to the workplace there are many elements we need to rethink, starting with our own personal readiness, the commute, access to the building, physical distancing, what we touch, and how we interact with each other.

A new social dynamic will be created with the potential for unease, increased anxiety, and conflict. To help people function at higher levels, feel more confident and at ease, we must not only address how we design the workplace but also create protocols and clearly communicate those with our colleagues. Returning to the workplace in an era of heightened sensitivity will take clear and decisive action, but we can create spaces that bring us together while keeping us apart.

Special Report: How Companies Are Engaging Employees During COVID-19 | April 21, 2020

Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, and Steve Cody, Founder and CEO of Peppercomm and IPR Chair, discuss the results of a new study by IPR and Peppercomm that surveyed 403 communication executives and senior leaders to find out how their companies are communicating with and engaging their workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key topics include what are the most trusted go-to sources and channels for communicators, how the pandemic has impacted the workforce including employee satisfaction and productivity; what companies are communicating about and how they are tracking it; how diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have changed; how companies are preparing for the return-to-work; and best practices for internal communication during this crisis. (Aired April 21, 2020)

New Report: How Businesses Are Handling the COVID-19 Pandemic | March 20, 2020

Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., APR, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, and Steve Cody, Founder and CEO of Peppercomm and IPR Chair, will discuss the results the new study by IPR and Peppercomm that surveyed 300 communication executives and senior leaders to find out how their companies were faring in the COVID-19 pandemic.

This session will discuss findings of how vital the communication function is during this crisis, the most-trusted and suggested sources, how prepared communicators are for the crisis and its impact on the business, and which stakeholders they are most communicating to about changes and updates. The session will also share advice with business leaders about ways to tackle issues surrounding COVID-19.

To read the full report, please visit here. 

The Future of Work: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Reality Today | December 5, 2019

The Future of Work: Preparing for Tomorrow’s Reality Today

Presented by Dr. Melissa Dodd, University of Central Florida
Sponsored by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center

This Institute for Public Relations (IPR) 2019 Future of Work Report investigates the future of work and the impact of several factors on the changing nature of work, including a rapidly and continuously shifting technological landscape, the growth of globalization and a contract economy, and the juxtaposition of new and tenured members of the workforce.

For this report, 25 executives to organizational/internal communication were interviewed to determine how they are strategizing around this new reality.

Blockchain Technology: The Marketing Value of Digital Permanence | September 26, 2019

 

When you hear loud voices proclaiming that new technology is going to radically transform industries for better or worse, you know that you’re onto something big. Blockchain technology is the next big thing to hit the PR industry.

Blockchain technology—the innovation that supports the Bitcoin cryptocurrency protocol and so much more— will have a greater impact on the communications and marketing trade within the next five to ten years than social media did from 1995 to 2005.

In this webinar, Phil Gomes, Chief Communications Officer of Bloq, will walk us through blockchain, what’s at stake, what’s happening today, and what is yet possible.

2019 Disinformation in Society | August 1, 2019

Sixty-three percent of Americans view disinformation—or deliberately misleading or biased information—as a “major” problem in society, on par with gun violence (63%) and terrorism (66%), according to the 2019 Institute for Public Relations Disinformation in Society Report.

The 2019 IPR Disinformation in Society Report surveyed 2,200 adults with Morning Consult to determine the prevalence of disinformation, who is responsible for sharing disinformation, the level of trust in different information sources, and the parties responsible for combatting disinformation.

Learn more about disinformation’s role in society in this free webinar featuring IPR President and CEO Dr. Tina McCorkindale.

With Data and Intelligence: Coping in a VUCA World | May 16, 2019

With Data and Intelligence: Coping in a VUCA world
In an environment that is increasingly dominated by disruptive, fast-evolving technology, professional communicators are confronted with ever new challenges and opportunities.

Continuous and accelerating change is the new normal. Social media and smart devices have completely changed the playing field of PR within just a few years. Paid, earned, shared and owned media become one and the same in a user’s experience. At the same time, there is growing evidence that the way in which we pay attention and are affected by information is much less conscious and rational, and much more instinctive and affective, than we realize.

Watch this webinar presented by IPR Measurement Commission members Ana Adi, Ph.D. from Quadriga University, and Thomas Stoeckle, host of the Small Data Forum Podcast.

In this webinar, they address skills and capabilities requirements for successful communicators of the future. They also teach you about the latest thinking regarding systematic data-led planning and execution of communication activities, as well as examples of measurement and evaluation best practices.

Measure & Evaluate Internal Communication for Maximum Effectiveness | November 5, 2018

Measure & Evaluate Internal Communication for Maximum Effectiveness

This webinar was presented by the IPR Commission on Measurement and Evaluation in coordination with AMEC’s North America Measurement Week. For too long, the focus for internal communications has been building and measuring employee engagement. But what exactly does this mean, and how do you raise employee engagement?

