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Ccos Rethink Communications Functions As Their Remits Grow
(MENAFN- PRovoke)
NEW YORK-CCOs are taking on broader responsibilities and rethinking how their communications functions are structured to meet them, even as nearly half say they don't have the resources they need to do the job, according to new research from Page.
Nearly two-thirds of CCOs, 65.9%, said the scope of their communications function expanded over the last two years, while nearly nine in 10 reviewed their structure in the past year, according to Page's 2026 Navigator Benchmark Trend Report.
Business transformation is driving much of that change. Nearly eight in 10 respondents, 79.9%, cited business model change or transformation as a factor shaping how their communications function is structured or resourced, more than twice the share citing stakeholder complexity or geographic footprint.
At the same time, 44.9% of communications leaders said their functions are under-resourced to meet organizational expectations. Page found no significant differences in perceptions of under-resourcing based on organization size, revenue, ownership structure, geography or reporting line.
The findings also challenge the industry's longstanding focus on CCO access to the CEO. While reporting directly to the CEO was strongly associated with executive committee membership, it was not associated with greater confidence in demonstrating communications' business value.
“The conversation about whether communications has influence has moved on,” Page CEO Rochelle Ford said.“The question now is whether the function is designed, resourced and measured to deliver what the business expects of it. That is not a question CCOs can answer alone.”
Instead, confidence was higher among CCOs leading larger communications functions and those who considered their functions adequately resourced.
Among leaders of functions with more than 50 communications FTEs, 73.3% reported high confidence in demonstrating business value, compared with 52.4% of those leading functions with 50 or fewer. High confidence was reported by 70.8% of leaders who considered their functions adequately resourced, compared with 53% among those who described them as neutral or under-resourced.
The research shows an association rather than establishing that larger or better-resourced functions cause greater confidence. But the findings indicate that a direct line to the CEO, on its own, isn't enough.
“The data show that access alone is not enough,” said Candace Steele Flippin, Page's VP of thought leadership and professional development.“A CCO can have access to the CEO and still face real constraints in demonstrating business value. That is why it is important to look at the function itself, including its structure, resources and capabilities, and whether they align with what the organization expects communications to deliver.”
Measurement is another issue. Nearly 40% of communications functions report at least one business outcome to the CEO or board, while 25% formally track at least one business outcome. Page noted that the figures come from separate questions and should not be read to mean that respondents are reporting business outcomes without formally tracking them.
CCOs are also changing how their functions are organized. Centralized communications structures rose from 56.6% in 2025 to 62.5% this year, while decentralized structures fell from 11.9% to 3.4%, a statistically significant decline.
But the changes aren't simply a move toward centralization. Among respondents who considered or implemented structural changes during the past year, organizations reported moving responsibilities in both directions, as well as creating new roles or capabilities.
And while CCO mandates are expanding, the work taking up the most communications team time remains largely traditional. Media relations and PR ranked first, followed by corporate reputation and employee communications, with content creation and executive communications rounding out the top five.
The study is based on responses from 179 Page and Page Up members serving as CCOs or equivalent senior communications leaders across 23 countries.
Nearly two-thirds of CCOs, 65.9%, said the scope of their communications function expanded over the last two years, while nearly nine in 10 reviewed their structure in the past year, according to Page's 2026 Navigator Benchmark Trend Report.
Business transformation is driving much of that change. Nearly eight in 10 respondents, 79.9%, cited business model change or transformation as a factor shaping how their communications function is structured or resourced, more than twice the share citing stakeholder complexity or geographic footprint.
At the same time, 44.9% of communications leaders said their functions are under-resourced to meet organizational expectations. Page found no significant differences in perceptions of under-resourcing based on organization size, revenue, ownership structure, geography or reporting line.
The findings also challenge the industry's longstanding focus on CCO access to the CEO. While reporting directly to the CEO was strongly associated with executive committee membership, it was not associated with greater confidence in demonstrating communications' business value.
“The conversation about whether communications has influence has moved on,” Page CEO Rochelle Ford said.“The question now is whether the function is designed, resourced and measured to deliver what the business expects of it. That is not a question CCOs can answer alone.”
Instead, confidence was higher among CCOs leading larger communications functions and those who considered their functions adequately resourced.
Among leaders of functions with more than 50 communications FTEs, 73.3% reported high confidence in demonstrating business value, compared with 52.4% of those leading functions with 50 or fewer. High confidence was reported by 70.8% of leaders who considered their functions adequately resourced, compared with 53% among those who described them as neutral or under-resourced.
The research shows an association rather than establishing that larger or better-resourced functions cause greater confidence. But the findings indicate that a direct line to the CEO, on its own, isn't enough.
“The data show that access alone is not enough,” said Candace Steele Flippin, Page's VP of thought leadership and professional development.“A CCO can have access to the CEO and still face real constraints in demonstrating business value. That is why it is important to look at the function itself, including its structure, resources and capabilities, and whether they align with what the organization expects communications to deliver.”
Measurement is another issue. Nearly 40% of communications functions report at least one business outcome to the CEO or board, while 25% formally track at least one business outcome. Page noted that the figures come from separate questions and should not be read to mean that respondents are reporting business outcomes without formally tracking them.
CCOs are also changing how their functions are organized. Centralized communications structures rose from 56.6% in 2025 to 62.5% this year, while decentralized structures fell from 11.9% to 3.4%, a statistically significant decline.
But the changes aren't simply a move toward centralization. Among respondents who considered or implemented structural changes during the past year, organizations reported moving responsibilities in both directions, as well as creating new roles or capabilities.
And while CCO mandates are expanding, the work taking up the most communications team time remains largely traditional. Media relations and PR ranked first, followed by corporate reputation and employee communications, with content creation and executive communications rounding out the top five.
The study is based on responses from 179 Page and Page Up members serving as CCOs or equivalent senior communications leaders across 23 countries.
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