By Andrea Cousens

Yesterday was National Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, and my older two boys got out of school to join my husband at his office for the day. The company planned seven hours worth of activities for the kids – from a field trip and hot dog lunch to a bring-home bag of goodies at the end of the long day. The boys loved getting a glimpse of what ‘work’ really means and were particularly enthralled with meeting my husband’s boss, who I think they believed had four heads, because of his ‘head honcho’ title. I must be letting them watch too much TV.

Back on point… after talking with them about their day at work, it donned on me how different the office environment might be by the time they enter the work force, particularly if they join the world of public relations. In the 15 years I have been working in the field, times have changed immensely.

When I started, Windows was just gaining ground, and I knew quite a bit about DOS. We still used the phone for about 95% of our communications, because email hadn’t taken off. And, companies were just beginning to think about building a presence on the Web. I can’t believe that was only 15 years ago. Now email is old hat, Facebook and LinkedIn are staples and I can’t go an hour without Twittering away. While I do still pick up the phone frequently, it’s not the same as it used to be, and often times I find myself Skyping on my laptop instead of using the phone at all. I can’t imagine what our lives will be like in another 15 years.

As new technologies and social media services enter the scene – which seems to be daily – PR has morphed into a combination of ‘best of breed’ traditional communications and cutting-edge social media practices. Now, our clients understand the need to collectively align the two to maintain effective communications with customers and prospects. And, we politely oblige by delivering solid counsel gained not just from our understanding of the practices, but through hands-on experience.

While I can’t fathom what is in store for my children by the time they enter the work force, I am positive they will be presented with new ways of communicating that differ greatly from what we know today. What will PR look like by then? For those prepared to meet the ever-advancing waves of change, I have a feeling the future will be bright.