The rise of the in-house communicator: How a new platform is giving comms leaders space to think, share and lead
If your 2026 focus is sharper measurement, stronger internal influence, and better alignment with business goals - the same priorities we explored in our recent People, Pressure & Purpose report - then In.Comms deserves to be on your reading list.
Claire’s message is clear: in-house communications has come of age. Around half the industry now sits inside organisations, yet much of the trade coverage still focuses on agencies. In.Comms aims to redress that balance, giving comms leaders a space to learn from each other, share what works, and tackle the thorny issues that rarely get airtime: ethics and accountability, blurred lines with marketing, crisis readiness and what it takes to earn and keep a voice at the top table.
For anyone leading or working in a comms function, it’s a practical resource, with real examples and tools you can test against your own setup. Here’s what our conversation with Claire revealed, and how in-house teams can turn those insights into real advantages.
Built for the realities of in-house life
In.Comms is already striking a chord. Half of all comms professionals now work in-house, yet much of the industry conversation still speaks to agency priorities. This new title gives the in-house community its own space, and it’s one that reflects the scale, complexity and growing strategic weight of the role.
That mix of pressures is something we know well at The PR Network. Many of our team and Associate Partners have run or been inside the in-house engine, balancing internal, external and leadership comms with limited resources and big expectations. We understand the reality behind the headlines, and that’s exactly why we welcome a platform built for the people doing the work.
The In.Comms approach is super practical: long-form features, advice from senior leaders, and open discussion on how teams are structured, measured and challenged. It’s designed for the whole in-house profession, from senior leaders at FTSE 100 companies to new managers building their first teams, and to comms professionals getting their feet on the first rungs of the ladder. The early response has been huge, and proof that this community is ready for a space of its own.
The issues that matter
The themes Claire and her team are tackling echo much of what we found in our People, Pressure & Purpose research: the real-world questions shaping modern comms.
How do professionals hold their ground when business decisions test their values?
What earns genuine influence with leadership?
How can teams move as one under crisis pressure?
And, as marketing and comms increasingly overlap, who protects reputation while others chase reach?
At the centre of it all are leadership skills: the ability to read a moment, challenge upwards, and advise with confidence.
A community that shares, not sells
What we like most is the focus on community over commentary, which is also part of what we offer at The PR Network for our senior comms leader clients. In.Comms is designed as a peer-to-peer space where practitioners can learn from each other, not just read about trends. The recurring “How We Do Comms At…” feature, for example, will give teams a platform to share how they operate and what keeps them up at night - useful benchmarking for anyone reviewing their own setup.
That openness is exactly what Claire and team want to nurture: an evolving publication shaped by the profession itself. It’s a healthy reminder that comms works best when the learning runs both ways.
Putting it to work
From a corporate-comms perspective, In.Comms can be used as a pulse check. Pick a feature and talk it through with your team - which challenges feel familiar, what would you do differently, what might you borrow?
Its content on team structure and measurement aligns neatly with our own PPP frameworks and can help you benchmark your function or sharpen your reporting.
And don’t shy away from the harder themes on ethics or leadership - they’re strong prompts for coaching conversations and crisis-readiness planning.
Final thoughts
In-house comms has never had more scope or scrutiny. Expectations are high, budgets are tight, and the line between communication and strategy gets thinner by the quarter. Platforms like In.Comms don’t just report on that reality, they help shape it.
At The PR Network, we’ve seen that evolution first-hand. Many of us have worked in-house ourselves, so we recognise the pressure to balance influence, agility and impact.
And so, whether you use In.Comms to benchmark your function, test new ideas or simply find reassurance that others are tackling the same challenges, it’s a valuable addition to the toolkit.
In 2026 we’ll keep spotlighting ideas and tools that help in-house teams lead with confidence and clarity, because when communicators are equipped to influence well, everyone wins.
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