{"id":78505,"date":"2022-07-15T18:48:58","date_gmt":"2022-07-15T16:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=78505"},"modified":"2025-10-06T16:42:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T14:42:12","slug":"internal-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"Internal Communications: Benefits, Best Practices, and Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Internal communications can be a make-or-break factor for any company. <\/strong>A\u00a0hostile email from Elon Musk to his staff went viral and sent shock waves across the nation. The internal email tells his nearly 100,000-person team to either return to the office or to leave the company. Musk then left a comment on Twitter saying that employees who choose not to come in could \u201cpretend to work somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Clearly, this approach does not set the right tone for a happy working environment. But, <strong>what is the best approach<\/strong> for <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/small-business-manager\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">small business managers<\/a> looking to develop a solid internal communications strategy? And <strong>how do you create an internal communications plan<\/strong> that promotes transparency and community in the workplace? Keep reading to find out answers to these questions and more.<\/p>\n<div class=\"js-toc toc\">\n<p class=\"js-toc-title toc__title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<nav id=\"fac_toc_nav\" class=\"js-toc-nav toc__nav\" aria-label=\"Table of Contents\"><ol class=\"toc__list toc__list--level-1\"><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#what-is-internal-communication\" title=\"What is internal communication?\" data-target-id=\"what-is-internal-communication\">What is internal communication?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#benefits-of-effective-internal-communication\" title=\"Benefits of effective internal communication\" data-target-id=\"benefits-of-effective-internal-communication\">Benefits of effective internal communication<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#common-communication-challenges\" title=\"Common communication challenges\" data-target-id=\"common-communication-challenges\">Common communication challenges<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#the-role-of-hr-in-internal-communication\" title=\"The role of HR in internal communication\" data-target-id=\"the-role-of-hr-in-internal-communication\">The role of HR in internal communication<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#how-to-deal-with-internal-communication-barriers\" title=\"How to deal with internal communication barriers\" data-target-id=\"how-to-deal-with-internal-communication-barriers\">How to deal with internal communication barriers<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#putting-an-internal-communications-strategy-in-place\" title=\"Putting an internal communications strategy in place\" data-target-id=\"putting-an-internal-communications-strategy-in-place\">Putting an internal communications strategy in place<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#best-practices-to-improve-internal-communications\" title=\"Best Practices to improve internal communications\" data-target-id=\"best-practices-to-improve-internal-communications\">Best Practices to improve internal communications<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#internal-communication-software\" title=\"Internal communication software\" data-target-id=\"internal-communication-software\">Internal communication software<\/a><\/li><li class=\"toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"toc__link toc-link-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/#final-thoughts-on-internal-communications\" title=\"Final thoughts on internal communications\" data-target-id=\"final-thoughts-on-internal-communications\">Final thoughts on internal communications<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><iframe title=\"The Growing Importance of Internal Comms\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jmo2Wu48LMw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>What is internal communication?<\/h2>\n<p>Communication at work means a little bit more than casual socialization between employees. Internal communication is <strong>how information flows across departments and teams within the organization.<\/strong>\u00a0 Essentially, it is about <strong>keeping employees informed and connected.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-78899 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4.jpg\" alt=\"what is internal communication\" width=\"2240\" height=\"1260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4.jpg 2240w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-688x388.jpg 688w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145816\/US-Quotes-4-1456x820.jpg 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2240px) 100vw, 2240px\" \/>In order to create healthy communications and a <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-healthy-work-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">healthy work environment<\/a>, an effective internal communications plan should deliver these key points:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Help employees stay aware of the company\u2019s values and mission<\/li>\n<li>Promote transparency and employee engagement<\/li>\n<li>Encourage collaboration between teams and departments<\/li>\n<li>Make sure that all team members know about company changes, executive decisions, and the reasons behind new ways forward.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Internal and external communication<\/h3>\n<p>It is important to differentiate here between internal and external communications. The biggest difference is<strong> the stakeholders that are involved in the process.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Internal communications centers around<strong> how employees communicate within the organization<\/strong>, while external communication is more about <strong>how employees talk about the organization<\/strong>.