What IS Internal Communication?
It’s no longer just about writing and editing or ‘comms-ing.’ We’ve moved past that.
Over a decade ago, I was interviewing for my first corporate communications role. The final stage interview included an exercise where I was presented with a series of random objectives and told to tell a story. There was a little toy monster, a hand sanitizer, and a pen on the table. I picked the hand sanitizer, telling some story about airline travel interrupted by an inappropriately sized liquid being stopped at security. While I don’t remember the specifics of the story, I did get the job. And the rest, as they say, was history.
At that time, being a strong writer and storyteller was enough to thrive as a communication professional. But that’s changed. Now, AI can cut through writer’s block with well-crafted prompts, eliminating hours spent agonizing over the perfect three-word headline. Oh, if only I had that during my publishing days in kitchen and bath magazines.
AI has made us more efficient, but it also highlights how internal communication has shifted. Today, it’s about so much more than just writing. It’s about blending technology with the human touch. Here's what that looks like now:
Communicating—Yes, this one still holds. We’ll always be creating and executing communication strategies and plans, because that’s foundational to what we do. But it’s just one part of a much larger puzzle now.
Change Management—Although change communication and change management are different, they often overlap. We’re increasingly asked to help guide our organizations through transitions, and that requires thinking not just about messaging, but about planning, training, and navigating the emotional toll of change on people.
Coaching and Counseling—Managing human emotions and personalities is a key aspect of our roles. We guide individuals and teams to align with organizational goals, acting as advisors and counselors to navigate challenges and foster a positive work environment.
Measurement and Analysis—In today's data-driven world, measurement is crucial. We need to show the value of what we do. That means measuring both outputs (the tangible things we produce, like newsletters and emails) and outcomes (the larger goals we achieve, like employee engagement, retention, and behavior change). It doesn’t stop at measurement though. We have to analyze the data, learn from it, and adapt our approaches accordingly.
Operational Alignment—One of the critical roles of internal communication is ensuring that the organization stays aligned. We’re the ones who connect the dots, smashing silos so that initiatives complement rather than contradict each other. It’s all about making sure the operational side of the business runs smoothly and that employees remain productive and engaged.
Even though many still see internal communication as primarily content creation, it’s clear we’ve evolved far beyond that. Sure, content is part of what we do, but now it’s so much more than that. We’re the connectors, the strategists, the advisors, and the changemakers.
It’s no longer an either/or situation—it’s an ‘and’ conversation. We’re creating content, and we’re guiding change, and we’re aligning operations, and we’re coaching leaders, and we’re measuring success. It’s a dynamic, ever-expanding field, and that’s what makes it so exciting.
