COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on junior talent in the PR industry and widened ethnic, social and gender diversity gaps.

The PR industry has contracted by as much as £1.6bn in 2020 due the COVID-19. That’s a 10% decline due to COVID-19 according to the PRCA PR and Communications Census 2020. COVID-19 has impacted entry level and junior roles in the PR industry. It has also had a disproportionate impact on ethnicity, social diversity and the gender pay gap.

The census is different to previous years. The original data was collected in March before lockdown restrictions were imposed in the UK. The PRCA re-issued part of the survey in October to determine the impact of COVID-19.

In March, the industry was valued at £15.7bn and employed 97,300 people. Data from October finds that two-thirds of practitioners are back at work full time, 17% part time, 10% have been made redundant and 9% are on furlough.

However the PRCA is bullish about the recovery for the PR industry. It polled FTSE 250 leaders in July 2020 and found that PR had played a key role in developing COVID-19 strategy in 63% of organisations and was represented at board in seven-in-ten-organisations.

“The effects of the pandemic offer our industry the opportunity to reset our approach to diversity. For too long, our industry has recruited and promoted in its own image. There is genuine appetite for change amongst business leaders and our industry must seize this opportunity,” said Francis Ingham, Director General, PRCA.

Skewed salaries for PR jobs

The impact of COVID-19 on salaries is surprising given the level of furlough and redundancies. The average salary has risen approximately 10% during the crisis from £46,513 to £50,606.

The PRCA explains that the difference may be due to high numbers of respondents in senior roles; it could also suggest redundancies have most severely impacted junior roles.

Agency PR jobs: average salaries

The average salary for agency professionals before March was £46,832. The current average salary is £57,121.

Chairman, CEO and MD £66,125
Board director and partner £67,810
Associate, divisional director and senior account director £59,818
Account director £47,464
Senior account manager £40,736
Account manager £30,893
Senior account executive £27,368
Account executive £22,499

In-house PR jobs: average PR salaries

The average salary across in-house teams before COVID-19 was £46,357. The current in-house salary is slightly lower at £46,121.

VP/Director £59,252
Head of unit £62,648
Senior manager £48,443
Junior manager £38,582
Senior executive £32,380
Junior executive £29,764

Freelance

The average income for freelancers in March was £49,370 and the current freelance income is £39,962.

Diversity in the PR industry

The PRCA Census report on the scale of the challenge facing the industry’s attempts to become more racially equitable.

While the number of Black and ethnically diverse professionals has increased incrementally to 12%, from 10% in 2019, professionals from these backgrounds occupy predominantly junior roles. Almost 9 out 10 (88%) managing directors identify as White British but half (54%) of account executives identify in the same way.

Educational background in PR

Half (52%) of practitioners attended a state run or funded nonselective school. This is followed by an independent or fee-paying school (20%), state run or funded selective school (19%), and school outside the UK (8%).

These figures have changed slightly since March. The number of practitioners educated in a state non-selective school was 46%, followed by independent fee paying school (21%), state run or funded selective school (19%), and school outside the UK (11%).

Data from the Sutton Trust reveals that 7% of the UK population was privately educated. The number of privately educated professionals in PR is three times the national average, raising key concerns about inclusion and social mobility.

Gender pay gap in PR

The PRCA Census reports a concerning rise in the gender pay gap, which grew from 14% in 2019 to 15% in March 2020.

The most recent data gathered in October suggests the gap has risen further to 21% but this may be caused by the large numbers of senior respondents who took part in the second survey.

Methodology

This PRCA PR and Communications Census was issued in two parts. Both online surveys were generated by Norstat using two different sample sources:

• Targeted sample sent to PRCA members and PRWeek subscribers.

• Public on PRCA and PRWeek website.

The fieldwork for the first survey was conducted between 5 February and March. The survey generated 918 responses.

The fieldwork for the second survey was conducted between 8 October and 3 November. The survey generated 333 responses.