Internal communication has shifted from more than just a support function to a strategic driver of culture, productivity, and employee advocacy. Hybrid work, rising digital fatigue, and an increased focus on employee experience have reshaped expectations.
Therefore, a modern internal communication strategy should be intentional, data-led, and human-centred. Here are 7 tips to help you build an internal communication strategy that keeps your team connected, aligned, and inspired.
Tip 1: Review the State of Your Current Internal Communication Strategy
Most organisations already have a mix of email, meetings, chat tools, and informal channels in place. Start by assessing what’s working and what isn’t. Pay attention to the following:
Message clarity and consistency: Are your messages easy to understand, free from ambiguity, and aligned across teams and departments?
Channel effectiveness: Are you using the right platforms for the right types of communication, and are employees engaging with them? What channels do your teams prefer?
Employee sentiment and engagement levels: How do employees feel about the communication they receive, and how actively do they participate or respond?
Response times and information bottlenecks: Where is communication slowing down, getting stuck, or failing to reach the people who need it?
Cross-team communication gaps: Are departments sharing information effectively, or are misalignment and silos affecting collaboration and productivity?
Find out how to build an omnichannel strategy that uses data to connect your touchpoints and deliver stronger results.
Tip 2: Establish a Clear, Realistic Budget
Internal communication is now recognised as a cornerstone of organisational culture and employee engagement. Treat it with the same strategic investment you would give customer-facing communication. Your budget might cover:
Technology platforms: The tools and systems you need to manage, deliver, and track internal communication across the organisation.
Content creation: Producing high-quality messages, videos, guides, and campaigns that keep employees informed and engaged.
Employee engagement campaigns: Initiatives designed to strengthen connection, recognition, and participation across teams.
Training for managers: Equipping leaders with the skills and confidence to communicate clearly and consistently.
Tip 3: Co-Create Your Internal Strategy with Cross-Functional Teams
Internal communication should represent the entire organisation. Bring together key stakeholders from HR, Marketing, IT, Operations, and Leadership to ensure every perspective is considered.
Involving a diverse group provides a clearer view of communication challenges across teams, stronger buy-in when the strategy is rolled out, and an approach that aligns with day-to-day workflows and realities.
Tip 4: Build Employee Personas to Tailor Your Messaging
Different internal groups consume content differently. Personas can be segmented by role, location, seniority, or communication preference. Employee personas help you:
Tailor your messaging tone and format: Shape the style, depth, and delivery of your communication to suit different employee groups.
Choose the right channels: Identify which platforms each audience prefers, ensuring your messages reach them where they’re most likely to engage.
Improve relevance: Craft content that speaks directly to employees’ needs, roles, and contexts, making communication more meaningful.
Reduce information overload: Send only what’s relevant to each persona, helping employees receive the right information without unnecessary noise.
A responsive email template helps you communicate with different personas on different devices. It dynamically adjusts layout, images, and text based on the device it’s viewed on, maintaining a professional look whether accessed on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.
Tip 5: Define Success and Set SMART Objectives
Your strategy needs a measurable definition of success. Decide what you’re aiming for. Is it greater engagement, faster decision-making, higher manager-communication scores, or improved retention?
SMART objectives give your strategy structure. For example:
- Increase internal newsletter open rates by 15% within six months
- Reduce repeat queries to HR by 20% through clearer communication
Track metrics such as channel engagement, survey participation, sentiment analysis, employee referrals, and participation in internal initiatives.
Tip 6: Choose Tools That Support the Way Your People Work
The digital workplace has expanded dramatically. Email remains foundational, but it’s now one part of a broader ecosystem. Consider a combination of:
Email platforms for structured communication: Ideal for formal updates, detailed messages, and information employees may need to reference later.
Workplace chat tools for real-time collaboration: Perfect for quick conversations, problem-solving, and keeping teams connected throughout the day.
Video platforms for engagement and accessibility: Useful for leadership announcements, training, and messages that benefit from tone, presence, and clarity.
SMS or voice broadcasting for urgent updates: Best for time-sensitive communication when you need to reach everyone quickly and reliably.
Employee apps or intranets for centralised resources: A single place where teams can access documents, policies, news, and tools whenever they need them.
Your technology selection should be guided by employee preferences and the complexity of your communication needs.
Tip 7: Measure, Learn, and Refine Continuously
A modern internal communication strategy should evolve. Monitor performance, gather feedback, and stay responsive to ensure an effective strategy now and in future. You can look at:
Engagement analytics: How employees interact with your messages across channels.
Survey insights: What people say they need, value, or find unclear.
Channel effectiveness: Which platforms are performing well, and which aren’t.
Message clarity and responsiveness: Whether communications are understood and whether employees act or respond as expected.
Qualitative feedback from teams and managers: The real-world experiences behind the numbers, revealing gaps, frustrations, or opportunities.
When something isn’t landing, adjust the timing, channel, narrative, or format. Small refinements compound into significant improvements over time.
Stay Ahead with an Adaptive Internal Communication Strategy
As the workplace continues to evolve, our internal communication style must evolve too. Organisations that approach internal communication strategically and keep adapting are better positioned to build trust, strengthen culture, and empower employees to perform at their best.
Create a More Connected Employee Experience
Great communication builds great companies. With Everlytic, you can streamline and automate internal updates, personalise messaging, and reach every employee on the channels your teams prefer. Take your internal communication strategy to the next level with Everlytic.
