What are the experiences of young talents in the field of communication management and public relations in their daily work? What opportunities and challenges arise in the context of an increasingly flexible working environment? These questions are explored in the study „Die Macherinnen und Macher von Morgen 2.0“ (The makers of tomorrow 2.0). The study is based in a quantitative online survey of 249 young professionals from the PR and communications industry in Germany. All respondents are part of the #30u30 initiative, which has been recognizing 30 talents under the age of 30 each year since 2012 and establishing a network for the next generation of PR professionals.
The report on the study (45 pages, PDF) in German is now available at https://bit.ly/mm-morgen-2.
The current study is partly based on the results of an initial study by Leipzig University from 2020 on the professional and private challenges of young communicators. This helps to identify developments over time in job satisfaction, stress and support from the professional and social environment. The 2024 survey also examines aspects such as remote work, work engagement and organizational commitment. The focus here is on the millennial generation, which represents one of the most influential age groups in the labor market. In addition, this cohort's experiences with technological and social upheaval significantly shape their expectations of employers in the PR and communications industry.
The results of the study show that young PR professionals have a predominantly positive perception of their professional activities and a high level of satisfaction with their work. The majority of respondents have the opportunity to choose their place of work flexibly and to organize their work autonomously. At the same time, organizational commitment – the emotional bond with the employer – is strong among a large proportion of the respondents. The social support provided by family and friends is also rated as high by the participants.
The study was conducted by Sarah Willer, M.A., as part of her master's thesis and supervised by Professor Dr. Ansgar Zerfass and Jeanne Link, M.A. The study was supported by Nico Kunkel, who launched and maintains the #30u30 initiative.