Embracing a Data-Driven Approach to Internal Communications

January 27, 2021

Many internal communicators have set their goals for the year. But how many have set the metrics by which those goals will be measured? It’s likely the answer is not many. A study by the International Association of Business Communicators found that 60% of the internal communications practitioners they surveyed don’t measure the success of their strategy. And that could be a huge, missed opportunity, especially now.

During the tumultuous events of 2020, internal communicators earned a well-deserved seat at the corporate table. In 2021, internal communicators have an opportunity to solidify that seat at the table by showing quantifiable, measurable results for their efforts, in the same way their business partners do. To do this, they will need to embrace a data-driven approach to internal communications.

How to measure internal communications impact

Measuring internal communications is possible but requires a shift in mindset.  Here is how to approach quantifying your internal communications efforts:

Set internal communications goals that align with the company’s goals.

Showing how an internal communications initiative contributed to achieving a business goal is the best way to gain the attention of senior leadership. Is the company trying to improve employee productivity? Then you may want a goal around building or redesigning the intranet to improve productivity by ensuring employees can quickly find the information they need. Is increasing cross-departmental collaboration a company-wide focus? A goal to increase employee awareness and use of internal collaboration tools might be in order.

Determine a baseline from which you can evaluate progress of your initiatives over time.

To know how far you’ve come, you first need to know where you’ve been. Measure where you are now, before a new initiative launches. If you’re redesigning your intranet to increase employees’ ability to quickly find the information they need, first survey employees to get data on their experience with the current intranet. To know if efforts to enhance cross-departmental collaboration worked, you should first know what collaboration levels were like beforehand.

Measure consistently and as often as warranted.

If the internal communications activity is ongoing, as in a monthly newsletter, then assess the data for this channel at appropriate intervals to see what’s working, what’s not and make strategic changes based on that information. 

What to measure

Determining specifically what to measure will depend on your goals. But these three general areas for measurement are a good place to start:

1. Reach determines how many employees are using the internal communications channels. Gathering this data helps you determine if you’re even reaching the people you need to reach. What percentage of your total employee audience has access to the channels you’re using? What devices are they using to access the information? Knowing this can help you ensure the content and platforms being used to carry your communications are compatible with the way employees are accessing it.
2. Engagement metrics demonstrate how employees are interacting with internal communications content. Most people think about clicks and page views, but it’s more than that. High open rates on an email message may seem great, but the real measure of success is whether employees clicked through to the intranet to get detailed information about that new initiative. Are employees reacting to content with comments?   
3. Outcomes look at whether an initiative or program results in desired behavior from employees. Did the internal campaign to get employees to enroll in HR benefits by a certain date achieve its goal? Did the video designed to inspire employees to participate in a company volunteerism effort generate volunteers? Being able to show that an initiative is driving desired behavior among employees is one of the best proofs of return on investment.

By applying a data-driven approach to internal communications, practitioners will find they are better positioned to demonstrate their value, secure budget for their initiatives and execute more effective campaigns. They will also find it’s the key to gaining, and retaining, that seat at the table.