Government Affairs in 2022: Changes, Priorities, Stress, and More

To find out the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the government affairs industry in 2022, we surveyed hundreds of professionals to get their insights on the state of our industry. From companies in the Fortune 500 list to the largest trade associations and nonprofits, as well as law and lobbying firms of all sizes, our respondents provided a sense of the current state of the industry and gave their predictions for the future of government affairs.

Want to see how your team measures up? Read on for some of our key findings, and make sure to download the full 2022 State of Government Affairs report for many more actionable insights.

Big Organizations, Small Teams

We surveyed professionals who work in organizations with less than five people, all the way up to organizations with more than 1,000 employees. Our survey found that even in large companies, government affairs team sizes are staying small. More than 87 percent of respondents work on teams with fewer than 10 colleagues, and 50 percent work on teams of three or fewer. Only 5 percent work on teams with 20 or more colleagues. 

Priorities at Work

What is keeping government affairs employees in their roles? They shared that their top priorities at work are having an impact and working with leadership that trusts them to do their job — almost as important are salary and a flexible work schedule. 

While there was a gap in how important these are and how satisfied employees are in these areas, overall there is room for improvement. Download the report to find out which areas need more work.

Hybrid Work

Two years into the pandemic, government and public affairs professionals are getting the hang of new ways of working and collaborating, with more than 80 percent working remotely at least part of the time. However, in 2021 plenty of people returned to the office, as evidenced by the 17 percent who now work full-time in an office, when in 2020 that number was just above 5 percent.

Download the full report to learn what job titles and age groups are the most and least likely to work remotely.

Stress in Government Affairs Jobs

While 2021 saw mass COVID-19 vaccination efforts, loosening travel regulations, and returns to the office for some, the pandemic was still a major issue — and in some cases, a source of stress. Nearly 80 percent of people surveyed said COVID-19 continues to increase their job-related stress, while only 11 people out of the hundreds who responded said their stress level significantly decreased this year. 

However, of those surveyed, people who work in an office or a hybrid fashion were the most likely to have increased stress at work overall, compared with those who work remotely. Working remotely, which many people continue to do exclusively, causes stress for 10 percent, while the prospect of having to reenter the office setting causes stress for 11 percent.

But the pandemic isn’t the only thing that causes anxiety in the day-to-day jobs of government affairs professionals. Download the complete report to learn the issues that topped the list of stressors.

Challenges for Government Affairs Teams in 2022

The biggest obstacles as government affairs professionals tackle their many responsibilities are the sheer volume of issues to monitor, and a lack of resources: team members, budget, and time. Disorganization within the workplace is also a challenge, with nearly 14 percent battling too many systems and spreadsheets and 24 percent struggling with a lack of internal collaboration and communication. Download the report to find out what tools government affairs teams use, and wish they had, to tackle their challenges.

Prepare for Success in 2022 with FiscalNote

As we navigate an influx of regulations and legislation, political divisions, and the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, tech innovation is more important than ever to manage your public affairs strategy. Cutting-edge technologies such as FiscalNote allow government relations, corporate and external affairs, grassroots, and legal teams to stay ahead of the issues affecting their industry. 

In this age of uncertainty and constant change, the ability to manage your issues, streamline collaboration, report effectively to your team and executives, and communicate to the public around policy issues is more critical than ever. FiscalNote’s tools allow you to manage issues, stakeholders, and teams in one place, driving more effective cross-departmental collaboration, coordination, and communications.