The singularity of Internal Communications

I have been around the idea of internal communications for more than 30 years. A lot of my initial exposure was as an HR consultant, where internal communications was the means by which we could convey the brilliance of our people-centred programmes to the employee base. Good programmes = good internal communications, we thought then.

In the day, internal communications was a small closet, perhaps under the stairs, in the house that was corporate communications or Human Resources. Today, now that a few generations of business people have passed though the workforce, Internal Communications has become much more complex, but it is also disparate and variable.?

Each different organisation has a different size, structure and ambition for their Internal Communications teams. Some organisations don’t have a team at all. If you look at existing Internal Communications teams in large companies, they are like human fingerprints – no two are the same. There is lots of discussion as to what good internal communications is. There’s regular celebration of internal communications’ achievements and awards for great work. Creativity is praised. New channels are whispered about in anticipation. All this by people who work in internal communications.?

Having spent some really interesting time back in the world of internal communications recently, there are two things that strike me as potentially important to consider for Internal Communications professionals, as well as for the Corporate Affairs and HR they work with. And I am increasingly encouraged to find organisations stepping up to them.?

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1. The human in the organisation?

Someone needs to think about the whole person in the organisation. And I propose that is the job of Internal Communications. I see Internal Communications team as being the COO for employees.?

This involves ensuring that they know what the corporate strategy is and how it applies to them – obviously (but still hard to do.) It also means explaining the finer nuances of company policy and regulation and what their impact is. It involves discussing the business’ approach to social, political and sustainability issues, but it also means ensuring leaders and high-potentials have the requisite communications skills to really excel at their work.?It is a very diverse portfolio.

I’ve written before that a leader’s job is to clear the way for people to be successful. We can extend that to Internal Communications: their job should be to clear the way for employees to be able to really deliver on business goals.?

Businesses are complex and confusing even in the best of times. There are rumours that are unsettling. There are leaders arriving and leaving. Messages are mixed. And then there’s the business changes, big and small.?On a good day that will mean a dozen conflicting signals.

All of this adds a number of potential areas to the most common responsibilities of Internal Communications. For example, supporting employee advocacy, such as ERGs or support networks. Not necessarily with content, but with communication skills, stakeholder management or narrative development. ?Taking HR programmes or a change programme and making them make sense – not just explaining the process but offering context and explaining the actions required. And more…

On top of all this, there’s a softer side to this focus on the human and this COO for employees role. It means also ensuring that employees are free to deliver quality work, to challenge the company and to challenge themselves. All the while living a life beyond the transactional duties they perform in the work role.

We know that engagement hangs on a number of things. These include having a good work supervisor, enough flexibility to manage life’s other responsibilities, a sense of fairness in the way you and others are treated, and a workload that is managed and manageable.

By focusing on the human and helping bring together the systems, processes and behaviours of an organisation, and putting all that into perspective within ‘real life’, Internal Communications can help ensure people are best able to do what the company needs them to do.

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2. The advisory opportunity

In the new house that is Corporate Affairs, Internal Communications is a permanent resident. Its room is bigger and better furnished. There are more people there. But it’s still not where the party is at.

I believe that something can still be done about that.?

The breadth of the role for Internal Communications adds to the case for also building its advisory role. This isn’t about continuously fighting for a seat at the top table, but offering impartial and constructive advice to formal and informal business leaders on how to align people, deliver an effective argument, and structure messaging.?

Internal Communications teams should understand the main conclusions and concepts of industrial psychology. They should be able to identify and help address the systems, processes and behaviours that are holding up people and impacting performance. They should be able to see those that help too.

Internal Communications can’t demand or try to legislate for a bigger advisory role. They need to earn it. And this is done over time. You need to build skills and lean in the direction of travel, knowing you will get there eventually.

What areas can Internal Communication be advising on? Traditional ones, like writing skills, channel use. But also many others like leadership communications skills, oracy, the ability to build an argument, dealing with difficulty, delivering consistent strategic communications, engaging effectively with people, and many more.

The role of people in organisations is still not anywhere near maximised. We have optimised our supply chains. We have reduced our overheads. We have taken costs out through effective procurement. We have negotiated great partnerships that complement our strengths. Our systems and processes, we think, are awesome. But we haven’t really even scratched the surface in making people more effective.

Ask any CEO on a quiet day what takes up most of her time and she will say: HR and Governance. The people challenge remains a really heavy and thorny one. Remarkably, the answer to this perpetual headache is sitting in the office, waiting to be switched on, revved up and put to work. All that is required is a bit more consistency, discipline, skills and a remit that suits what the business requires. The consistent, professional fingerprints of the Internal Communications team should be seen in more places.

/df