You're revamping your internal communications strategy. What pitfalls should you steer clear of?

Gosh! Why do we always jump to 'messages' when talking about internal comms strategy? First comes understanding where you are and where you want to get to (think, feel, do, believe, understand, etc) with whoever you want to communicate with. Then you can work out messages and all that jazz.

I tend to think with the end in mind. Who exactly is your audience and what do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of your strategy. This should provide you with the clarity of message and understanding of what and why we’re doing something. Having clear concise messaging is important but so is having a clear picture of what success might look like as a result is always a great way to start!

Strangely enough I've had more arguments about internal communication than any other area of communication strategy. Opinions about internal communication are like noses, everyone has one. The problem is people believe intuitively they know what works, that is because they have never tested the results. So test the results would be number one. The other key issue I regularly encounter is a lack of understanding about what works as an engagement approach for internal audiences. Hint, it is rarely an email missive from the lady or man in the big corner office. The best way to start is to use the most trusted source of communication to deliver the message if you actually want to move the needle. This often looks like someone's direct boss.

You want to steer clear of ambiguity. Here, the goal of the communication should be stated clearly so that everyone knows what success looks like. Also steer clear of letting the team imagine for themselves the channels to use. A case in point: someone can send a message on WhatsApp when it should have been sent on email. It means they communicated but not everyone uses WhatsApp as a main source of info. Leading to misunderstanding.

La falta de claridad será un factor clave negativo si estás renovando tu estrategia de comunicación interna. Sin mensajes claros, los empleados pueden malinterpretar la información, lo que genera confusión, rumores y falta de alineación con los objetivos de la empresa. Una estrategia poco definida afecta la confianza y dificulta la adopción de nuevas iniciativas. Para que la renovación sea exitosa, es esencial que los mensajes sean precisos, transparentes y fáciles de entender, fomentando la cohesión y el compromiso del equipo.

La falta de comentarios será un factor clave negativo si estás renovando tu estrategia de comunicación interna. Sin feedback, es difícil saber si los mensajes son comprendidos o si las necesidades del equipo están siendo atendidas. Esto puede generar desconexión, frustración y resistencia al cambio. Los comentarios permiten ajustar y mejorar la estrategia en tiempo real, asegurando que sea efectiva y relevante. Fomentar un diálogo abierto es esencial para el éxito de cualquier renovación de la comunicación interna.

The purpose of internal communications is to inform, educate, and engage. For it to be successful, it has to be a two-way street. This means having discussions and conversations to understand gaps and if needs are being met. If an orgnaisation is not going to be collecting or listening to any feedback, then the internal communications strategy - old or new - is destined to fail no matter what.

Making your culture the foundation of your communications strategy is key, and it starts with leadership support. It should reflect how everyone interacts with each other and aligns with the company’s mission. For example, if your company values teamwork, your communications should emphasize transparency and open dialogue. While this may seem simple, it’s essential. When your strategy aligns with your core values, it reinforces your brand and builds stronger employee engagement and trust.

Tener en cuenta la cultura corporativa es esencial al renovar la estrategia de comunicación interna, ya que esta refleja los valores, normas y estilo de interacción de la organización. Integrar la cultura en la comunicación interna ayuda a que los mensajes resuenen de manera auténtica y creíble con los empleados, generando mayor compromiso y coherencia en todos los niveles. Además, al adaptar los mensajes al tono y lenguaje cultural de la empresa, se fomenta un ambiente en el que los empleados se sienten identificados y valorados, impulsando una mayor cohesión organizacional.

When working on your communication strategy, the most important question is: why are we doing this? What is the purpose of this effort, and how will we know whether we have been successful? Can we measure success objectively (more sales, better feedback, higher awareness), and can we define the top three things we want to measure? Communication needs to serve a business purpose, and the best way to determine whether you have a strategy is to ask yourself: What would happen if we did nothing?