Public relations professionals are placing less importance on traditional media relations as planning and strategy take priority, research has found.

Data from the PRCA 2025 UK census found that strategy and planning has become the fastest-growing area of work (43%), overtaking traditional media relations as the sector responds to changing client expectations and emerging technologies.

Despite this, only 25% feel fully equipped for industry change, with AI and automation cited as the leading area where members want further PRCA guidance.

Meanwhile, inequality still runs through the industry, as the findings showed the gender pay gap had increased to 17%, with men earning an average of £88,257 compared with £75,141 for women.

Indeed, the ethnicity pay gap currently stands at 18%, with women significantly more likely than men to feel their organisation is not doing enough to address inequity.

Workforce demographics reveal a 53% female and 47% male split, with 22% identifying as non-white, but 21% of organisations collect no diversity data, limiting progress on DEI.

Meanwhile, 80% of men rate their mental health at work as good or very good, compared with 58% of women. Plus, most women have indicated they would prefer to be a fully remote worker over a hybrid split.

Hybrid work remains the dominant model, with women far more likely to prefer mostly remote arrangements.

Sarah Waddington, CEO at PRCA said: “This year’s Census sends a clear message: our industry is becoming more strategic, more skilled, and more essential, but we cannot ignore the widening inequalities that hold too many people back.

The rise of AI offers extraordinary opportunity, yet many practitioners feel unprepared for the scale of change ahead. The PRCA is committed to giving our industry the confidence, competence and ethical foundations it needs to thrive.”

Read the PRCA 2025 UK Census here