ITPR set to support UK businesses with their Internal Communication

You may have noticed that recently we have been sharing information on the subject of Internal Communication across our social channels, the website and in our blogging. This is because we’ve been researching different Internal Communication strategies & tactics, and providing some examples to showcase the essential role that it plays for all organisations.

Why is this and what’s the significance?

The impact that effective Internal Communication has on a business has only been studied at an academic level over the past 30 years and so the understanding of its value and impact on the bottom line of a business continues to be undervalued by many UK organisations - we believe this is to their detriment. 

30 years might sound like a long time, but to provide some context modern Public Relations as we recognise it began in the early 1900s. However, history traces the practice back to the 17th century and the term public relations was said to be first documented by US President Thomas Jefferson during his address to Congress in 1807. So you can see why the understanding of Internal Communication is still in it's infancy. 

Effective Internal Communication is a powerful tool and there are many different examples that, when done right, are shown to improve employee engagement, which boosts the corporate reputation and has a positive impact on the bottom line. 

Internal Communication involves using every suitable method available to the businesses that allows it to speak to and listen to employees, therefore it impacts every single employee, at every level. As organisations become less bureaucratic and more employee-centric, getting Internal Communication right should be a top priority for senior leaders - but is it in reality?

Poor communication can be hugely damaging for a company and its bottom line, so it is essential that UK businesses understand their Internal Comms responsibilities. 

You only need to look as far as Elon Musk’s poorly considered email to Tesla employees demanding that they return to work, which turned out to be at odds with Tesla’s strategy and hybrid working goals. Then there was P&O’s sacking of 800 employees via video, which was deemed callous and not only hit the company’s reputation in the eyes of consumers, but also raised concerns about breaches of employment law. 

Welcoming expertise to support Internal Comms

The pandemic reinforced the vital importance of having an Internal Comms strategy and strong employee communications for businesses of every size. Whether staff were working from home, furloughed, or playing their role as key workers supporting frontline activity - strong Internal Comms was/ is essential for companies wanting to keep everyone in the loop and to make sure they remain engaged in their work.

We believe that effective Internal Comms is one of the essential missing links for a lot of businesses, which can truly benefit our clients and prospects. To support our belief in the importance of Internal Communication, at the start of 2022 we brought in Anthony Monks into the business. 

Anthony has spent 15 years working in corporate communications roles, delivering complex Internal Comms strategies in national and international organisations. He has successfully researched and delivered internal campaigns in the private, public and not for profit sectors, including the NHS, championing the importance of two-way symmetric communication.

We’ve been working together to understand what UK businesses think of Internal Comms, how it is delivered and how it can be improved because when you get it  right, it has a direct impact on the bottom line!

Making a stand for Internal Communication!

Given the importance we’re placing on effective Internal Comms within any business, we wanted to look at just how good (or bad) UK businesses are at communicating with their employees.

To this end, we commissioned a survey of over 200 UK decision makers working in HR, Marketing, PR/Communication departments in organisations employing more than 100 people. We investigated companies’ attitudes and understanding of Internal Communication strategies and investigated how companies are planning, managing, delivering and measuring their Internal Communication activity.

Our market research report peers into the state of Internal Communication in UK Businesses, with some surprising results.