The past few years has been a steep learning curve for both employees and management, changing how we work, collaborate and communicate. Now more than ever, effective internal communications should form an integral part of your business planning.  

Our Internal Wire service offering will enable you to gauge what is and isn’t working with your internal communications. We carry out comprehensive audits, allowing you to optimise your strategies.  

How can you make Internal Communications a priority? Here are some of our research-led top tips to get started:  

The Importance of Measurement 

In internal communications, measurement and evaluation should identify outputs, outcomes and the potential impact. In other words, think about the channels or stakeholders you are impacting, and the changes you would like to see through your outputs and strategies.  Quantitative and qualitative measurement will give you a holistic look at how well your strategies are performing – the quantity of messages being received is as important as how the messages are being interpreted and the sentiment around them.  

The importance of measurement can be seen clearly when you compare those who measure and those who don’t. Our Internal Communications in Ireland Report 2024 found that, of the 44% of respondents who measure outputs and outcomes, 50% reported increased budgets and 70% reported increased influence of the C-suite.  

Internal Communications Content, Channels and Tools

In a hybrid working world, organisations are embracing channels favouring interaction and connection between colleagues. At the same time, employees want more engagement and communication from people leaders, not just through digital channels. When asked what trends are being seen in 2024, survey respondents noted an increase in the importance of people leaders in internal communications delivery.  

Quality over quantity is important to keep in mind here. As reported by respondents, managing the high volume of internal communications is a major challenge. To help manage the volume of internal communications and avoid information overload, setting up a channel matrix will help you to plan out which channel is used for which content, how often they are scheduled, and increase your chances of your communications being understood.

Develop your strategy – then plan 

A clear strategy will help you navigate any changes in your future. It does not have to be long but setting out your strategy ensures you have a clear vision and direction for what you are trying to achieve. It must be led from the front and demands a systematic continuous approach, not just a one-off launch and annual check-in.  

You then create your internal communications plan based on your strategy, with key objectives, activities and timelines, allowing room to adjust your approach if necessary.  

Ensure everyone is aligned on business goals

In our Internal Communications in Ireland 2024 Report, the top three priorities for internal communicators were: bringing the purposes, values and culture to life; embedding the business strategy; and developing the communications strategy.  Everyone should be on the same page regarding current business objectives and priorities.  

Your internal communications channels should be a trusted source of the truth and provide clear, timely guidance on what external developments mean for your company. Our Internal Wire service optimises your internal communications, so your employees are informed, engaged and inspired. 

Create engaging content

As seen by 68% of our report respondents, implementing a structured content calendar, planning the cascading of information, and maintaining a regular drumbeat of content are essential to ensure employees understand the strategic goals and connect with it and its progress over time.  

Utilising different media for content can help to keep employees engaged. With the ongoing technical and media advancements, gone are the days of a sole intranet post. Start implementing video and imagery as part of your internal communications and empowering your employees to create and share their own content. Springboard can work with you to create engaging content that will excite and inform.   

If you would like more information about The Internal Wire and how we can help with your internal communications and team engagement, email our Director of Strategy and Insight, Sandy Boundy: sandy@springboardcommunications.ie 

Download our Internal Communications in Ireland 2024 Report here.  

Post by Sandy Boundy