\u00a0 For example, an employee promoting the brand on social media would be classified as external communications.<\/p>\n<p>Although they require different strategies and target different audiences, note that <strong>the two should work together harmoniously.<\/strong>\u00a0 Both directly impact the company\u2019s image and reputation. In reality, the way that your company communicates comes down to the policies and messages that your brand represents.<\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of effective internal communication<\/h2>\n<p>Before outlining the details of how to put a strategy in place, let&#8217;s take a look at some of the ways that your company can benefit from effective internal communications.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Enhances engagement-<\/strong> It is fundamental to helping employees feel connected to the company. Employees who feel like their voices are heard often feel more invested in their work.\u00a0 According to Forbes, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/nazbeheshti\/2019\/01\/16\/10-timely-statistics-about-the-connection-between-employee-engagement-and-wellness\/?sh=79638d1b22a0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201dHighly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability\u201d<\/a>. Additionally, more communicative and engaged teams also mean higher levels of <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/organizational-commitment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">organizational commitment<\/a> and reduced <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/hostile-work-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">workplace hostility<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reduces expenses-<\/strong> Communication blunders can be pricey and can have an especially detrimental effect on smaller businesses. The same piece by Forbes goes on to say that &#8220;disengaged employees cost U.S. companies up to $550 billion a year\u201d.\u00a0 For businesses on a budget, internal communication should not stay on the sidelines.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Promotes Productivity-<\/strong> An effective internal communications strategy means that employees feel more connected to each other and to those who hold decision-making positions. Studies show that <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/boost-employee-productivity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employee productivity<\/a> increases by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/~\/media\/McKinsey\/Industries\/Technology%20Media%20and%20Telecommunications\/High%20Tech\/Our%20Insights\/The%20social%20economy\/MGI_The_social_economy_Executive_Summary.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20-25% in organizations where employees are connected<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Common communication challenges<\/h2>\n<p>Many of the challenges that companies face with internal communications are nothing new.\u00a0 As pointed out by internal communications expert Jenni Field, <strong>\u201cwhen you look at the latest trends in internal communication, a lot of them have been on our list for the last 10-20 years.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With this being said, the pandemic has dramatically changed the way that people work and communicate at work.\u00a0 Although things like hybrid work and purpose-driven communication existed before the pandemic, they became more prominent necessities as a result of the event.\u00a0 In the words of Field, \u201cA crisis escalates an existing trend.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Communicating internally with hybrid and remote teams<\/h3>\n<p>Although many benefits come along with remote work, the lack of face-to-face interaction can leave many <strong>employees feeling disengaged and disconnected<\/strong>.\u00a0 With the increase of remote-first and hybrid companies, this issue is more pronounced and the stakes are higher now than ever before.<\/p>\n<p>Effective internal communication strategies are even more critical in <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/agile-organization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">agile organizations<\/a> and companies with more complex organizational structures.\u00a0 In these situations, i<strong>t is often harder to reach everyone,<\/strong> especially if there is no streamlined way of doing so.<\/p>\n<p>The best way to communicate with remote teams is by <strong>creating norms that establish communication protocols.<\/strong>\u00a0 It is best to not overload remote workers with messages, however, you shouldn\u2019t cut messages short while talking about important issues either. Streamlining core HR and business processes and help prevent an overload of messages being sent. Incorporating software like a <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/pto-tracking-software\/\">PTO tracker<\/a> gives your team full visibility into who&#8217;s working and who&#8217;s not. That way, your team is fully aligned and your HR team isn&#8217;t overwhelmed with PTO requests.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, <strong>be aware of the differences that come with text-based communication.\u00a0<\/strong> More introverted employees might feel more comfortable communicating in this way and may be more likely to share their insights through internal messages and emails.\u00a0 However, text-based communication can also lead to misunderstandings and confusion about intention.\u00a0 It might be easier to misinterpret or misunderstand messages. In these cases, clarity is key.<\/p>\n<p>Last but not least, you should <strong>make time for informal chats and socialization while communicating with remote teams.<\/strong>\u00a0 Often, it is difficult for remote workers to have the same rapport as those who are working together in person.