5 Predictions for the German Communications Job Market in 2026 

In Germany, still Europe's largest economy, the communications market is undergoing radical change. Communicators are under pressure to be efficient, more and more fear losing their jobs, and shareholders are becoming even more important as stakeholders. What can CCOs in other parts of the world learn from this?

1. Pressure to be efficient is increasing 

“Your department is too big, the budget is too generous—you need to become more efficient.” Any Chief Communication Officer (CCO) who hasn't heard this sentence yet can expect to hear it in the coming months. Management consultancies are moving into communications departments, benchmarking and identifying potential savings.

The danger: if apples are compared with oranges (e.g., communication with completely different functions or communication departments in different industries and types of companies), if there is a lack of understanding of everyday communication work, if only measurable things have value, if less is better per se – then there is a risk of cutbacks that make it increasingly difficult for CCOs to fulfill their mandate.

Communications managers would be well advised to arm themselves with arguments: What is specifically expected of me, what resources do I need to achieve this, how is this handled in comparable companies, what successes have I been able to achieve with my set-up and what successes can I achieve in the future?

2. The biggest challenge when it comes to AI? Acceptance!  

The potential savings that management consultancies and some CCOs hope to achieve often stem from the assumption that AI can do everything faster, cheaper, and better. But even in 2026, this combination often still resembles squaring the circle. Because fast and cheap almost never means particularly good. And certainly not authentic.

 This is probably one of the reasons why enthusiasm for AI-generated content has given way to a certain weariness among recipients. Instead of acceptance, companies are increasingly encountering rejection. Communications managers are not only faced with the task of keeping pace with technological developments. Above all, they must use their judgment to decide and argue confidently where Chat GPT, Gemini, and the like actually offer added value—and where their use ultimately does themselves and their companies a disservice.

3. Losing your job is not the end of the world.

Many communications professionals are currently worried about their careers and fearing for their jobs, and some have even been laid off. The tense market situation may mean that job seekers have to step outside their comfort zone. Sometimes this requires making concessions in terms of salary, location, and responsibilities.

 But losing your job is not the end of the world: we know many communications professionals who have gone through months of job hunting, uncertainty, self-doubt, and existential fears—and who are now back in positions of responsibility. Their key tip: this time is also valuable. It can and should be used to regain a foothold in your career—but also to clear your head and recharge your batteries for the next challenge without feeling guilty.

4. Financial communication is becoming increasingly important.

Those who have taken on a comprehensive CCO role in recent months often have relevant financial experience. There are individual reasons for this in each company—for example, to offer high performers prospects for the future or simply to save costs and/or increase effectiveness by merging departments.

Fundamentally, it can be said that shareholder value is becoming even more of a focus. This is in line with what a CEO recently told us: “Reputation is all well and good. But I am there, not least, to make and keep the capital market happy. I expect the same from my communications department.”

5. Communication is gaining ground in family businesses

More and more family-owned companies are recognizing the value of professional communication and are abandoning their vow of silence towards the public, which they have often imposed on themselves for many decades. In recent years, there has been a strong push towards professionalization in many areas, with the result that some family businesses are now more modern and effective in their communication than some large corporations.

But there is still room for improvement, as we saw last year in the handling of political controversies. Family businesses often have a stable set of values. 2026 is not the worst time to derive a clear stance from this, develop a communication strategy, and hire qualified personnel to implement it – actively, not just reactively.