As healthcare communications leaders begin to chart their way through the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Healthcare Communications Association (HCA) initiative has revealed what those in the earlier stages of their careers want to see happen next.

When our offices closed their doors in March 2021 and the healthcare communications industry switched to remote working almost overnight, it was unimaginable that this would remain the status quo for more than a year. Fifteen months later, as we continue to work in our kitchens, bedrooms or in whatever space we can find, it’s returning to the office that can now feel difficult to imagine. But this is exactly what many healthcare communicators may soon have the opportunity to do. So, are things about to go back to ‘normal’ – or what we thought of as normal back in early March last year?

Can they? More importantly, should they? While healthcare communications leaders are sharing their thoughts on what the future holds, we believe that it has never been more important to make sure those in the earlier stages of their career are part of the conversation.

Before the pandemic, working remotely was reserved for when we needed to wait in for a delivery or get our heads down away from the hustle and bustle of the office. Working from home regularly or for a significant chunk of the week, however, was the preserve of more senior staff or freelancers. While many of us could see the advantages, we didn’t seriously consider it as an option that was open to us.

When change came, it came fast. Suddenly, everything from brainstorms to appraisals and pub quizzes were done through a screen. A recent survey carried out by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) with agency and in-house leaders found that the majority of the industry is set to move away from the old five-days-in-the-office model and embrace hybrid working on a permanent basis, so it looks like change is here to stay. But some of the challenges posed by the pandemic have been different for senior staff compared to staff who are in the early years or even months of their careers. If our industry is about to hit the reset button on how we work, we need to make sure those who represent our future aren’t left out in the cold.

This is why the HCA launched the Stick, Twist or Throw Away? survey. The survey gathered insights from over 130 early career healthcare communicators across agency and in-house, looking at how the changes to working practices and personal lives of the past year have impacted them and what they would like to keep, change or throw away as we (hopefully!) continue our transition out of lockdown.

We took the survey findings to a workshop with 40 Future Leaders in healthcare communications, all nominated by the heads of their respective organisations. Together, they carved out three priority areas for healthcare communications leaders to keep at the top of their minds as they plan the next step. From the survey findings and the workshop feedback, one thing is very clear: the remote working/office working debate is about far more than where we do our work.

It is about how we work together, how we build relationships, how we learn and grow and how we develop our careers. It is about how we look after ourselves and each other. It is about how we shape an industry for a future that we all want to be part of.
Dear healthcare communications leaders, this is what our Future Leaders want you to know:

There was plenty of healthy debate during the Future Leaders workshops, but everyone agreed that no single approach to balancing remote and office working will suit everyone. Actively seeking people’s views on how to manage the return to the office and listening to what they say will be essential, and the Future Leaders suggested using anonymous surveys and other feedback mechanisms to ensure that every voice is heard. There was also strong recognition that flexibility isn’t something that will ‘just happen’. If flexibility is the goal, it will need to be actively encouraged and modelled by leaders.

The Future Leaders made it very clear that team well-being mustn’t be allowed to fall by the wayside as we pivot to the new normal. They want to see leaders starting conversations about mental health and well-being and investing in training to support the team.

Learning from others and networking are key areas where remote working falls down. It was clear from the Future Leaders that there is a need to find new ways to learn and grow together now we are less likely to be spending every working day side-by-side in the office. Yes, virtual courses and training sessions can help, but how do we replicate the sharing of experience and ‘learning by osmosis’ that happens when we discuss our work with those who sit next to us if they’re not sitting next to us anymore? How do you create spaces for people to receive feedback, ask questions and discuss career development?

Creating opportunities to connect with and learn from agency peers from other account teams, as well as senior leaders, is a good place to start. Virtual coffee sessions or small gatherings could all be helpful for building relationships beyond account teams, as well as sharing knowledge and insights. As members of the HCA, we were also inspired by the suggestion that the organisation could play a role in enabling early career communicators to develop their networks beyond their own agencies or companies.

Work-life balance was something that many of the Future Leaders had struggled to find and maintain over the past year. Without the natural start and stop times of arriving into the office and leaving, the lines between work and everything else can become blurred. If we are moving towards a model where flexible working is encouraged, making sure people can keep a healthy balance will be vital for well-being.

Encouraging people to schedule personal time in their calendars – for lunch, childcare or just a break – can help, but only if that time is respected by everyone. Creating ‘no meeting’ times, for example, at the beginning and end of the day to give people time to transition from home to work and back again was a popular suggestion. Ultimately, what matters most is a culture that respects people’s personal time, and this is something that must come from the top down.

We were drawn to a career in healthcare communications in part by the variety it promised. We didn’t expect to be sitting behind a desk for seven or more hours a day, five days a week. Before the pandemic, we travelled, attended and ran events on behalf of our clients or as part of our own career development. We spent time meeting with and talking with others from within our teams, companies, industries and beyond. We got together for brainstorms, planning sessions, training, to share knowledge, create together, celebrate together, learn from each other and simply to enjoy each other’s company.

What is abundantly clear from our work with the Future Leaders’ initiative is that our earlier-career colleagues need more than flexible working policies: they want to be engaged with their companies, colleagues and our wider industry, just as we do. They want opportunities to learn, grow and achieve their ambitions, and they want to do this in an environment that prioritises their well-being and respects the need for balance in their lives. They recognise that our industry stands at a crossroads and they are full of ideas to guide the next stage of its journey. Of course, commercial considerations also need to be factored in, so open dialogue will be key to ensure the journey is both smooth and successful for everybody. Their most important message for healthcare communications leaders is therefore a simple one: let us help you shape our future.
If you’re a healthcare communicator working at any level from Assistant Account Executive to Account Director (or equivalent) and are interested in getting involved in the Future Leaders initiative and/or have thoughts and ideas on this topic to share, please contact us at the HCA at FutureLeaders@the-hca.org

Rebecca Tait is Senior Account Director at 90TEN and member of the HCA’s Future Leaders Working Group.

Ruth McIntyre is Associate Director at 90TEN and member of the HCA’s Future Leaders Working Group.

Edward Halliday is Senior Account Executive at OVID Health and member of the HCA’s Future Leaders Working Group.