\u00a0 Perhaps set up monthly <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/team-building\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">virtual team-building events<\/a> and happy hours so that your team gets to know each other on a more human level.<\/p>\n<h3>Internal communication and onboarding<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/what-is-onboarding\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Onboarding<\/a> is arguably the phase in which internal communication has the most impact.<\/p>\n<p>First impressions matter and good internal communication should be practiced from the start. Studies show that <strong>employees who receive a good onboarding experience are 82% more likely to stay with the company during their first year of work.\u00a0<\/strong> This means that establishing good communication habits should be a top priority from the start.<\/p>\n<p>While communicating with new employees, it is best to <strong>think about what makes your company culture unique.\u00a0<\/strong> Rather than just saying that your company is a good place to work, show new employees the reasons why your <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/work-culture-definition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">work culture<\/a> stands out.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, it is a good practice to <strong>share your internal communications protocols with new employees during their onboarding session.<\/strong>\u00a0 Share with them the channels and technology that you use to communicate across the company, and let them know who to contact if they need support.\u00a0 This will help them to feel comfortable from day one and ensure that issues are communicated before they become larger problems.<\/p>\n<h3>Organizational silos<\/h3>\n<p>Sometimes <strong>information is stored in a way that is difficult for everyone to access.<\/strong>\u00a0 When this happens, so-called organizational silos start to emerge.\u00a0 Like silos used on a farm to separate and store resources, organizational silos in a company are commonplace when there is not enough communication across departments and teams.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, many are left in the dark about topics that are important to get across, making interdepartmental collaboration and larger global projects nearly impossible.<\/p>\n<p>In order to ward off silo mentalities in your organization, <strong>it is crucial to encourage and strengthen cross-departmental communication.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This can mean having representatives attending meetings of different departments. Or, perhaps creating more team-building events and activities with multiple departments.<strong> The actions of one department carry repercussions for everyone.<\/strong> When it comes to communicating projects and new initiatives, less segmentation can make for more success.<\/p>\n<h3>Information overload<\/h3>\n<p>This is a problem for many organizations, especially when there are multiple platforms and channels of communication.\u00a0 When it comes to effective workplace communication, <strong>less is usually more.<\/strong>\u00a0 No one can stay up to date with 50+ slack channels, emails, and company announcements.<\/p>\n<p>While it is important not to create silos, it is crucial to keep company-wide channels to a minimum and make sure that <strong>the right information is given to the right people and groups.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is also important to <strong>consider the length of the content that you are sharing<\/strong>.\u00a0 Detailed communication of policy changes and more serious announcements is often necessary, however, lengthy messages for daily occurrences run the risk of never being read.\u00a0 While communicating, it is important to be friendly, yet concise.\u00a0 Give people exactly what they need to know. No more, no less.<\/p>\n<h2>The role of HR in internal communication<\/h2>\n<p>The role of HR has changed.\u00a0 With digitization, professionals working in the field are spending less time with routine administrative tasks and growing into a more business partner-oriented role.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/hr-business-partner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HR business partners<\/a> play an important role in communicating, <strong>especially with company executives about strategic decisions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Additionally, they are often responsible for <strong>delivering company-wide messages to employees<\/strong> and <strong>collaborating with external stakeholders.<\/strong>\u00a0 In other words, the role of HR is one of communicating in all directions.<\/p>\n<p>However, it should be noted that when it comes to internal communications, <strong>the responsibility does not just belong to HR.<\/strong> Executives and individual employees play a big part in circulating information.<\/p>\n<p>As seen by the reactions to Musk\u2019s message, the voice of those in senior management roles is powerful, and can dramatically impact the way that employees and external stakeholders feel about the company.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to HR and senior leaders, employees are responsible for sharing their ideas, providing feedback to one another, and communicating across teams.\u00a0 <strong>Without everyone&#8217;s active involvement in the process, your internal communication will most likely suffer.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>How to deal with internal communication barriers<\/h2>\n<h3>Make sure communication is horizontal<\/h3>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbescommunicationscouncil\/2021\/10\/18\/the-good-and-the-bad-of-modern-internal-communications\/?sh=70c027a42d2f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recent survey<\/a>, <strong>66% of internal communications professionals said that the level of influence on senior leaders has increased due to the pandemic.