Why is internal PR important?
How many times have you, as a company employee, received a completely unexpected email about a change that no one communicated to you? Or found a few months later about a significant modification in the company’s composition that most employees knew about? Surely you have found yourself in this situation at least a few times. The process of evolution in any company is difficult, but communication of the changes that have taken place often causes additional problems. This in turn can create negative feelings among employees and lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
Crisis? Opt for internal PR
Is it important enough to pay special attention to? Yes – as Harvard Business School research shows, more than 70 per cent of communication crises experienced by companies are caused by current or former employees.
The answer to such problems is internal PR, whose strategy can be prepared and coordinated by a PR agency. Its objectives, in the simplest terms, are to build the company’s image in the eyes of employees, to enable them to understand what the company is aiming for and the role they play in achieving these objectives. All of this should translate into improved communication with those working in the company.
This is just internal communication. Is it even worth paying attention to?
Internal PR is all the more difficult because employees – as the people who have direct contact with the company’s processes and habits on a daily basis – can be the biggest critics of the changes taking place in the company. At the same time, if you properly present the motivations behind these modifications and justify their purpose, these same employees can become your brand’s biggest defenders. So, as you can see, there is a lot to gain – and just as much to lose, if you choose not to take advantage of the opportunities created by well-run internal communications.
What internal PR tools can a PR agency use to reach your employees?
- Training sessions for employees – various types of meetings to familiarise everyone with the communication strategy, the company’s objectives and how they can support their achievement, but also – what benefits they will gain from this
- Joint teambuilding activities – classic team-building in a non-classic way that will be remembered by all for a long time
- Regular newsletters – efficient communication is key, and sending regular updates on what’s going on in the company, new promotions or teams, as well as industry tidbits not only enables good news to be shared, but also perpetuates the key messages of the company’s communication strategy
- Communicating to employees – whether you have good news or bad news, it is worthwhile to give it not only efficiently, but also in an appropriate form, so that specific messages resonate appropriately, without triggering potential additional emotions that might be unwelcome at the time
- And much, much more…
Can we help you too? Find out for yourself – just give us a call or write to us.
1. Wprost
