Tips for Futureproofing Internal Communications

What does 2024 hold for internal communicators? Here are some trends and actionable insights that Jamie Bell of Workshop is seeing based on a survey they did of hundreds of communicators. 1️⃣ Employee Engagement Takes Center Stage Fostering engagement is the top goal and challenge for internal communicators. An internal communications audit is recommended to pinpoint gaps, ensuring your efforts resonate. 2️⃣ Manager Communication is Key Enhancing communication at the managerial level is a recurring theme. Leverage leadership communication to empower managers. Weekly CEO emails can set the tone, offering insights into company progress, culture, and more. 3️⃣ Email Communication Remains Vital Despite diverse communication platforms, email persists as a cornerstone. To overcome engagement challenges, personalize, segment, and design well-branded emails. 4️⃣ Employee Influencers on the Rise Harness the power of employee influencers and thought leadership. Studies show employee posts garner 8x more engagement than official brand accounts. Establish a social media policy, identify natural fits, and maintain a feedback loop for a successful influencer program. 5️⃣ Crafting Engaging Content Creating meaningful connections through engaging content is a shared aspiration. Establish a branded experience, seek feedback, add motion elements, personalize content, and infuse moments of delight to captivate your audience. 6️⃣ Elevating Employer Branding In 2024, internal communicators recognize the significance of employer branding. Move beyond marketing to actively build a community through employee photos, employee-generated content, and consistent feedback loops. 7️⃣ Effective Measurement With Surveys Survey results lead as the preferred method for tracking internal communication efforts. While surveys provide insights, a holistic approach, blending qualitative and quantitative data, is crucial for effective measurement. 8️⃣ Organizational Alignment Achieving organizational alignment is a rising trend. Foster cross-departmental collaboration, maintain consistent messaging, and use monthly department newsletters to keep everyone informed and aligned. 9️⃣ AI Integration in Internal Communications AI gains momentum, with 40% of internal communicators expressing interest. Use AI as a support tool, automating repetitive tasks while preserving the authenticity of human connection. #InternalCommunication #EmployeeEngagement

Inclusive communication isn’t just about saying the right thing. It’s about making sure everyone actually hears it and understands the message. In practice, that means thinking about who usually gets left out of the loop. 👉🏽 Think customer-facing teams who aren't sitting in front of Slack all day 👉🏽 Or folks in different time zones who keep missing live updates 👉🏽 Or new hires who don’t yet know where to look for what I’ve been digging into Nectar’s recent blog on inclusive internal communication (https://lnkd.in/eicnJ4V9), and it really hits on something I believe in...good comms should adapt to your people, not expect your people to adapt to messy comms. Here are some eye-opening stats from Nectar’s blog on inclusive internal comms: 💡According to Bain, fewer than 30% of employees feel fully included at work. Turns out, no single demographic is safe—Asian men report just 16% inclusion, LGBTQ+ women 29%, and even straight white men only 24% 💡Nectar surveyed 1,000 full-time US employees and found 89.7% said regular company updates boost their engagement. Engagement goes way up when people feel informed, connected, and aware of what’s happening. So what does inclusive communication actually look like in action? ✔️ Write plainly, less jargon, more clarity, that works no matter your role or background ✔️ Share updates in multiple formats: Slack chats, short async videos (ahem, use Vidyard for async videos!) or quick written summaries so people can choose what works for them (AI can do this easily now!) ✔️ Time zone aren't gatekeepers, updates go out asynchronously so no one is missing out ✔️ Use repeatable templates so every team knows what info is coming and where to find it Nectar’s blog walks you through 11 steps to bring these ideas together in practice. And their new internal comms platform does the heavy lifting...targeting messages by role or location, and tracking open rates so no one slips through the cracks! 🔥 https://lnkd.in/e4Eife_J Bottom line: inclusive comms isn’t a checkbox, it’s a habit. When people feel seen, informed, and valued, engagement increases, turnover decreases, and trust grows. 📈

Despite companies blasting out updates via Slack, email, and town halls, half the workforce still misses key information. That’s not just a communication gap; it’s a performance issue. When employees don’t get timely, relevant updates, they can’t align with priorities or feel motivated to act. And it’s not just frontline employees who are left out. Engineers deep in code, marketers across time zones, anyone not looped in at the right time or in the right way can also miss out. From my experience as a CHRO across global tech firms, I’ve learned what actually drives inclusive and effective communication. Here are tactics that work: -Morning standups with talking points from leadership -Digital messaging in an easy-to-find app -Physical communications (lunchroom posters, desk drops) for offline teams -Short video messages via QR codes -Targeted updates on Slack, mobile, and email -All-hands meetings that foster connection, not just information I loved this Nectar HR guide on inclusive internal comms: https://lnkd.in/g58S5syU One key stat: 89% of employees say regular leader communication boosts engagement. That’s material. Tactics matter, but true impact comes from a thoughtful strategy: segment messages by team, role, and language, and choose the right formats. When comms fall short, alignment and engagement suffer. People assume, check out, or move on. As leaders, we must do more than check the box—we must ensure everyone hears what matters, when it matters. What’s really working in your internal comms strategy? #InternalComms #EmployeeEngagement #InclusiveLeadership #HRTech #PeopleStrategy