Everything* we’ve learned from the frontlines of internal communications strategy

*actually there’s a lot more, but this is just a blog post so in the interest of brevity we’ve had to make substantial edits.  

 We’ve been in this business a while. We’ve seen some highs and some lows. We’ve learned from the best and we’ve brought more than our fair share of communications strategies back to life. And what have we learned? Well, honestly far too much to cram into one blog post. But we have managed to distil down some of the most important aspects into our very own Golden Rules for creating the most effective internal communications strategy.   

But first off - why do you even need a strategy? 

You’re here reading this so we can assume that we don’t need to hammer home the importance of having a proper internal communications strategy. But for the uninitiated or unconvinced maybe it’s helpful to know that according to a 2023 report from The State of Business Communication, 72% of business leaders believe that effective communication has increased their team’s productivity. And our own experience bears this out too.  

Fully onboard with why you need a strategy? Let’s get on to the good part. 

Golden Rule #1: Know where you’re starting from, and who you’re talking to 

Look at how communications have been going so far, gather your data. Be honest about the things that haven’t hit the mark and try to figure out why. Talk to your audience, find out who they are and what they think – surveys, interviews – whatever works. This is the foundation of the strategy  - it’s all very well having a destination in mind, but it’s much harder to figure out how to get there without knowing your starting point.  

Golden Rule #2: Use the right tools (not just the trendy ones) 

In today's digital age, there’s a multitude of communication tools at our fingertips. Teams, Slack, Yammer, employee apps and of course good old-fashioned email. There are also different mediums available such as video, podcasts, etc. And for getting a better understanding of the impact of your communications there are more than enough survey gizmos to choose from. The point here is to – once again -  think about your audience. Where are they working – home, office, on the road? In which case, how do you reach them most effectively? What is the age range of your team or workforce and does the strategy require a multi-layer approach? Think critically about introducing new channels and formats and be prepared to let those go that aren’t delivering.  

Golden Rule #3: Make ‘simple’ and ‘engaging’ your mantras 

The workplace can be complex, sometimes boring, but your communications should never be either. Inject personality, think about tone of voice, put some life into your messages to engage your audience. Use storytelling techniques, infographics, and videos to make your content more relatable, memorable, and enjoyable. And simplicity is key - avoid jargon and complex language as much as possible, ensuring that your messages are easily understood by all employees. An excellent idea is to create a messaging toolbox that can be used to quickly and easily generate comms that convey the right message in an engaging way.  

Golden Rule #4: Remember comms can be a moving target – be prepared to measure, analyse and adapt! 

As has been well established, successful internal communications require continuous improvement and adaptation. Workforce profiles change, company strategy shifts and new technology becomes available. To keep things on track, establish measurable goals and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies, and also think about how often you will check them.  Analyse and interpret the data you collect to make informed decisions on refining your approach. Regularly reassess, adapt, and even experiment with different tactics to align with evolving employee needs and preferences. They key is keep connected to your vision and values while remaining agile in your approach.    

Golden Rule #5: Get the right people onboard  - the more the merrier! 

Okay okay, not quite the more the merrier (what’s that saying about cooks in the kitchen?) but an internal communications strategy that involves stakeholders beyond the comms team has a far better chance of success. Build relationships with key people -  particularly leadership - across the business, bring them onboard and align the strategy with them. If they understand it, they will help to give consistency and weight to your message and increase the likelihood that people will pay attention.  Don’t forget that good communication is the remit of everyone in leadership positions so this should be a given. 

Golden Rule #7: Know who does what and when 

Probably one of the least exciting rules but having a rock-solid plan in place of who is doing what and when, and who gives the green light is absolutely imperative. People must know if they are responsible for a particular set of comms, and when they need to deliver. Chains of approval must be clearly defined (including a stand in for when the usual final approver is absent) or else you risk communications being stuck in a never-ending loop of reviews. Trust us, it happens more than you might think, and it never stops being exasperating.   

There are of course many more elements that go into creating a successful strategy, but get these covered and you’re on to a great start. Want to know more? We’d love to talk to you.