Internal Communication
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here we answer the internal communication questions we get asked the most – from recommended IC reading and the best ways to improve internal communication, to how to become an impactful communicator and what you need to focus on with regards to communication as a leader.
We are communication consultants that specialise in helping you diagnose why chaos is occurring inside your organisation.
The Field Model™ seeks to understand, diagnose and fix issues. To follow the framework, you need to be ready to delve into the core of your organisation, address some tricky issues. We have lots of resources to help you do it yourself, with consultancy support, or completely done for you through our full communication consultancy service.
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: The Field Model
Five-minute read – What is The Field Model?
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Video 01:26 mins – How to move your organisation from chaos to calm
Download – A guide to using The Field Model
Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
We are communication consultants that specialise in helping you diagnose why chaos is occurring inside your organisation.
The Field Model™ seeks to understand, diagnose and fix issues. To follow the framework, you need to be ready to delve into the core of your organisation, and address some tricky issues. We have lots of resources to help you do it yourself, with consultancy support, or completely done for you through our full communication consultancy service.
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: The Field Model
Five-minute read – What is The Field Model?
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Video 01:26 mins – How to move your organisation from chaos to calm
Download – A guide to using The Field Model
Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
If you’d like to find read more about internal communication, Redefining Communications’ founder and global communications expert, Jenni Field, has written two books. These are ideal guides for internal communication professionals, leaders, CEOs and business owners looking to ensure more effective internal communication in their organisation:
Helpful links:
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
If you would like some more recommendations, please look at our Downloads page and download Refresh your reading. Alternatively, you can view our recommended reading list and purchase directly.
If you’d like to find read more about internal communication, Redefining Communications’ founder and global communications expert, Jenni Field, has written two books. These are ideal guides for internal communication professionals, leaders, CEOs and business owners looking to ensure more effective internal communication in their organisation:
Helpful links:
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
If you would like some more recommendations, please look at our Downloads page and download Refresh your reading. Alternatively, you can view our recommended reading list and purchase directly.
There are many excellent podcasts that share effective internal communication tips, insights into the trends affecting the internal comms industry and how to overcome communication issues in the workplace. Here is a list of our favourites:
Communication Strategy That Works
Internal Comms Pro: The Podcast
Redefining Communications with Jenni Field
If you’d like some more recommendations, please take look at our Downloads page and download Our recommended podcasts.
Internal communication – also referred to as employee communication, internal employee communication, business communication, intra office communication or inter office communication – can be defined as everything that gets said and shared inside an organisation. As a function, its role is to curate, enable, and advise on best practice for organisations to communicate effectively, efficiently and in an engaging way.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – What is internal communication?
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Podcast (under five minutes) – Why communication is important
Internal communication – also referred to as employee communication, internal employee communication, business communication, intra office communication or inter office communication – can be defined as everything that gets said and shared inside an organisation. As a function, its role is to curate, enable, and advise on best practice for organisations to communicate effectively, efficiently and in an engaging way.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – What is internal communication?
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Podcast (under five minutes) – Why communication is important
The most important thing when it comes to fixing issues in your organisation is to remember that some things are not quick fixes!
There are some issues that can be resolved with quick wins, but often symptoms of chaos take a while to develop, so need time to be unraveled. The Field Model™ framework has been designed to fix issues for the long term and improve internal communication.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – Why we rush to fix before we understand
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Video 01:24 mins – What is The Field Model and how can it help your organisation or team?
If you are looking for a communication consultant to support you in fixing issues in your organisation, please get in touch.
The most important thing when it comes to fixing issues in your organisation is to remember that some things are not quick fixes!
There are some issues that can be resolved with quick wins, but often symptoms of chaos take a while to develop, so need time to be unraveled. The Field Model™ framework has been designed to fix issues for the long term and improve internal communication.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – Why we rush to fix before we understand
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Video 01:24 mins – What is The Field Model and how can it help your organisation or team?
If you are looking for a communication consultant to support you in fixing issues in your organisation, please get in touch.
Jenni Field is a global communications expert, international speaker, author and facilitator.
A highly regarded, engaging keynote speaker, Jenni is called on to talk about communication issues and how communication can drive efficiency and engagement. She also discusses how to take organisations and teams from chaos to calm, strategic alignment, becoming more influential through communication, building mental resilience in teams, improving productivity, leadership skills, hybrid working and organisational culture. Jenni has also been invited to share her views on women in business and building a successful career in communications.
If you’re looking for an inspirational speaker and internal communications expert for your event, find out more about Jenni Field on our Speaking events page.
Jenni Field is a global communications expert, international speaker, author and facilitator.