\u00a0<\/strong> Although top-down communication and CEO messages impact <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/employee-satisfaction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employee satisfaction<\/a> and the overall work culture, the most effective internal communication strategies empower employees to be open and share.<\/p>\n<p>Communication should be equal and symmetrical in an organization. This means that information about decisions, <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/company-policies-and-procedures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">changes to company policies and procedures<\/a>, and the reasons behind those changes should be conveyed to employees.\u00a0 Additionally, <strong>their participation in the conversation should be encouraged.<\/strong>\u00a0 Functional internal communication means that employees are heard and that their opinions are accounted for in the decision-making process.<\/p>\n<h3>Communicate bad news<\/h3>\n<p>It is not just messages about <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/guide-to-employee-benefits-and-compensation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">benefits<\/a> and company achievements, internal communications managers are responsible for<strong> creating a community and promoting transparency while communicating difficult and bad news.<\/strong>\u00a0 This means making sure employees aren\u2019t blindsided by <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/involuntary-termination\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">terminations<\/a>, failures, and unpopular policy changes.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-78901 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2.jpg\" alt=\"internal communication\" width=\"2240\" height=\"1260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2.jpg 2240w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-688x388.jpg 688w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15145952\/US-Quotes-2-1456x820.jpg 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2240px) 100vw, 2240px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>According to Field, &#8220;you just have to be really open and honest&#8221; when it comes to communicating employee dismissals and layoffs. For Field, effective communication practices while discussing bad news include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t prerecord messages.<\/strong> It eliminates the possibility of discussion about the important issue.\u00a0 Additionally, it does not exactly set the right tone while delivering important messages.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Give people time to have conversations.<\/strong> Often, communicating bad news links to changes in the company.\u00a0 It&#8217;s important for employees to voice their opinions during these times especially.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Take ambiguity away.\u00a0<\/strong> During times of change, Field advises to &#8220;keep people up to date with what&#8217;s happening because it stops that ambiguity, it stops that void of information, which is what people will fill with something that&#8217;s negative.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brief your managers.\u00a0<\/strong> Keeping managers in the loop will help them to answer concerns and ultimately help their team recover from bad news.\u00a0 According to Field, you should &#8220;make sure your managers have answers, have Q and A&#8217;s, have briefing sheets, and have the time to talk to you before it goes to everyone else.&#8221; This will help them to deliver information accurately and deal with different stakeholder groups appropriately.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Internal communication and change management<\/h3>\n<p>As seen by Elon Musk\u2019s questionable email about employees not working remotely, aggressive top-down communication is not the best strategy when it comes to managing company-wide policy changes.\u00a0 Whereas effective internal communication and <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/change-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">change management<\/a> can make employees <strong>more receptive and willing to commit to those new policies.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>When everything is in flux, adaptability is vital.<\/strong>\u00a0 The degree to which your company communicates can be a make or break factor during times of change.\u00a0 Having clear, transparent communication helps everyone to feel secure and like the company has a well-organized plan for the future.\u00a0 Sudden changes without sufficient explanations will create feelings of uncertainty and instability.<\/p>\n<h2>Putting an internal communications strategy in place<\/h2>\n<p>Having an effective internal communications strategy can help you save time, money, and frustration.<\/p>\n<h3>1) Assess your current internal communication strategy<\/h3>\n<p>To get started, the first step is <strong>taking stock of what you already have.<\/strong> This means assessing the tools and practices that are already in place.\u00a0 While examining your internal communications practices, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What is the process to create and approve company messages?<\/li>\n<li>What kind of information is communicated? And what is the overall tone?<\/li>\n<li>What works and what doesn\u2019t? What are some examples of functioning internal communication? Where is there room for improvement?<\/li>\n<li>What is the level of transparency?\u00a0 Do employees feel left out of important conversations?<\/li>\n<li>Who is responsible for what? Offen, internal communication is an interdisciplinary effort between multiple departments in an organization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2) Set internal communications goals<\/h3>\n<p>Once you have a clear idea of your current internal communications practices, it\u2019s time to start thinking about your objectives.