Internal Communicators Rely on PR Basics to Address Return to Work

They are among the most-asked questions now: What will the return to office (RTO) look like and when will it happen? For most companies, the truth is, ‘We’re not entirely sure.’

A slew of companies have delayed or postponed RTO several times, resulting in depressed office occupancy rates (see chart 1). Amazon’s office staff isn’t expected back until 2022. Others have reduced their office spaces permanently.

Still others are betting on new work arrangements. These companies argue work from home (WFH), with periodic in-person meetings, will attract the best talent, who can live literally anywhere. Just last week, PricewaterhouseCoopers confirmed a similar arrangement for 40,000 US-based staff.

All this uncertainty means internal communication is at the forefront again, as it was during the pandemic’s outset.

While the moment is unlike anything we’ve seen, PR basics are a useful starting point. For example, looking at the target audience should be the internal communicators’ first consideration. There’s a lot to unpack.