Internal Communication
External success begins with internal alignment — internal communications have never mattered more.
Why Do Internal Communications Matter?
Organizations cannot move forward without passionate and engaged employees that get the job done each and every day.
Keeping the team engaged and focused on the broader company mission often comes down to open, honest and strategic employee communications. But, many organizations don’t put strategic thought into communications that aren’t public-facing.
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NEGLECTING INTERNAL AUDIENCES IS NOT ONLY A MISSED OPPORTUNITY, IT’S A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHE.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
Alignment Begets Success:
Highly aligned companies are:
More profitable than their misaligned counterparts
ORGANIZATIONS ARE MISSING OPPORTUNITIES:
Of companies do not have long-term internal communications strategy
The opportunity is great. The stakes are greater. The impetus is on companies to better engage and inform internal teams — those that don’t risk alienating the very people who make their success possible.
Our Approach: Strategic Insights from an Internal Communications Agency
Communications Strategy Group (CSG®) operates with the belief that internal alignment begets external success. Though it might seem too simple, alignment truly does begin with communication. Alignment can look like sharing important news with team members before making external announcements. Say a company strikes a deal to move forward on a merger. Internal communications planning and strategy will be the first line of defense to ensure that merger is successful. Business continuity, buy-in and transparency all hinge on internal communications around the merger. Internal success and support are essential to smooth external announcements and the finalization of complex mergers and acquisitions. If those communications aren’t successful, the deal might not be either.
In a more day-to-day example, creating alignment might also be as simple as taking steps to understand and articulate the value the company offers specifically to employees. Good internal communications make employees feel valued and help them see the value their company has to offer them. Morale is not just feeling like you have a seat at the table — though that is essential — it’s also feeling like you have a seat at the hottest table in town.
The list of other internal communications opportunities is rivaled in length only by the potential business benefit that stems from such strategic communications initiatives.
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IF RETENTION, ENGAGEMENT, TRANSPARENCY, GROWTH AND PROFITABILITY ARE WORDS THAT CARRY WEIGHT IN YOUR ORGANIZATION, THERE IS A STRONG CASE TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT YOUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS.
For many organizations, working with an internal communications agency is the most efficient path to identify opportunities to engage employees and support higher-order goals.
With that in mind, CSG offers comprehensive communications plans for everything from mergers and acquisitions to crisis communications and ongoing corporate communications.
Emails
Newsletters
Employee Intranets
New Brand Rollout
Explainer
Video
Presentations
Webinar
Reports
Mergers & Acquisitions Transactions
Clients Past & Present
Be Deliberate: How to Improve Internal Communication in a Company
Top corporate communications agencies will tell you successful employee communication starts with common definitions and language.
In this case, it’s essential to first understand the answers to these questions:
The answers might seem obvious, but they actually establish the foundational elements of an internal communications strategy.
WHAT
Is internal communication in a company?
WHAT
establishes expectations for the types of information shared. It is also a good opportunity to ensure the company’s expectations align with employee expectations.
How
do companies communicate internally?
How
establishes the channels and mediums that will be used to share information with employees and prospective employees.
A company’s “what” and “how” answers form a baseline for what employees want and need to know and how they expect to receive that information.
Consider Your Employees Your First and Most Urgent Audience
It’s well-known that disengaged employees present a far greater risk for turnover than engaged employees. They also make more errors and operate less efficiently than their engaged counterparts. As a corporate communications agency, we specialize in helping organizations develop effective internal communications that get everyone on the same page.
Internal communications are ultimately an opportunity to increase alignment and retention. When those opportunities exist for external audiences, we throw the kitchen sink at them: PR and communications, influencer marketing, digital strategy, content marketing, social media, reputation management.
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OUR INTERNAL AUDIENCES ARE JUST AS VALUABLE — AND EVEN MORE INFLUENTIAL — BUT REQUIRE FAR LESS CAMPAIGN COMPLEXITY AND BRAND EDUCATION TO CREATE IMPACT.
After all, internal audiences have the benefit of considerable brand awareness and motivation.
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INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PRIMARILY REQUIRE INTROSPECTION AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS — TWO THINGS THAT ALL LEADERS AND COMPANIES SHOULD WORK TO CONSCIOUSLY DEVELOP FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MESSAGING PURPOSES.
Internally, developing a strategy that meets employee expectations requires a comprehensive view of topics that will need to be consistently addressed. Company announcements, communications from leadership and internal newsletters might all be recurring messages to be taken into account. Additionally, companies must anticipate and plan for time-sensitive topics that will require considerable messaging and communications. For instance, mergers and acquisitions or other significant changes to company structure will inspire many questions from the team. Making such announcements in a deliberate way with supporting communications in place and ready to roll out promises better experiences for all involved.
With a strong and consistent strategy in place, organizations can demonstrate their support for employees and their commitment to transparency.
In many ways, internal comms are tools that support company culture and employee engagement. That’s why internal communications best practices prioritize employees as an audience.
The value of their work and their flexibility with the process was excellent, this was a differentiator compared to other consultants we have worked with. CSG really took a proactive approach to understand PCL and our business while at the same time challenging us to approach things differently.
Jaime McGavin
Manager, Human Resources Programs, PCL
Whether your company routinely practices internal communication but wants to maximize the effort or hasn’t yet found a way to kick things off, CSG can help.
We’re an internal communication company that believes communication can solve any challenge. Our team of strategists has experience breaking big news, defining internal messaging structures and creating opportunities for connection.
Industry Expertise
There’s an old adage that says to write well, you have to write what you know. We believe that logic applies to work as well, and we’ve made it our business to understand the nuances and landscapes of the industries we serve.