Internal Communications Trends to Watch : The Latest News from the World of Comms

You’ve probably noticed that things have been moving rather quickly as of late, especially in the world of comms. With advancements in AI, changes to hybrid work scenarios, and other major shifts, it can be a bit overwhelming, and difficult to keep up. Not to worry. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most recent adaptations in strategies and technologies, and we’ll explain ways your company can stay ahead of the game and on top of these developments, to get the most out of your internal communications program.

The Current State of Internal Comms

There have been fairly significant shifts in the role of internal communications during the past few years. During COVID-19, for example, internal communications became a way to reassure employees that everything was fine and that the companies maintained their activities.

Since then, internal comms have transitioned more into an important part of the overall communication strategy of a company, so much so that management is now getting involved and leading the charge. Indeed, the empowerment of local managers was one of the most important employee communications trends in the last two years.

83% of Chiefs of Communications believe that they now have more influence with management.

Since the end of the pandemic, while many would have thought that internal communications teams would just go back to the way they were before, the “Great Catch-Up” in digital tools enabled internal comms to flourish. This transformation as an internal communication trend is profound and not just cosmetic. And the more specific trends we are presenting today clearly show that this will be the case moving forward in the years ahead.

The 5 Big Internal Communication Trends to Watch

So obviously things are changing in internal communications. But what actually lies ahead? What is the biggest internal communication trend, or trends, waiting on the horizon? In this section, we’ll explain what to expect going forward, and what trends to keep an eye on. By embracing these trends, you can ensure that your company is ahead of the curve for effective internal communications, rather than struggling to keep up. And if you’d like to delve into internal communications knowledge, here’s a comprehensive guide to employee communications.

1. Embracing Artificial Intelligence

AI isn’t just a catchy new toy–it is the future! And it’s increasingly being integrated into workplaces for automating tasks, personalizing the employee experience, and enhancing decision-making processes. This necessitates clear strategies for AI integration and usage policies to protect sensitive data. AI is being used to improve the quality and creation of communications and intranet content, but there’s a need to balance AI-generated messaging with human-generated content to retain authenticity.

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will play a more prominent role in frontline worker communication. According to a report by PwC, 68% of organizations are planning to implement AI-driven communication tools as part of the employee experience, and to enhance frontline worker support .

By embracing AI applications as part of new internal communication trends, a comms department can enhance efficiency, personalize interactions, and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of internal communication. But there are also some risks. Data privacy concerns, over-reliance, misinformation–all of these should be kept in mind to ensure that the tech is being used responsibly in internal communications. 

Fortunately, there are platforms, digital solutions, and collaboration tools that can help you take advantage of this trend and incorporate AI into your internal communications program. The Sociabble platform, for example, can help you gain in speed and efficiency by using AI to craft messaging. Sociabble prioritizes data privacy and security, and it does not connect with public versions of generative AI models.

Every AI-enhanced feature on Sociabble operates in a secure, data-safe environment, ensuring that our clients can harness the power of AI generative models via their internal processes without compromise. Additionally, our AskAI feature helps generate content consistent with your brand tone of voice. With generative AI, the challenge of producing consistent content across large organizations becomes manageable.

2. Crafting Hyper-Personalized Employee Communication

Hyper-personalization is the next wave in internal communication trends. Using data and automation, internal communications professionals are sending increasingly personalized messages for employees based on their roles, interests, and locations. AI is enabling unprecedented levels of personalization in the field of communications.

It’s true, one-size-fits-all internal communications are a thing of the past. According to a survey conducted by Deloitte, 85% of organizations already planned to invest more in personalization and targeted messaging for their frontline workers.

By tailoring communications to specific roles, locations, or individual preferences, organizations can ensure that critical information reaches the right people at the right time, while also acknowledging the diverse nature of the workforce, and offering opportunities for employee recognition.

Sociabble addresses this directly, thanks to advanced audience segmentation and targeting features. It’s equally effective for frontline and deskless workers as well, thanks to a mobile app that works on personal devices. Additionally, content segmentation through channels based on multiple criteria means the right information gets to exactly the person at precisely the right time.

3. Adopting Video-First Communication

It’s all about visual communication! And video is becoming a more preferred channel over text, offering enhanced engagement and quicker information processing. Asynchronous Video Conferencing is also increasingly being used for effort-saving asynchronous comms. Short-form and vertical video content is gaining importance in communication strategies as well, not to mention video’s growing role in peer to peer communication and peer to peer collaboration. 