\u00a0 While you might feel eager to put the perfect internal communications practices in place, it\u2019s best to remember that it might take some time.<\/p>\n<p>Especially at first, it\u2019s important to <strong>set goals that are realistic and focused<\/strong>.\u00a0 Think about what is the most important objective and why it is a priority.\u00a0 Your new strategy should adapt to the practices and platforms that your team members are already using.\u00a0 This will help to implement any changes as smoothly as possible.<\/p>\n<h3>3) Find a way to measure successful internal communication<\/h3>\n<p>If there is no way to measure internal communication performance and progress, it will be difficult to develop your strategy. It will be hard to see the <strong>impact of your goals<\/strong> and <strong>understand what needs to be tweaked<\/strong> with your new practices in place.<\/p>\n<p>Having a clear, systematic way of setting and measuring KPIs will bring you one step closer to aligning business goals and internal communication goals.\u00a0 To do this well,<\/p>\n<p>Think about which metrics to use to track the progress of your internal communication plan. Here are some suggestions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Employee engagement<\/li>\n<li>Email open rates<\/li>\n<li>Employee turnover<\/li>\n<li>Employee feedback and suggestions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>4) Think about your audience<\/h3>\n<p>While developing your strategy and determining what kind of messages need to communicate, it&#8217;s important to have a clear understanding of your target audience.\u00a0 This will help you to <strong>draft meaningful messages that really connect with readers.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Additionally, it will help you to determine which messages should go to which channels and why.\u00a0 Not everyone needs to hear about every minor company update.\u00a0 If a piece of news only affects certain employees, <strong>it is better to set up new channels to better target your audience.\u00a0<\/strong> That way, you can avoid overloading employees with information that does not relate to their roles.<\/p>\n<h3>5) Develop a content workflow<\/h3>\n<p>The next step in putting your internal communications strategy in place is creating a content workflow.\u00a0 <strong>What does the content production process look like from start to finish?\u00a0<\/strong> There is no cookie-cutter approach that works perfectly for every company.\u00a0 Depending on the company structure, and the tools used to communicate internally, it varies from company to company.\u00a0 Here are some of the points that you should address when finding a system that works for you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Determine who is in charge of internal communications.\u00a0 This will most likely be more than one person.<\/li>\n<li>Determine stakeholders from other departments that should be involved.<\/li>\n<li>Work closely with the marketing department to help curate content.\u00a0 This is true for both external and internal communication efforts.<\/li>\n<li>Create a calendar with dates for upcoming events and messages to go out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>6) Decide which internal communications tools to use<\/h3>\n<p>When deciding upon which tools to use to use for internal communications, <strong>consider the type of information that you need to communicate and which platform works best.<\/strong>\u00a0 There are a few general guidelines to help you with this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For shorter messages, an internal messaging system like Slack might work well.<\/li>\n<li>In regards to more detailed communication, for example, a company policy change, it might be best to communicate via email.<\/li>\n<li>For big company changes and bad news, it can be a good idea to communicate these in person or via zoom during all company meetings, such as all hands.<\/li>\n<li>Or, rather than using messaging systems and email to communicate, the simplest way to communicate important information is through an <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/employee-portal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employee portal.<\/a>\u00a0 With it, you can create company-wide announcements, create workflows, and instantly send email notifications to all team members.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>7) Make improvements based on feedback<\/h3>\n<p>The last step to think about while developing your internal communications strategy is employee feedback.\u00a0 Regularly taking stock of how employees communicate can help to <strong>guide your strategic decisions and make improvements.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can do this in several ways.\u00a0 Pulse surveys and satisfaction surveys are excellent places to start.\u00a0 These should ideally be conducted on a\u00a0 quarterly or monthly basis.\u00a0 In these surveys, be sure to <strong>include questions regarding the level of transparency that employees feel and their overall satisfaction with communication<\/strong> within their teams.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, take into consideration the internal communications metrics that you are tracking as well.\u00a0 It might be worthwhile to <strong>create a suggestion box<\/strong> for employees so that they can express their concerns and doubts at any time.<\/p>\n<p>The most important thing is that you are<strong> checking in with consistent regularity<\/strong>.\u00a0 Doing this will help you to ensure that your efforts to improve your team&#8217;s communication strategy are not wasted.<a href=\"http:\/\/factorialhr.com\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-78925 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15182126\/gen-blog-banner-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"internal comms\" width=\"900\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15182126\/gen-blog-banner-1-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15182126\/gen-blog-banner-1-1-300x103.jpg 300w, https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/15182126\/gen-blog-banner-1-1-768x263.