We need to talk: Three internal communications tips to kickstart 2025

The majority of employees in Australia and New Zealand do not feel engaged in their workplaces according to a recent Gallup survey.

The research revealed a disturbing 64% of respondents reported being “not engaged.”

It is a damning statistic that can manifest in many ways, from decreased productivity to apathy and isolation.

Keeping good employees engaged is a complex problem. There is no silver bullet, but it starts with ‘good’ internal communications.

And effective internal communication is more than information-sharing – it is the foundation for creating a workplace where employees feel heard, valued, and invested in.

There are important steps you can take to ensure your internal communications efforts are hitting the mark.

1. Listen and learn

Seek and listen to feedback from your workforce. It’s the first and most important step.

How do you know what’s working and what’s not unless you’ve asked the key audience you’re trying to communicate with?

As one participant in a recent workshop explained: “You (the employer) need to hear from us as much as we need to hear from you.”

Gathering and analysing quantitative data from existing channels such as newsletter engagements and intranet views is a start, but it only takes you so far.

Talk to your workforce face to face, through workshops or interviews. An independent facilitator can be invaluable, encouraging employees to share honest feedback without fear of judgment or reprisal.

Once you have the feedback, employees also need to know how it will be used to inform your actions.

Research by the Institute of Internal Communications (ICC) in 2024 revealed that less than half of employees (47%) thought their organisation was good at demonstrating how employee feedback influences decisions and actions.

Failing to close this feedback loop risks employees becoming dispirited and disengaged, with a perception that “nothing ever changes” and “no one listens to us”.

Actions to consider might include:

• Communicate outcomes: share updates on actions taken in direct response to feedback.
• Show progress: even if changes take time, explain what is being done and why and ideally when employees can expect a further update.

2. Tailor your communications for your workforce

Distributing information is not the same as effectively communicating it.

Sharing an overwhelming amount of information via a newsletter or multiple emails may seem like ‘job done’, but it is an ineffective use of time and resources if only a limited audience interacts with it.

Employees want relevant, accessible, and meaningful information tailored to their role or team. Achieving this requires planning, but the flipside is a more engaged audience.

Tools such as email and intranet platforms may have in-built functionality such as audience segmentation that can be used to improve personalisation and targeting.

Accessibility is another consideration. Reaching diverse teams such as remote workers, frontline staff, or multi-generational employees who may have limited digital access or may not be digitally savvy requires a different strategy.

This is a common challenge within the resources sector, where many companies have a high proportion of non-desk-based workers, such as operators.

Lack of access to a computer limits their ability to engage with digital channels such as emails, and when they do get access, information is likely to be out of date.

Feedback commonly shared across workshops includes, “there is an overreliance on digital devices, but our workforce doesn’t have time to sit on computers” and “most people aren’t reading email at all so they are missing updates”.

Companies should consider:

• Seeking feedback from the workforce on what channels work best for them
• Making digital information more accessible such as adding QR codes on posters
• Using digital screens to share visual updates
• Using good old fashioned print outs of newsletters and important updates.

3. Invest in training for managers

Transparent and authentic communication fosters trust, strengthens relationships, and drives employee engagement, retention and productivity.

The ICC research also found that when employees rate internal communication as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, their level of trust in leaders is higher.

While leadership teams typically set the tone for open, transparent, two-way dialogue, managers and team leaders have an important role in cascading information through the workforce.

Workshop feedback shows that the level of workforce awareness is often linked to a line manager’s ability to communicate effectively and respond to two-way feedback.

In fact, global research by Gallup in 2023 found that 70% of the variance in team engagement can be attributed to the manager.

However, only 11% of managers have been trained in communicating change effectively, according to the ICC.

Many managers share with us that training would not only help them to improve and adapt their communication style, but it would boost their confidence in responding to challenging employee questions.

Investing in training for line managers could go a long way to improving internal communications.

To support managers to be good internal communicators, employers could consider:

• Investing in external communications training for managers who could benefit from additional support
• Ensuring all new managers complete additional communication training when promoted/appointed to the role
• Establishing informal training within the workplace such as mentoring and coaching conversations and sharing knowledge and learning experiences between managers.

Internal communications activities provide valuable engagement opportunities

We’ve helped many clients address internal communications issues, conducting audits, facilitating workshops and interviews, and developing strategies to refine their approach.

By reframing internal communications as opportunities to engage rather than simply broadcast, businesses can create meaningful two-way dialogue that strengthens relationships and drives employee satisfaction.

The key is to listen to your workforce, tailor your messaging, and equip managers with the skills to communicate effectively.

Start the new year with an internal communications audit to identify how your company can improve.