And why is this the case? Because video content is inherently more engaging than text-based workplace communication. The combination of visuals, audio, and often, dynamic storytelling captures employees’ attention more effectively, leading to better message retention for internal communicators.

Complex information or concepts can be simplified and conveyed more effectively through video. It enables organizations to break down intricate subjects into digestible segments, improving understanding. Video has a powerful emotional impact, allowing for the conveyance of emotions, tone, and non-verbal cues, which helps all around with employee engagement..

This is exactly why Sociabble Enterprise Video has become one of our clients’ favorite features. SEV encourages user-generated content, allowing employees to create and share their own videos within the organization. This solution fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among team members, promoting a corporate culture of collaboration and innovation. You can also decide whether (or not) the videos can be natively shared on social media through your employee advocacy program. And a real-time translation feature means that your videos can be shared all across the globe, giving every employee a voice.

4. Deploying Mobile-first Communication

It’s a fact: 80% of the global workforce does not sit behind a desk to do their job. Which means that mobile devices, especially when it comes to frontline workers, are becoming increasingly important as internal communication trends, and making their way into internal communication content strategy.

Communicating effectively with frontline workers is crucial for an organization because these employees are at the forefront of customer interactions and service delivery. Clear and regular information from internal communicators ensures they understand organizational goals, changes, and expectations, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. This is what BBGR has set out to connect all its staff around the same level of information.

It also provides a channel for feedback, allowing organizations to address concerns promptly and enhance overall operational efficiency. Engaging with frontline workers builds trust, boosts morale, and contributes to a positive workplace culture, ultimately impacting customer satisfaction and the organization’s bottom line.

Sociabble is designed to keep frontline workers connected to company news and information, thanks to its mobile app, complete with employer branding, which they can use on their personal mobile device. They have exactly the same access and functionality as a desk worker in corporate HQ, right on their personal devices. This type of accessibility fosters a sense of belonging, allows for instant employee feedback, and has a positive impact on company culture and talent retention. In fact, we’ve even written a white paper on the subject full of useful tips, which you can download here.

5. Prioritizing Human-Centered Communication

Tech can be amazing, but it also serves to remind people that the human touch matters. Empathy and genuine, authentic leadership are becoming more important as employee communication trends, especially as technology automates more tasks.

Mental health is becoming a primary focus, with companies taking proactive measures to support employee wellbeing. Employees have new expectations from their company as well: authenticity when talking about internal subjects, receiving more comms and better comms, and workforce empowerment, in particular. Employee engagement depends increasingly on receiving all of this from their internal communicators. 

Human-centered internal communication is essential for organizations to build and maintain a positive, inclusive, and adaptive company culture. It directly impacts employee satisfaction, engagement, and well-being, leading to improved organizational performance and success in today’s dynamic business communications environment. Focusing on the human aspect of communication helps to engage employees emotionally, leading to higher job satisfaction and motivation. A human-centered approach to internal communication demonstrates that the organization values its employees, contributing to higher retention rates and making the company more attractive to prospective talent. Acknowledging and addressing employee wellbeing through internal communication contributes to a better work environment, reducing stress and burnout, and improving overall mental health. 

Sociabble empowers employees and humanizes employers, thanks to its internal communication survey features, for collecting authentic employee feedback and monitoring mental health, as well as via its engagement features like comments on content and feedback channels. And thanks to its CSR modules, Support My Cause and Sociabble Trees, employees can take comfort in the fact that their involvement in company life has a positive, real-world impact on society and the environment, while also receiving encouraging employee recognition for their efforts.

Staying on Trend with the Right Digital Solution 

Well, there you have it. The times are changing and so is the field of comms, but there’s no reason to fear the future–exciting things are ahead! In summary, these are the five internal communications trends to watch, and if you can, adopt when planning for the future:

And when it comes to incorporating these trends into your overall comms strategy, there are digital tools that can help–including Sociabble, the employee communications platform that can do all of the above and so much more. We’ve already helped global industry leaders like Coca-Cola CCEP, Primark, and L’Occitane en Provence bring their employee communications up to speed, and we’d love to discuss ways we can help your company, too. Just reach out for a free, personalized demo. We’d love to chat!