Internal Communications

One of the first rules of communication is to know your audience. You should partner with an agency that’s deeply in tune with your audience. A team like JPL specializes in engaging and retaining employees in the workplace. We know how effective employee communication can boost business performance and keep your top talent on board. This kind of employee-focused expertise can be particularly impactful in building greater alignment with mission, vision, purpose and strategic initiatives. Internal communications agencies can also provide guidance on developing metrics to demonstrate the value of internal communications to the business.

Internal communications help create a strong culture and community within a company. It makes it easier for information to flow effectively and for teams, departments and regions to work together. It can also boost employee morale and create a sense of pride.

External communications share information with people outside the company, like customers, media, investors, the government and the public. This type of communication affects how people outside the company view your company.

Internal communications refers to all your company’s communication to and from employees. Employees rely on you to equip them with the essential knowledge and information to do their jobs effectively. Most of all, internal communications help connect your team to the company’s culture and purpose.

Increasingly, businesses rely on internal communications to help create high-performing workplaces. It builds strong cultures, increases profits and improves employee satisfaction. All of which help craft an irresistible employer brand. Internal communications isn’t as simple as an office memo. It’s a series of strategic moves that deliver major perks and measurable long-term business success.

Internal communication can include leadership and manager communication, as well as how important information is disseminated through an organization. It also includes communication handled by the Human Resources team, such as fostering the company’s culture, promoting employee value propositions and improving the overall employee experience and recognition.

Traditionally, internal communications have focused on sharing information. A 2023 Gallagher study found that top goals now include creating a positive workplace culture and aligning business goals.

Now more than ever, internal communications work cross-functionally to handle challenging issues like:

• Communicating with workers who are remote, hybrid or deskless (or non-wired)
• Reducing employee turnover
• Helping employees adapt to rapid changes in the business and industry

All of this requires rethinking the way we work and communicate.

There are many kinds of internal communication channels. New platforms and technologies are significantly impacting the way organizations communicate internally. This includes better ways to reach specific people and allowing employees to find information that matters to them. It also allows them to connect with others outside of their team and join discussions within the organization.

Internal communication channels might include:

• Email
• Newsletters
• Blogs
• Podcasts
• Videos
• Virtual or in-person town halls or meetings
• Digital signage
• Collaboration tools
• Employee apps
• Instant messaging
• Bulletin boards
• Physical signage
• Employee listening platforms
• Intranets
• And people managers—an often overlooked yet powerful channel to communicate with your employees.

Knowing how your employees want to be communicated with and how to use channels well is essential because there are many options. An internal communications audit can help you understand and find ways to improve your internal communication channels.

Effective employee communication can benefit your company in many ways. Good employee communication leads to a happy and motivated team. A team that knows what is important to the company’s success and what behaviors are expected. When employees feel informed, they feel trust in leadership. Trust builds a positive work culture. Trust is vital for a company’s success and for teams to work well together. When your employees are engaged, they put in extra effort to help the company be successful.

One of the best ways to define and demonstrate the benefits of effective employee communications is to develop an employee communication strategy. The strategy should include metrics linked to KPIs and desired business outcomes. This will allow you to demonstrate the tangible benefits and strategic value of improving employee communication.

A disengaged employee no longer wants to work hard for your organization. Some signs of disengagement include not showing interest in their work, doing the bare minimum and being quiet or withdrawn. They may also start to have a negative attitude, which can affect your workplace’s overall mood and culture. Disengaged employees can harm your business strategy and productivity.

An employment brand (or employer brand) is designed to position an organization as a great place to work. It provides a framework for telling the story of why people would want to work there. Employer brand spans everything from mission, vision and values to culture, work environment and reputation. The process of defining an employer brand is known as employer branding.

An effective employer brand should reflect the perspectives of current employees and carry an understanding of an organization’s talent competition. It’s also important that an employment brand complement the corporate brand.

An employer brand is the positioning an organization uses to differentiate themselves in the talent market.

Recruitment marketing describes when the employer brand is used to attract talent. This involves building awareness and interest in an organization as a potential employer, as well as getting people to apply to your organization and choose to work for you. Recruitment marketing takes job candidates on a journey from “tell me more” to “I am interested” to “I want to work there.”

While both employer branding and recruitment marketing have long been a staple of talent acquistion, they can also play a big role in talent retention. With large numbers of people passively or actively open to new job opportunities, there can be tremendous value in reinforcing the employment brand throughout the employee lifecycle. We call this “re-recruiting” current employees and reminding them why they want to stay.