30 practical strategies for creating effective and inclusive internal communications

In a noisy world filled with countless channels and constant ads, internal communication can feel overwhelming for many. Being an excellent, effective and inclusive internal communicator requires a lot of skill and expertise. 

In this article, we’ll explore the key areas that make organisational communications more effective and inclusive. 

 5 strategies to reduce the volume of communication 

There’s no doubt that in all organisations communication has become overwhelming and the larger the organisation the more overwhelming this can feel.  

‘Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating’ Charlie Kaufman 

While instant chat channels like Teams and Slack have helped speed up collaboration they’ve also added to the noise and duplication. Already struggling to keep up with the hundreds of daily emails, instant chat messages now mean we’re expecting employees to hold several conversations concurrently. And rather than speed up productivity this multi-tasking is slowing organisations down and impacting employee wellbeing as they fight to prioritise and keep on top of their workloads.  

1. Pledge to reduce duplication, making communication engaging and effective the first time prevents having to send it multiple times.
2. Proactively segment audiences so you can personalise and increase relevancy.
3. Increase self-serve information, letting audiences consume information when they’re ready.
4. Give your channels a clear purpose, audience and content strategy so the right information is going through the right channels.
5. Ditch the routine, if a newsletter is going out weekly because it always has and the deadline is driving the content, it’s time to ditch the deadline and publish on demand instead. 

5 strategies to increase the clarity in your communication 

There’s an irony to Blaise Pascal’s quote ‘If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter’ because, of course, we would have more time if we were consuming less communication. In organisational comms, one of the best things we can do is respect our workforce’s limited time.  

1. Work hard on your subject lines / headings, these are your headlines so think like a journalist. 
2. Use AI tools to keep your comms concise. AI can be great for getting started, but they can also be quite verbose. write prompts carefully and consider giving a challenging word count. 
3. Structure your comms thoughtfully: start by setting the topic, add depth in the middle, and end with a clear call to action.
4. Reduce company jargon; it complicates communication, especially for newcomers or those in a hurry. Avoid acronyms when possible.
5. Set word count limits. If you regularly publish newsletters or intranet articles, be clear on your limits and challenge yourself to stay within them. 

5 strategies to increase accessibility in communications 

The most creative communications in the world won’t be effective if they don’t enable people with different abilities to access them. All workforces will have employees with differences in visual, hearing, learning and cognitive processing as well as those with limited literacy proficiency. 

In the UK, accessibility regulations have been in force for the public sector since 2018 ensuring comms tools like websites, mobile apps and intranets all follow accessibility guidelines. There are no regulations for organisational comms, but that doesn’t need to be a barrier for driving accessibility in your communications.  

1. Focus on readability, with the average reading age in the UK being 9 years old. Consider using tools like Hemmingway Editor to help simplify your communications.  
2. Format your text based on its intended use. As most content is consumed digitally, consider how it will be viewed and adjust accordingly. For example, if it’s likely to be read on a desktop screen, use a landscape layout instead of portrait..
3. Ensure compatibility with screen readers, this means formatting your documents with consideration. 
4. Check your colour contrasts as employees with colour blindness may struggle with certain colours or contrasts.
5. Get your typography right because font choices and sizes are crucial for making communications effective and accessible. 

For a deeper read on accessible comms check out our recent blog or watch our webinar.   

5 strategies to use imagery inclusively 

The human brain typically processes images significantly faster than written text, making imagery a potential fast track to creating effective communication – when used correctly. Often, however, imagery is also used to break up text, fit existing templates or to make communication ‘look better’. This is where the challenge comes, forcing audiences to process images that add nothing to the overall purpose of the communication.  

1. Make sure images add to the content, try to avoid bland library shots that add no value.   
2. Try to avoid overly surreal images unless this is part of your brand identity. 
3. Authentic representation is vital. If you’re using library images, try adding prompts like ‘diverse’ or specific attributes to result in a wider selection. 
4. Aim for a balanced representation of people over time to avoid bias towards certain parts of your workforce or reinforcing stereotypes. 
5. Consider using animation or illustration to provide more options if authentic or appropriate photography isn’t available.

5 strategies to making your communications more audience centric   

While it may seem obvious, it’s easy to focus on your own priorities and accidentally overlook how your audience will perceive your communications.  

1. Consider different job roles and aim to make communications resonate with the frontline. Before sending or approving, put yourself in your audience’s shoes to make improvements. 
2. Workplaces are diverse with cultural nuances, avoid idioms or complex expressions that could hinder inclusion. 
3. There are up to five generations in the workforce for the first time, stop and think how communications could be perceived by different ages of your workforce.  
4. Using audience insights is critical for your messaging to resonate. If the organisation is struggling due to challenging times, staff shortages, or seasonal peaks, ignoring this in your communications can alienate your audience. Instead, acknowledge the organisation’s current situation and ensure your communications are appropriately positioned. 
5. Stay attuned to how your audience responds, including their preferred channels, formats, and language, to maintain effective communication. 

Tiny wording tweaks like replacing ‘lunch breaks’ with ‘rest breaks’ can make more difference than you think if your front line includes out of hours or night shift workers.

For a deeper exploration on embracing multi-generational workforces, check out our webinar. 

5 strategies for building trust in your communications   

Effective communication is not about saying what you want to say correctly but enabling it to be heard correctly. To inspire action from your audiences, trust and believability play a huge part.  

‘The idea is to write so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart’  Maya Angelou 

1. Consistency is key to building trust. Whether guiding the workforce through a complex transformation or engaging them in a new strategy, keep a consistent dialogue on rationale and goals. 
2. Tone of voice should be authentic, open, honest and human to be believable. 
3. Avoid vague phrases, if there’s important information, share the facts openly. 
4. Don’t ignore difficult topics: if there’s a question on the workforce’s mind, address it directly. Avoiding it won’t make it go away; it just reduces trust. 
5. Provide feedback loops and create psychologically safe opportunities for audiences to share concerns, questions, or feedback. 

Top tip: To ensure you comms are human, read them out loud, if you sound like a robot you probably need to create a warmer, more conversational tone.’

How would your audiences answer?  

Employees go through a mental checklist when receiving communications. Their response – whether, how quickly, and how they engage – depends on how they answer these questions: 

• Is this aimed at me? 
• Is this relevant to me? 
• Do I trust this?  
• How do I feel about who this is from?   
• Do I care about this enough to prioritise it?  
• Do I understand what this is about, or does it require me to stop and think? 
• Is it clear what action is expected of me?  
• Is there a clear deadline for responding or actioning?  

 Bringing the value of creativity  

As passionate communicators with experience in supporting large organizations and hard-to-reach frontline audiences, we use creativity to simplify messaging, bring stories to life, and inspire action. 

Want to find out more? Book a call with us here.