We discussed just this in our recent webinar, ‘Creative Internal Communications That Cuts Through’. We were joined by some of the best names in the internal comms world. A panel from Google, BBC, GSK and The Access Group, expertly hosted by Francesca Cassidy from Raconteur.
But before we dig in, why is internal comms important? Our recent research investigated whether UK employees are aware of what their companies are doing when it comes to ESG.
We discovered that there is a strong belief amongst the UK workforce that many companies are ‘all talk and no action’ when it comes to ESG initiatives. This cynicism shows a deep disconnect between what companies do and how they communicate progress. A major communications gap exists in many organisations.
This communications gap doesn’t just apply to ESG efforts but to many other internal initiatives too. Employees can be your biggest brand advocates or detractors. Organisations that can’t effectively communicate fall foul of the communications gap and are putting themselves and their reputations at risk.
Closing this gap means cutting through the noise. What we heard from our inspirational panellists was that it is moments, memories, and mediums that matter. How so?
Pick your moment
In today’s busy world it is all too easy to feel overwhelmed. Internal comms must be about making moments rare and special. This means prioritising what is shared and who it’s shared with.
Different generations, departments, and communities across a workforce all have various thoughts on what they want to hear from you as their employer. There will be times when the whole organisation needs an update. But equally there will be occasions where you’ll need to communicate with a select group.
The ability to recognise these moments and prioritise accordingly will stop you from bombarding your employees with yet more noise. It will ensure that your curated communications hits home harder.
Make it memorable
Many organisations are finding that injecting creativity and innovation into their internal comms brings huge reward. Particularly when engaging with hard-to-reach employees.
One of our panellists worked with us to create a video game that tapped into the culture of the business. The game aimed to inspire pride and remind employees why they enjoy working at the company. The success of the game took everyone by surprise. It sparked engagement as employees spotted references that triggered fond memories. It tapped into the competitiveness of teams that frequently didn’t engage with other parts of the business.
Our other panellists shared how they are telling the corporate story from a different perspective. But importantly, from a perspective that their internal audience find interesting. Everyone loves seeing themselves, or someone they know, with their name up in lights. Having employees star in content is a compelling and authentic way to tell a story. It engages with people and fills colleagues with a real sense of pride.
The takeaway: Surprise, delight and move your internal audience with new ideas and approaches you haven’t tried before. It gets people talking and it makes sure that the message sticks in their memory.
Choose your medium (or media)
Where do your employees consume content? What are their go to channels and media?
Internal comms content must be snackable and easy to consume, matching the style, tone and format of their channels of choice.
From visual, video-based content to TV style delivery and augmented reality platforms. Thinking beyond the phone or the laptop is key.
Meeting your employees where they are rather than forcing them to where you want them with innovative communications mediums will drive engagement.
To find out more about how internal comms is changing watch our webinar here.