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Best Practices to improve internal communications<\/h2>\n<p>To recap, here are some of the best practices to improve internal communications in your company.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Communicate the company\u2019s strategic goals.<\/strong> Studies show that on average, 95% of employees are unaware of the company\u2019s strategy.\u00a0 With these numbers, it\u2019s no wonder that there are miscommunications and misalignments within organizations.\u00a0 In order to achieve goals, everyone needs to have the big picture and understand where to direct their energy. A good internal communications strategy communicates the company\u2019s vision, mission, and plan in such a way that is clear for everyone to understand.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t sugar-coat bad news.<\/strong> While it is important to promote positive thinking in the workplace, toxic positivity can actually discourage employees from sharing problems.\u00a0 Be realistic and honest about topics that aren\u2019t necessarily pleasant.\u00a0 Make sure that everyone feels comfortable expressing their doubts and concerns.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Communicate with your audience in mind<\/strong>. This is crucial to increase employee engagement.\u00a0 How can employees be responsive to messages if they were not written for them from the beginning?\u00a0 Start with a profile of your intended audience and act as if you are writing to a single person.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Share the company\u2019s structure with newcomers<\/strong>. \u00a0Those first few days can be chaotic and it\u2019s important that new hires know who to talk to about issues that come up. It can be especially helpful to share an organizational chart with all team members and their positions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use the appropriate tools.<\/strong> \u00a0The tools that you use, whether it be software, email, or video conferencing, should always correspond to the message that you want to convey to your team.\u00a0 The tool that you use contributes to the overall tone of communication.\u00a0 Using certain tools in the wrong context can come across as cold or less human.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Internal communication software<\/h2>\n<p>In order to have effective internal communications, it\u2019s crucial to have the right tools.\u00a0 Most likely, you will need to use a combination of the following to put a solid internal communications plan in place.<\/p>\n<h3>Intranet internal communications software<\/h3>\n<p>Some companies opt for intranet software as their communications tool of choice.\u00a0 An intranet is a <strong>private network that allows companies to communicate exclusively with employees.<\/strong>\u00a0 The difference between using the company intranet vs. the internet to communicate is that intranets do not allow access to third parties, whereas internet platforms are widely available.<\/p>\n<h3>Knowledge-based internal communications software<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Employee dashboard-<\/strong> This works especially well for communications regarding company policy changes and events.\u00a0 With an employee portal like the one that <a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\">Factorial<\/a> offers, you can automatically notify employees about company announcements, requests to sign forms and contracts, and requests to fill out surveys via email. Perfect for companies looking to unify their internal communications tools and boost efficiency.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Messaging tools-<\/strong> Messaging platforms like Slack work well for employee communications on a day-to-day basis.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Video tools-<\/strong> These are especially important for remote and hybrid teams.\u00a0 Meetings on zoom and google meet work well to boost face-to-face interaction, especially to include everyone in all company events.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Final thoughts on internal communications<\/h2>\n<p>Improving internal communications can be a great way to boost engagement and motivation levels in your team.\u00a0 Here are a few <strong>key takeaways<\/strong> to remember while putting your strategy in place:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Internal communication directly impacts employee engagement, motivation levels, and employee trust levels.<\/li>\n<li>Everyone plays a part in internal communication: HR, CEOs, managers, and employees.<\/li>\n<li>Having a stellar internal communications strategy in place is good for employer branding.\u00a0 Employees are more likely to act as brand ambassadors when they feel satisfied with their organization.<\/li>\n<li>Remember that transparency and trust are the most valued outcomes for any organization\u2019s internal communication efforts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Internal communications can be a make-or-break factor for any company. A\u00a0hostile email from Elon Musk to his staff went viral and sent shock waves across the nation. The internal email tells his nearly 100,000-person team to either return to the office or to leave the company. Musk then left a comment on Twitter saying that<a href=\"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/internal-communications\/\" class=\"read-more\"> [&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":78508,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-engagement-2"],"acf":{"topics":"core"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.5 (Yoast SEO v21.9.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Internal Communications: Benefits, Best Practices, and Tools<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Internal communications: strategy, planning, tools. 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