The Case for Internal Communication

Recently I connected with a close friend and discussed workplaces. As an organizational leadership graduate and talent development professional, I immediately got excited. I've been researching internal communications and how it aligns with the employee experience. During our conversation, my friend paused and asked, 'what exactly do you mean by internal communications?' For such an essential part of the workplace experience, I realize this important work is not fully clear to everyone. Today, I offer my perspective to the question—what is internal communication and why do organizations need it?

What is internal communication?

Let's start with what internal communications are not.

Too often, employee communications are one-sided deliveries from executives. Many organization leaders use email and other messaging tools to convey critical information that talks AT employees and not to them. The messages, often designed to highlight the organization, leave little room other than "reach out to me" for feedback. A thoughtful and intentional internal communications plan would prioritize transparency, accessibility, and engagement to ensure that each message from executive leaders is a conversation with staff members.

It's important to note that conversation does not always mean influence over the outcome. For example, leaders may need to communicate about the pandemic response or a merger and acquisition. Some messages have little to no room for negotiation. In these instances, an internal communication plan should focus on sharing information, impact, and ways in which employees can process the changes.

So, we've talked about executive to employee communication. What about between teams and employees? What about remote and distributed environments? Are they a part of internal communications? Answer: a resounding YES! A robust internal communications plan offers a structure for the entire flow of dialogue.

Effective internal communication is the catalyst to connection, managing change, and inclusion.

Why does every organization need an internal communications plan?

Whether you have 50 employees or 50,000, you need an internal communications function. Whether it's a single person leading the way or a dedicated team, creating a structure to deliver organizational messages and offer space for discussion is a must.

A question often asked is where this role lives within the organization. Typically, internal communications staff sit within the marketing team and work closely with the People team. Or vice versa. What is clear is that the IC team needs to work closely among both functions and have strong relationship skills to work across the entire organization.

What are some examples?

Below are the most common channels used:

Email- When done effectively, email can be a gamechanger. However, if you use email for everything, it's easy for noise and overload to take over. Use wisely!
Blog
Company intranet
Messaging tools/channels (Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
All-hands meetings or town hall
Internal newsletters
Employee events
Candidate portals/applicant tracking systems

How does internal communication impact the employee experience?

Internal communications support participation and engagement, which in turn influences the employee life cycle. Think about it. How you speak within the organization directly translates how your employees talk about your company externally. That's powerful. Here are a few examples:

Talent acquisition- Internal communications can help your People team tell your organization's story to prospective candidates with confidence and clarity.
Cross-team collaboration- When employee communication is cohesive and has a strategic direction, there are dividends to team performance!
Funding and partnership opportunities- When you promote awareness and adoption internally, you create brand ambassadors that can help secure new external resources.

Ultimately, if your company's greatest asset is your people, then it's worthwhile to speak their language, share information, and create ongoing connections. A strategic internal communication vision can help you do just that.