Understanding the Media Agenda: How HR Brands Can Ensure Their Brand Insights are Heard
Photo by Deena Englard on Unsplash
HR has never been more visible in UK media. Since the pandemic dramatically changed how we work, organisations are still trying to find their optimal working environments. From debates on hybrid/flexible working, to how AI is supporting - and rocking - organisations, as well as the UK government’s reforms on employment rights, HR is at the centre of media conversations more than ever before.
Yet, many HR brands and consultancies struggle to have their insights recognised in the media. We believe the key lies in understanding the media agenda and what editors, journalists, and ultimately the readers need to know about, and using this knowledge to shape your message accordingly.
Why the Media Agenda Matters for HR – And How to Understand It
The media agenda refers to the issues and narratives that dominate news cycles. For the HR industry, topics often trending include workplace wellbeing, pay transparency, changing legislation, AI’s impact on jobs, and skills shortages, to name a few.
Journalists are often interested in angles that tap into these topics to take their stories further. PR in HR founder Kay Phelps talked with B2B Content Strategist Hazel Maclaurin in a webinar about how a conversation with a journalist added some special insight. He said that journalists, particularly in the B2B market that cover the same topics repeatedly, need to move a story 2% onwards each time they write about it.
This is helpful information for HR brands. By understanding key trends in the media, your brand can stay ahead of the curve, reporting on these trends and entering discussions with journalists across the broad range of HR publications, adding more to the story each time.
In a previous article published on our website, we recommended 17 HR publications that you can be reading – even in a niche sector like HR, there are plenty of options to choose from, but reading and keeping on top of the subjects addressed in these publications will give a good indication on trending topics. National, B2B and Tech media also discuss HR and people issues.
Promotional content is out. Real, new insights are in. Brands that ignore this risk having their insights overlooked.
As the Edelman Trust Barometer UK 2024 found, businesses remain more trusted than either government or media, yet that trust must be earned by contributing to credible, useful conversations.
Following the UK HR News Cycle
To raise awareness and increase recognition, HR brands must be heard. To do this, they should ensure their data brings new insights to what journalists are already covering.
Monitoring HR and wider business publications helps brand leaders spot opportunities. Then using expert’s views, guidance and insights, in line with brand messages amplifies brand voice through relevant media to increase exposure.
For example, look for ONS publishing labour market figures or when the government introduces new policies, then a brand’s expert can offer timely commentary on what these changes mean for employers and employees.
Timing and Editorial Awareness
HR brands need to also understand editorial rhythms. National outlets often plan features around key events like the Spring Budget, party conferences, or awareness campaigns such as Mental Health Awareness Week. Knowing these cycles allows HR brands to anticipate demand for commentary, rather than reacting too late.
Building Journalist Relationships
Media relations in HR needs to go beyond one-off press releases. Journalists value trusted sources who understand their audience and deadlines. By engaging with journalists - and there are many excellent ones in our niche - taking time to speak with them and offering genuine insights and opinions, can go a long way in building trust and become a trusted go-to brand for comment.
Our founder Kay Phelps advises: “Journalists want substance, not sales pitches. HR leaders who share practical advice, backed by data or case studies, can stand out from the crowd.”
Adding the employer angle to stories highlights real experiences, such as case studies of successful return-to-work schemes or mental health initiatives, bringing HR issues, experiences and solutions to life.
As HR titles regularly demonstrate, using personal narratives with organisational outcomes creates compelling content that resonates with both the media and the wider public.
Using Owned and Shared Media
While securing coverage in publications is incredibly valuable, HR brands shouldn’t overlook the power of their owned channels. Publishing reports, thought leadership articles, or LinkedIn posts demonstrates authority and builds visibility. As detailed in another article we previously published, having data and expert insights offers strong media opportunities.
As mentioned, journalists seek original content that adds depth to ongoing conversations. So, if an HR brand’s research on skills shortages, for instance, gains traction online, it may catch the attention of journalists looking for credible sources.
For HR brands, being heard in the UK media is about far more than issuing press releases. It requires a deep understanding of the media agenda. Commentary around the news cycle needs to be expertly timed. And backing up insights with credible evidence is key. Above all, it means being helpful, forging relationships with journalists, providing clarity on complex workplace issues and giving journalists what they need to inform their audiences. They are not here to support HR brands, they are here to support their own readers, so all information provided must bear their audiences in mind.
Through careful research, HR leaders can ensure their insights don’t just add to the noise but meaningfully shape the debate on the future of work.
We’re always happy to have a chat about positioning your brand with journalists to increase your brand exposure. Get in touch to discuss how your brand could be one that repeatedly gets into the media spotlight.
We know that gaining valuable PR wins in the workplace media is vital, but it’s also complex.
Amplifying your messages with PR strengthens brand awareness and credibility to a much wider buying audience. It helps build trust. It helps grow your brand.
Problematically, there are hundreds of voices clamouring to be heard by national, HR and workplace B2B journalists and influencers, and only a relative few get into the media spotlight each day.
We help your brand to be one of them, repeatedly.
We use powerful PR so our clients - providers to the HR market - rise above the noise to gain exceptional brand recognition.