Emerging Issues in Internal Communications

This article points out the importance of how generational shifts affect internal communications. Two-way symmetrical communication will positively influence employee engagement. While some communications involve the human resources department, this study examines the use of the public relations department for internal communications. Consider what the study says about establishing commitment from employees and how expectations about communication are changing.

Literature Review

Measuring Success in Internal Communication

All communicators are being asked to produce evidence that prove their efforts are successful, and internal communicators should do the same. Human resources professionals tend to look at average length of tenure among employees, average turnover, and engagement. In their study on intranets, Spurlock and O'Neil found some common metrics used for internal communication included readership numbers, amount of discussion, user surveys, and informal feedback. But do numbers like these fully capture employee engagement? Ruck and Welch wrote that their assessment of 12 academic and consultancy studies found a focus on measuring "communication processes, channels and volume of communication" rather than organizational engagement. 

This review of the literature suggests several topics related to internal communication that deserve more attention such as encroachment, generational shifts, employer branding or values communication, and metrics. Specific questions that should be addressed include:  

  • RQ 1a: Who leads internal communication? RQ1b: Is there evidence of encroachment or a blurring of boundaries in this domain?  
  • RQ 2a: What are the latest trends impacting the domain of internal communication? RQ2b: How are internal communicators adapting to these changes? 
  • RQ 3: Is there a focus on building organizational identity through employer branding and if so, which department leads these efforts? 
  • RQ 4: How are internal communication and engagement being measured?