What Internal Communication professionals should be measuring are the components of engagement—21 to be exact, divided among:

• Outtakes (whether employees received, paid attention to, comprehended or retained particular messaging),
• Outcomes (evidence of changes to, or reinforcement of opinions, attitudes or behaviors),
• Organizational Impact (if and how internal communication has influenced organizational performance).

Recently codified by Sean Williams, Julie O’Neil, and their colleagues (see the February 2018 PR Journal) each grouping has specific standards that can be measured independently of each other and thus be tackled for improvement in many ways—words, symbols, actions, etc. All together, these 21 standards might define “engagement” but without measuring them independently, we really won’t know the root cause of an engagement problem. This session examines the 21 Standards and explore ways that measuring some (or all) can start a change effort all on its own.

Mind the Gap: Increasing Women’s Leadership in PR | October 11, 2018

In this first part of a two-part study, KPMG and the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) conducted a series of focus groups with female and male executives and mid-level leaders in agencies and corporations to find out their views on mentorship, leadership, work-life integration, workplace policies, and their ascension to the top. Both groups gave solutions for how to boost women in leadership in the profession. The results may surprise you!

How Behavioral Science Can Improve Decision Making in Communications | September 7, 2018

One of the most exciting areas in research today is how behavioral science can help us better understand stakeholder decision making and behavior. This webinar provides an overview of the promising areas of research in behavioral science and its application in organizations, specifically communications and marketing. Best practices, case studies, and examples of behavioral science research from multiple perspectives will be presented.

Taking a Stand on Social Issues: The Evolving Roles of CMOs and CCOs | August 15, 2018

Download Slides (PDF): Taking a Stand on Social Issues: The Evolving Roles of CMOs and CCOs

Many Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) and Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) are now leading the way to give their organizations a social voice, both internally and externally, with employees, customers and clients. Companies are more comfortable with uncertainty and are spending more time addressing social topics that may, or may not, be related to their core business but are guided by their organizational principles and values.

Our special guest presenters—Southwest’s CCO, Linda Rutherford, and Peppercomm’s co-founder and CEO, Steve Cody— will share their adept perspectives of the shifting roles as a result of the current volatile social, cultural and political climate and will discuss the findings of our third study co-branded with Peppercomm.

From Complex to Concise: Using Data Research and Measurement to Simplify Health Communications | May 22, 2018

Audio:

Download Presentation: From Complex To Concise: Using Data, Research and Measurement to Simplify Healthcare Communications

It’s no secret: healthcare is complicated. From medical terminology and mile-long acronyms, to policy and business jargon, it’s challenging to boil down heavy subject matter into messages that are palatable enough for patients and concise enough for busy providers. Join seasoned healthcare leaders from Dignity Health and Medtronic, Inc. for a discussion on how using data, research and measurement can simplify your healthcare communications strategies, campaigns and messages. Through the lens of meaty healthcare topics such as Value-Based Healthcare, presenters will share proven tips to communicate more effectively with patients and provider audiences.

Millennials @ Work: Perspectives on Reputation, Diversity and Inclusion | June 15, 2017

Download Presentation:  IPR Webinar: Millennials @ Work: Perspectives on Reputation, Diversity and Inclusion

Sponsored By:

Millennials now represent the largest generation in the work force (35%), and they will be leaders in organizations and in the public relations profession for several decades. It’s no secret that Millennials place importance on diversity and inclusion (D&I) when considering a new job. 47 percent of Millennials consider the D&I of a workplace an important criterion in their job search compared to 33 percent of Gen Xers and 37 percent of Boomers.

Reputation is another top priority for Millennials when it comes to their careers. They place a higher value on building and maintaining a positive digital presence as a reputation booster at work compared to the other generations. One in five Millennials believe both their work and social media reputations are equally important.

Join Chief Reputation Strategist of Weber Shandwick and IPR Trustee, Leslie Gaines-Ross, and IPR Director of Research, Dr. Sarab Kochhar, with Millennials Josh Ferrari and Maddi Messner as they discuss and analyze the stigma around this age group and what they really seek out of a workplace.

Current Research Trends and Insights in Internal Communications | October 26, 2017

In this webinar, the editorial team of the Institute for Public Relations’ Organizational Communication Research Center, Dr. Rita Men, Katy Robinson, and Patrick Thelen, will give an overview of the current issues, research trends and insights related to internal
communications. Recent studies on important issues such as leadership communication, internal use of social media, change communication, etc. will be reviewed and discussed.

Download Slides:  Trends and Insights in Internal Communication (PDF)

“From Content to Context: Reshaping Employee Engagement” | August 31, 2016