Employee Experience: What is it and who is responsible?

Employee experience: it’s been a buzz phrase for a while now. And rightly so. The experience of our employees is everything, really. It matters hugely. It matters to loyalty and commitment and morale and collaboration and performance and productivity and… and… and…

But it’s our professional experience that, all too often, employee experience is simply considered the remit, responsibility, or result of internal comms. We believe that internal comms plays a really good-sized part in employee experience. It contributes generously towards it. But internal comms and employee experience are not in a strictly monogamous and exclusive relationship! Senior Leadership, operations and HR, to name but three, also contribute towards -and should take accountability for- employee experience. In many businesses, you can throw IT and Facilities teams into the mix, too.

Internal comms and employee experience are not in a strictly monogamous and exclusive relationship!

?That said, the remit of internal communications professionals in creating and maintaining a good employee experience should be broad and strategic as well as creative, focusing on clear, engaging, and impactful communication that fosters connection, trust, and engagement.

Precise roles and accountabilities may vary from sector to sector and business to business, but IC’s responsibilities in shaping employee experience are likely to include:

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1. Keeping employees informed & aligned

• Develop and execute internal communication strategies aligned with company goals.?
• Ensure employees understand business objectives, leadership vision, and company direction.?
• Provide timely updates on company news, policy changes, and industry trends.?

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2. Creating a culture of engagement & connection

• Reinforce company mission, values, and purpose through storytelling and campaigns.?
• Highlight employee achievements, team successes, and company milestones.?
• Foster a sense of belonging by ensuring inclusive and diverse communication.?

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3. Driving two-way communication & employee voice

• Establish feedback mechanisms (e.g., surveys, town halls, digital suggestion boxes).?
• Facilitate Q&A sessions with leadership to encourage transparency and dialogue.?
• Act as the bridge between employees and leadership, ensuring feedback leads to action.?

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4. Enhancing collaboration & knowledge sharing?

• Manage internal platforms (intranet, Slack, MS Teams etc.) to improve accessibility to information.?
• Encourage cross-team collaboration through internal campaigns and shared knowledge hubs.
• Organise virtual or in-person events that promote learning, networking, and idea-sharing.?

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5. Supporting change management & business transitions?

• Communicate organisational changes (e.g., restructures, mergers, new policies) in a clear and reassuring way.?
• Provide guidance, resources, and FAQs to help employees navigate changes smoothly.?
• Align messaging across multiple channels to reduce confusion and uncertainty.?

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6. Supporting employee well-being & work-life balance

• Communicate mental health resources, well-being programmes, and flexible work policies.?
• Promote employee assistance programs (EAPs) and work-life balance initiatives.?
• Encourage a culture of appreciation through peer recognition and leadership acknowledgments.?

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7. Measuring & improving internal communications impact

• Track engagement metrics (e.g., email open rates, survey participation, intranet analytics).?
• Continuously gather feedback to refine communication strategies.?
• Adapt messaging to ensure relevance, clarity, and employee satisfaction.?

So, IC teams cannot dictate company direction, financial decisions, or leadership priorities, but they can and should communicate them effectively and ensure employees understand the "why" behind decisions.

Salaries, bonuses, pensions, healthcare plans, and other benefits?are determined by HR, finance, and leadership, not by IC teams. But internal comms can and should clearly communicate and promote the available benefits.

While IC teams?can influence company culture through storytelling and campaigns, they?cannot single-handedly create or change it. Culture is shaped by leadership behaviours, policies, and employee interactions. What IC can do is encourage authentic conversations, amplify employee voices, and, to a degree, hold leaders accountable for walking the talk.

IC teams?cannot control?an employee’s workload, promotion opportunities, or job satisfaction levels. But they can highlight career development programmes, internal mobility opportunities, and learning resources. Similarly, they?cannot enforce?policies on workload, overtime, or hybrid/remote work arrangements (over to you, HR and leadership teams!), but they can promote wellness initiatives, share employee success stories around work-life balance, and provide mental health resources.

And finally, economic downturns, industry trends, regulatory changes, and global crises?are beyond the company’s control, let alone that of IC teams! But internal communicators can ensure timely, clear, and empathetic communication during times of uncertainty.

IC professionals don’t just share information, they shape the employee experience by ensuring employees feel heard, valued, and connected to their work. Their role is to foster a workplace culture where communication drives engagement, trust, and productivity. And whilst IC professionals?cannot dictate?every aspect of the employee experience, they?can shape perception, foster transparency, and enhance engagement?through strategic communication.

Their success depends on collaboration with HR, leadership, and managers to ensure a holistic, employee-centric approach.

Read more: Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety: Building Teams That Thrive

Read more: How to Support Neurodiversity in our Organisations

Read more: What Exactly is an Internal Comms Health Check?

Read more: Small Business, Big Impact: How to Make Your Internal Comms Kick Ass in Your SME