According to a new study conducted by Fire on the Hill in association with Mercury Analytics, communications professionals may have greater influence in their businesses in 2026 and beyond – as well as a bigger budget for their department. The “Voice of the Chief Communications Officer” shares promising statistics for the future of the industry.
The report suggests that communications teams may be set to thrive, even as most business functions are seeing tighter budgets due to economic uncertainty. According to the study, 80% of in-house communications professionals are expecting a rise in their company’s budget for PR and communications in 2026, with only 3% expecting the budget to decrease instead.
The report also states that communication strategies are being reviewed more often, with 66% of UK professionals (60% in the US) reporting that communication strategies – and as a result, budgets – are updated more often now than compared to the past.
The reason for this positive forecast may be due to changes on a leadership level. 77% of the research’s responders reported that communications have been represented in their organisation’s highest decision-making level for a long time (five+ years). This is a more recent development, with 15% of UK respondents and a further 20% of US responses noting this representation was implemented in the last five years.
While this research has optimistic results for the future of communications budgets, it comes during a time when other sectors are facing financial challenges. Some communications leaders claimed that this economic uncertainty is still their biggest challenge, with 12% believing that budget constraints will make the year more difficult. Additionally, technology was listed as one of the issues responsible, with 24% of responders to this research citing AI as a significant issue facing their organisations in the upcoming year.
The main benefit of AI is how efficient it can be for automating low priority tasks and administration, which naturally complements the role of a communications professional. After all, this industry is all about bridging gaps between commercial opportunities and ensuring that the client (or company, if it’s an in-house position) has access to as many of these opportunities as possible.
Overall, while the commercial landscape is becoming harder to navigate, communications professionals are still key to bridging the gap by ensuring that their company has the correct strategic priorities. This research suggests that companies are aware of this, and it is positive sign for communications budgets going forwards. The communications field looks set to remain an essential business cog as we head into 2026 and beyond.