Internal Communication Challenges 2023 – 3 Lessons Learned to Overcome Them

State of the Sector (provided by Gallagher) is a global survey of internal communication and employee engagement landscape, and the latest report was released at the beginning of February. Informed by over 2,000 responses from HR and communication leaders across the globe, the report provides insights into internal communication challenges and possibilities.

’Channels not fit for purpose’ was identified as the second to the fourth most significant barrier to internal communication success in organisations of 500+ employees.

Over a third of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their current channels, and the gap between technology’s potential and the reality of the digital experience continues to widen.

While technology has been blamed for a lot of things, this time it’s not the culprit.

In fact, it may be the solution to many internal communication problems.

The report also revealed that internal communicators’ technical limitations are genuine; however, other factors must be considered when interpreting dissatisfaction with channels.

Only 31% of organisations reported having a channel framework. Channels are only as good as their content, yet only 33% of respondents reported having a channel-specific editorial calendar. Only 63% are measuring the reach of their channels, and 55% are measuring employee satisfaction with internal communication.

Three Edmund lessons learned from the past years:

1. Do not base your decisions on assumptions.

If something is not working – don’t be afraid to ask your employees why it is not working.

Investigate how your internal channels are being used and, most of all, experienced by your employees. The objective insights will help you determine what works well and needs improvements. At the same time, you can use employee feedback to define communication goals and key figures for follow-up.

2. Create a communication strategy for driving adoption

Adoption communication strategies are defined to create effective and engaging internal communication – a sort of guidance that inspires WHAT we have to say to WHOM, WHEN and in WHAT internal channels to reach our goals and create excellent internal communication.

”Digital has brought about a shift in how we communicate with each other. It’s no longer about simply sharing information, but about connecting and engaging people.”

Every company has its own culture that plays a role in how people work together and communicate with each other on a daily basis. In order to create a successful digital communication strategy that fits into this culture, you need to understand how people communicate in general at your organization: What kind of language do they use? Do they share information openly or just within their department? What type of content do they prefer? Are there any topics that are off limits?

3. We are all internal communicators

Even if you are not officially designated as the internal communication expert in your organization, you can still contribute to the process and have an impact on how information is communicated internally.

The biggest challenges of internal communication are usually not related to technology or channels available. After all, we are dealing with human behaviour and need. The technology and channels available are rarely not the biggest issues.

Challenge your previous work routines and invite your employees to contribute with internal communication, knowledge sharing and insights. You will be surprised how much they know about their work environment, challenges they face and solutions they can offer.

Also, with the help of appointed editors and ready-made templates, you can show trust and confidence, which calls for employee commitment, engagement and effort invested in content creation. Combine your adoption communication strategy with guidance and recommendations of when to use what channel depending on the task, and you will most likely succeed.