IC Resources Allocation: How Do You Compare With Your Peers?
Lise Michaud
The convergence and integration of communication disciplines are becoming a hot topic. A whole chapter of Disrupting the Function of IC – A Global Perspective is dedicated to the subject, while the theme is also discussed in other parts of the ebook. A recent research from USC Annenberg (USC Annenberg's 2017 Global Communications Report ) found that almost half of PR professionals and more than 60% of marketing executives believe that their two disciplines will become more closely aligned in the next five years.
Is this something you are already experiencing in your own organization? How does it affect the allocation of resources dedicated to the internal communication function?
Every summer, CEB (now Gartner) runs a benchmarking survey for communications staffing and budget allocation. This year, the survey is open to non-clients as well, giving you an opportunity to get a detailed look into your function’s resource allocation across key activities, and compare yourself to other companies. By taking part in this comprehensive survey, you will receive a custom report detailing how your resourcing compares to peers in the same revenue band. Key benchmarks include: Overall resource levels, Function responsibilities and Executing on activities (see details below*).
According to CEB, as organizations try to strengthen brand externally with culture internally, the previously distinct functions of communications and marketing find themselves facing ever-blurrier lines. In 2016, for example, 23% of communication leaders reported to the CMO. This percentage has more than doubled since 2014, when just 10% reported into the CMO, and is now almost equal to the percentage reporting into the CEO (24%).
"The significance of this reporting line shift is found in the concurrent shift in resource allocation. Convergence with marketing leads communications teams to skew externally in their budget. This budget shift includes a significant increase in dollars spent on the corporate website, with a proportional decrease in employee communications", reports CEB.
This has implications for strategic and resource allocation decisions. "Budget decisions always come with inherent trade-offs. And with ever-multiplying ways to spend your communications budget, it can be a challenge to allocate the funds. Where do the dollars actually go? We’ve been tracking benchmarks based on budget, staff, and activity spend for 12 years".
To see how you stack up, take the 2017 CEB Communications’ Benchmarking Trends Survey. Participants will receive custom reports detailing how their resourcing compares to peers in the same revenue band.
Click here to start the survey. The survey closes August 31st.
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*Key Benchmarks
Overall Resource Levels
Total Communications budget
Comms budget as a percentage of revenue
Total Communications staff size
Relative size of the Communications function
Function Responsibilities
Scope of Communications responsibilities
Spend per activity
Executing on Activities
Staff, non-staff, and vendor budget
Type of spend per activity
Staff spend per employee
