How internal communication succeeds in a company

Recent studies on working life show just how much depends on good communication within companies: Just 13% of German employees are committed and enjoy their work. In contrast, 72% simply go to work and 15 per cent of Germans have already given their notice. This was the picture painted by the global Gallup study on the work situation in 2023.

Situations like these are often the result of a lack of communication within a company. Unclear objectives, a lack of agreements between departments and few opportunities to get involved in the company are often the main reasons why employees are unable to identify with their company and their job.

Internal communication shapes the corporate culture

How management talks to its colleagues creates the framework for successful collaboration - or creates the exact opposite if internal dialogue is neglected.

Studies show that employees are more effective and productive when they identify with their company. However, this is only possible if communication is open, clear and honest. Internal communication is part of the corporate strategy; it should inform everyone about the goals and requirements of their work. It is also a feedback channel through which employees can find out what their contribution is to achieving the set goals and whether they have been successful together.

Good communication with suitable formats that make colleagues feel valued leads to a modern and robust corporate culture. Only when employees know that their opinions are heard can they point out unrealised potential or shortcomings, for example. A direct exchange at eye level increases the space for ideas that companies need to remain successful in the long term.

What internal communication can do - if you give it
space

Internal communication is the backbone of day-to-day work and important change processes. Good communication has a direct influence on the success of changes and day-to-day business. It promotes committed cooperation, creates concrete examples of what abstract objectives in the corporate vision and mission mean and strengthens employee loyalty to the company in the long term.

When it comes to implementation, both small and large decisions determine success: whether and how gender equality is used, which channels are chosen to reach employees, or whether to speak formally or informally. The form of address in particular should not be underestimated, as many companies try to stick to a formal "you" but are then surprised that a real team spirit does not emerge. The "you" in the company also has other advantages, as it smoothes out hierarchical structures, which in turn encourages employees to address grievances. It is therefore a first step towards a functioning feedback culture.

The right channels also play a decisive role: as RYZE Digital has found in regular studies, digital communication channels are becoming increasingly popular: 61% of respondents to the "Trendmonitor hybride IK 2023" stated that their company's employees prefer to use digital channels. This means that "digital" is the most popular channel for almost 46% of study participants. At the same time, the importance of print media remains undisputed: many use posters (53%) and flyers (30%) for special events, for example.

How diversity in companies is promoted through communication

Gender and diversity are currently defining issues for society and therefore for many companies. This form of change process, such as the visualisation of certain employees and the active inclusion of queer or non-binary people in communication, shows that companies are responding to their employees. They are not just there to do work, but are seen as people and taken seriously. At the same time, gendering is an issue that can be heated: Ensuring understanding and compromise here is one of the many tasks of internal communication.

Striking the right tone is more important than ever, because internal communication should reach everyone. How companies shape the dialogue with and between employees and whether there are effective opportunities for constructive feedback is crucial for a successful exchange of knowledge in which everyone can participate in order to make the company more successful. If internal communication is ignored or not given the necessary space, this will lead to disadvantages in the long term - not only in terms of products and services, but also when recruiting new employees.

Feedback for progress: listening is also communication

The feedback culture or a "no-blame" approach is particularly important: internal communication must enable an exchange in which mistakes are discussed openly and the right conclusions can be drawn. It is important that managers set a good example. Only if department heads or board members admit mistakes and wrong decisions to their teams will team members have the courage to talk about their mistakes.

Internal communication knows many ways in which a feedback culture can be organised. Internal team exchange rounds, experience reports and interviews, discussion rounds, town hall meetings or anonymous formats can ensure that companies take a critical look at themselves. Frequency also plays a major role: organising a feedback round only once a year may ensure that only short-term problems are addressed, while long-term problems are already forgotten.

Regular feedback not only improves products and services, employees also feel listened to and are more committed. They feel more comfortable in the company and know that they can make a difference. All of this leads to higher productivity and more effective work.

Different locations, different perspectives

The larger the company, the more important a good internal dialogue becomes. If a company is spread across several locations, even different countries or continents, it becomes difficult for most employees to exchange ideas with each other, plan strategies to achieve the company's goals or even just keep up to date with what is happening at other locations. If a lot of research and development is carried out at one location, people employed there will find out earlier where the company is heading. Colleagues at other branches may feel ignored as a result. It can also be difficult to work together as a cross-location team if employees are not really aware of what other areas of their company are actually doing. This can even happen with just one location, as remote working and flexible working time models are popular, but also mean that some people rarely meet in the corridor outside the office.

Depending on the occasion and target group, there are many established ways to create more team spirit: A lively intranet, where employees report on what their projects are and what the status is, can be a useful measure to establish a sense of togetherness across locations in a simple, quick and uncomplicated way. Increased mobile working during the coronavirus pandemic has given the company intranet a central role, as the "Trendmonitor hybride IK 2023" study found out.

Traditional media such as a regularly published magazine for employees are also well suited to facilitating the internal exchange of information. Trainees can also manage their own trainee social media channel, for example, in which they present the company to the outside world as a good employer and show internally what stage they are currently at in their training. In this way, they take on internal and external communication at the same time and have the opportunity to tell their story authentically through a separate channel without having to comply with the content plans of the rest of the company.