UK organisations are struggling to recruit skilled strategic communications professionals as dysfunctional hiring practices drive growing frustration among candidates, according to new research from recruitment specialist Murray McIntosh.
The company’s Strategic Communications Report 2026, based on a survey of more than 3,200 professionals across the UK, suggests employers and candidates are trapped in a cycle of ineffective recruitment processes that is worsening skills shortages while increasing employee turnover.
More than a third of employers surveyed (36%) said they are finding it difficult to attract suitably skilled candidates. Nearly a third (32%) also reported that late-stage candidate withdrawals and counter-offers are becoming more common during recruitment processes.
However, the study suggests that employers’ own hiring practices may be contributing to the problem. Among professionals surveyed, 39% said a lack of feedback following interviews was a major frustration when applying for roles. A further 37% cited long or unclear recruitment processes, while 24% reported delayed hiring decisions or a lack of communication once interviews had concluded.
Communication breakdowns during recruitment were also widely reported. Around 18% of respondents highlighted poor communication from recruiters as a concern, while 15% said employers lacked transparency around salary and benefits when advertising positions.
The report arrives as mobility within the strategic communications workforce remains high. According to the survey, 58% of professionals working in the sector are considering changing roles within the next six months, increasing the risk that ineffective hiring processes could accelerate staff departures across organisations already facing skills shortages.
Lauren Maddocks, Associate Director for Policy and Public Affairs at Murray McIntosh, said hiring processes in the sector have become increasingly inefficient and risk damaging employer reputation among candidates.
“Recruitment in strategic communications is becoming increasingly dysfunctional. Candidates are frustrated by silence and slow processes, while employers are overwhelmed by volume but still unable to secure the right skills. In a market where mobility is already high, every delay or communication gap increases the risk of losing talent altogether.
“Hiring processes have become a reputational issue. Employers that fail to streamline recruitment, communicate clearly and act decisively are not just missing out on candidates, they are actively pushing them away at a time when skills shortages and retention pressures are intensifying.”
The findings highlight a growing tension in the labour market for communications professionals, where organisations report shortages of experienced candidates despite high levels of job mobility.
Recruitment specialists say the gap between employer expectations and candidate experience is becoming increasingly significant, particularly in sectors where communications roles are tied to policy, public affairs, and corporate reputation management.
As competition for skilled communications professionals intensifies, the report suggests organisations may need to reassess recruitment timelines, communication standards, and transparency around pay in order to secure and retain talent.
Without changes to hiring practices, the study warns that recruitment inefficiencies could continue to exacerbate workforce instability in the strategic communications sector.
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