The Forgotten Hero of Communication Strategies: Internal Communication
Since the early 20th century, corporate communication has evolved and developed continuously and new topics have been added to its scope every day. Today, although its importance is limited to crisis management, corporate communication actually serves as a strategic guide for corporate success and sustainability. When this importance given to corporate communication is positioned correctly by agencies, organizations, employees and management, it becomes an effective guide to achieve great success and increase brand awareness.
When corporate communication is integrated into the functioning of all departments and becomes an integral part of the decision-making processes of the board of directors, it ensures that company strategies are first adopted by internal stakeholders and then properly communicated to external stakeholders. This process offers an integrated structure by aligning all steps of the company with strategic goals.
What Does Corporate Internal Communication Cover?
It can be said that corporate communication acts as an orchestra conductor between departments. There are serious differences between a corporate communication structure that is already at the center of the entire functioning of the organization and a corporate communication structure that is only tried to be included in business processes from time to time on certain issues.
Corporate communication ensures that the brand is informed about its operations in a timely manner and establishes harmony and balance between departments by providing the right guidance when necessary. This structure creates a solid foundation for success.
Integrated management of internal and external communications is critical to ensure integrity, from marketing communications to corporate reputation, from employer branding to customer experience. For this reason, all brand-related communication efforts need to be in harmony with each other and based on a single strategic framework. With this vision, for example, if “people” are at the center of the communication strategy created for the brand, it is necessary to prioritize people both in the services and products offered to consumers and in the employee experience within the organization.
The Power of Corporate Internal Communications to Create Employer Branding
The greatest strength of a brand is its employees. Employees are not only individuals who fulfill their duties, but also the carriers of the company culture and the most powerful representatives of the brand in the outside world. Therefore, establishing strong communication with employees is the cornerstone of building an employer brand.
Corporate communication creates an environment where employees can share their ideas, feel valued and strengthen their ties with the organization. This environment increases employee motivation and positively affects the perception of the brand in the outside world.
Employer branding is based on consistency and a strong core. To ensure this consistency, employees need to adopt and internalize the values of the brand. Corporate communication strategies enable employees to establish this connection with the brand and allow the brand to deliver the same message at all touch points.
Companies that act with a long-term vision not only attract talented individuals, but also retain them and sustainably increase brand reputation.
The Value of Corporate Communications Understood with Covid
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the strategic importance of corporate communications like never before. In companies that switched to a remote working model, corporate communicators developed innovative methods to understand employees' psychological states, respond quickly to their needs and maintain their loyalty.
By adopting an approach that values employees through surveys, digital communication tools and personalized strategies, organizations managed crises more effectively and strengthened employee loyalty.
While the workload of corporate communicators increased during the pandemic, their job descriptions also expanded. With the increase in short-term crises, daily communication plans started to be made, and closer cooperation was established with human resources and senior management. This process led to a better understanding of the value of the work of corporate communication professionals.
Companies that have learned from the pandemic have reshaped their communication strategies by realizing that corporate communication is not limited to crisis management, but is an integral part of the company strategy.
The Place of Internal Communication in Strategic Communication Plans
So, where do agencies fit into corporate communications?
When creating a communication strategy for brands, an agency usually focuses on messages and campaigns for external stakeholders. However, ignoring the internal dynamics of the brand and employee engagement can hinder sustainable success in the long run. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate internal corporate communication strategies into overall communication plans.
From the perspective of agency, corporate communication strategies ensure the integrity of the brand by making employees an integral part of the strategy. Employee motivation increases, collaboration within the team is strengthened and this directly affects the external communication performance of brand in a positive way. In addition, a strong internal communication network helps the brand to take quick and effective action in crisis situations or change processes.
If an agency does not ignore corporate communication in the strategic communication services it offers, it allows the brand to establish a harmonious and strong bond not only with customers and business partners, but also with its own internal structure. This approach contributes to the sustainable success of both the agency and the brand.
