This article recounts the key takeaways of our roundtable event exploring the latest interna...
This article recounts the key takeaways of our roundtable event exploring the latest internal communications trends. An excellent resource for Communications Leaders as they start planning for the year ahead.
On 30th October 2024, specialist communications recruiter, Matthew Stevenson, hosted a roundtable event for Internal Communications Leaders. Together they discussed the trends that have shaped the past 12 months and their expectations for 2025, including:
Keep reading to uncover the key takeaways from their conversation.
There have been notable changes in the shape of internal communications teams over the past few years. This has been spearheaded by nationwide events, including Brexit, COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis. Each required support from communications teams to manage.
Matthew kicked off the morning’s conversation by asking the leaders in the room how these events have impacted their role and their departments.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Internal Comms Leaders found themselves at the forefront of business leadership meetings. As the senior leadership team focussed on transparency, wellbeing, and stability amidst uncertainty, they relied on internal communications functions for guidance.
Now, however, we’re seeing a change in priorities. Businesses are reacting to economic pressures and internal comms teams are changing as a result. Today, the C-suite are focussed on aligning communication with performance goals.
While most of the Leaders described a return to pre-COVID employee engagement strategies, others reported more drastic changes.
“No more DE&I, no more ESG, no more employee engagement.”
Communications Leaders raised concerns around the impact this stripped back approach has on a company’s culture.
While the C-suite require employee communications to focus on driving performance, communications professionals believe there should be a balance. They argue that it’s their responsibility to bolster strategic, financial goals with initiatives that maintain a healthy and engaged workforce.
The conversation revealed that the direction of employee engagement is now largely dictated by the CEO or CPO. This is a stark contrast to what was seen previously, when communications professionals set the agenda. To ensure effective communications, Leaders need to bring the C-suite onboard with their strategies.
For lots of businesses, the strategy depends on the C-suite's personality and whether they understand the value in internal communications channels. As a result, it’s increasingly important for Communications Leaders to build strong relationships with and influence the board.
To keep companywide communications at the top of the agenda, it’s important to understand the C-suite's priorities.
Internal comms teams are most valuable during a crisis, which is why they were so influential during the likes of COVID-19. Now, communications teams must attach themselves to the CEO’s most important issue.
“What is the next crisis?”
This could be employee retention, performance metrics or aligning team members on the company vision, for example.
As attendees highlighted, this isn’t something that you know automatically. It takes time to understand what the C-suite want and vice versa – it takes time to educate them on the value of your skill set.
As the leaders questioned how to build trust within an organisation, the conversation moved towards effective communications tools, successful campaigns and trends. They also shared the challenges they’re currently facing and will continue to face into 2025.
In times of crisis, it's incredibly important to acknowledge the impact on employee’s wellbeing. While they continue working hard for the business, you need to ensure their mental and physical health is protected.
Simple suggestions included:
A big theme in the morning’s conversation was on 'building trust' and engaging colleagues in a meaningful way. This is being complicated by the rise in return to office mandates.
Where businesses trusted employees with their time during lockdowns, we’re seeing this trust being revoked. Despite 61% of employees reporting increased productivity when working remotely, they now have less control over their work environments.
For corporate communications teams, it’s difficult to maintain the same sense of trust among teams.
To overcome this, it’s important to create campaigns aimed at making office returns more engaging and valuable.
For instance, some companies introduced incentives like free meals to encourage in-office presence. Others organised in-person events tied to hybrid meetings, creating experiences that went beyond routine work interactions.
Another successful campaign involved distributing branded swag, which employees could "earn" by participating in company initiatives or engaging with townhalls. These campaigns fostered a sense of community and gave employees a reason to interact. They proved an excellent conversation starter.
There is a clear need for senior leadership teams to improve their company wide communication efforts.
Research from our DE&I in Digital and Marketing Recruitment 2024 report showed a significant disconnect between business leaders, line managers, and employees regarding the effectiveness of DE&I policies. This evidences the devastating impact poor communication can have on a company’s development.
To overcome this, it’s important to coach leaders to become more visible and approachable to their teams. This is especially true for leaders who, though highly skilled in their fields, may lack experience in public communication.
Internal comms professionals are providing leaders with the tools and confidence to effectively engage employees. This often includes:
We had a truly insightful morning and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. Thank you to everyone for joining and sharing their thoughts with us.
We look forward to hosting more events like this one in the future. Be sure to stay connected with 3Search on LinkedIn to find out more.
Looking for support in growing your internal comms team? Get in touch with our expert recruiters for support with recruitment in 2024 and beyond.
