PR73 Bridges the Trust Gap for In-House Communications

85% of in-house communications professionals face a trust gap with internal stakeholders—PR73 partners with NewtonX to uncover the causes and deliver actionable strategies.

The Hidden costs of the in-house communications “trust gap”

In-house communications teams are often the voice of an organization, yet many face a hidden challenge: a “trust gap” from senior leadership and other departments. This gap doesn’t just frustrate—it undermines their ability to deliver results. Viewed as cost centers rather than strategic partners, these teams struggle to secure resources and meet resistance when executing strategies, often having to justify their value to internal stakeholders.

PR73, an integrated communications firm, recognized that to solve this problem for their clients, they needed a deeper understanding of these trust dynamics. Partnering with NewtonX, they set out to uncover the root causes and develop actionable insights to help restore confidence in communications teams.

Survey of 100 communications decision-makers reveal insights into trust gaps, resource allocation, and strategic execution

NewtonX and PR73 set out to uncover the root causes of the “trust gap” facing in-house communications teams and how it hampers their effectiveness. NewtonX used its proprietary capabilities to find and verify 100 in-house communications professionals from major organizations like NBC Universal, Disney, and Visa. These verified professionals participated in a targeted survey, ensuring the results reflected real challenges faced by decision-makers in the field.

The survey revealed several key challenges:

• 89% agreed that partnering with an external agency improved internal trust and increased perceived competence.
• 85% of communications professionals reported a lack of trust from internal stakeholders, directly impacting their ability to execute strategies.
• 48% felt their department was viewed as a cost center, making it difficult to secure necessary resources.
• 71% encountered resistance when implementing strategies across departments, resulting in inefficiencies.

PR73 unveils a groundbreaking report on Trust in communications

Backed by verified insights from NewtonX, PR73 launched the Building Trust: Insights and Strategies for Communications Teams report, which reveals the often-overlooked issue of internal distrust in communications teams. The report offers a deep dive into how this trust gap hinders productivity and the strategic potential of communications professionals.

AdAge featured the research in its article, Study: In-house comms teams suffer from a ‘trust gap’, which spotlighted that 85% of professionals struggle with internal credibility. “We had an inkling that a trust gap existed, but not at this level,” said Justin Goldstein, PR73’s founder and lead strategist. He emphasized how the lack of trust impacts key performance indicators and the functioning of communications teams.

The insights helped PR73 guide communications teams in building confidence across both internal and external audiences. “This research and its recommendations provide a first step for in-house communications professionals to close the trust gap. NewtonX gave us the quantifiable evidence needed to offer actionable guidance and strengthen our clients’ communication strategies. Their precision enabled us to deliver insights that make a real difference.”