A highly regarded, engaging keynote speaker, Jenni is called on to talk about communication issues and how communication can drive efficiency and engagement. She also discusses how to take organisations and teams from chaos to calm, strategic alignment, becoming more influential through communication, building mental resilience in teams, improving productivity, leadership skills, hybrid working and organisational culture. Jenni has also been invited to share her views on women in business and building a successful career in communications.
If you’re looking for an inspirational speaker and internal communications expert for your event, find out more about Jenni Field on our Speaking events page.
This definition identifies the core purpose of improving employee engagement and the employee experience:
MacLeod and Clarke view employee engagement as:
“A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being”.
When you work with an employee engagement consultant, they’ll look at defining objectives to create an engaged, intrinsically motivated workforce, where there are strategies in place to support employees in doing their best work, with the objectives of the organisation at the forefront.
Helpful links:
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Four-minute read – Why employee engagement needs to be more than just campaigns and rewards
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: employee engagement, employee experience and internal communication
This definition identifies the core purpose of improving employee engagement and the employee experience:
MacLeod and Clarke view employee engagement as:
“A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being”.
When you work with an employee engagement consultant, they’ll look at defining objectives to create an engaged, intrinsically motivated workforce, where there are strategies in place to support employees in doing their best work, with the objectives of the organisation at the forefront.
Helpful links:
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Four-minute read – Why employee engagement needs to be more than just campaigns and rewards
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: employee engagement, employee experience and internal communication
Mental resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of trauma, threats or stress. As a leader or business owner, you can build mental resilient teams by taking time to understand yourself.
We can run workshops for up to 15 people to help build mentally resilient teams and develop coping strategies using our TEEAM model. It includes practical advice to recognise stress, manage anxiety and engage the power of your mind.
Helpful links:
Six-minute read – What is mental resilience?
Four-minute read – Ambiguity, resilience and the Stockdale Paradox
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: mental resilience
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
If you’d like to find out more, check out our Downloads page and download the Five elements to building mentally resilient teams, which describes our TEEAM model.
Mental resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of trauma, threats or stress. As a leader or business owner, you can build mental resilient teams by taking time to understand yourself.
We can run workshops for up to 15 people to help build mentally resilient teams and develop coping strategies using our TEEAM model. It includes practical advice to recognise stress, manage anxiety and engage the power of your mind.
Helpful links:
Six-minute read – What is mental resilience?
Four-minute read – Ambiguity, resilience and the Stockdale Paradox
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: mental resilience
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
If you’d like to find out more, check out our Downloads page and download the Five elements to building mentally resilient teams, which describes our TEEAM model.
Productivity isn’t about working hard and doing more things; it’s making sure your attention is focused on the right things. To work more productively and efficiently, you must manage priorities, relationships and yourself and understand what you need to get things done.
We can run workshops that harness the power of productivity to coach you through the techniques to help you move forward and understand why you may have become stuck in a productivity rut.
Helpful links:
Four-minute read – Working from home reduces productivity by 20%
Three-minute read – Why competitive busyness is toxic for you and others around you
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: staying focused
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
Productivity isn’t about working hard and doing more things; it’s making sure your attention is focused on the right things. To work more productively and efficiently, you must manage priorities, relationships and yourself and understand what you need to get things done.
We can run workshops that harness the power of productivity to coach you through the techniques to help you move forward and understand why you may have become stuck in a productivity rut.
Helpful links:
Four-minute read – Working from home reduces productivity by 20%
Three-minute read – Why competitive busyness is toxic for you and others around you
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: staying focused
Book – The Field Report by Jenni Field
If leaders and business owners are to make relationships in the workplace easier, they need to understand their communication style, how it impacts others and ensure they are communicating effectively. When everyone spends a bit more time exploring their communication skills – from presentations to meetings – it can shift relationships internally and enable us to work better together.
We can run workshops that focus on building the skills to communicate with impact. These workshops for up to 15 people will be tailored to you to provide practical advice that can be used straight away. This workshop involves some work beforehand to allow us to review and support participants with real examples of their work.
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: impactful communication
Three-minute read – Why you need to invest in your communication skills to stay focused and productive
Video 01:29 mins – How to focus on people and fix what’s going on inside your organisation for the long term
Download – The six keys to impactful communication
If leaders and business owners are to make relationships in the workplace easier, they need to understand their communication style, how it impacts others and ensure they are communicating effectively. When everyone spends a bit more time exploring their communication skills – from presentations to meetings – it can shift relationships internally and enable us to work better together.
We can run workshops that focus on building the skills to communicate with impact. These workshops for up to 15 people will be tailored to you to provide practical advice that can be used straight away. This workshop involves some work beforehand to allow us to review and support participants with real examples of their work.
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: impactful communication
Three-minute read – Why you need to invest in your communication skills to stay focused and productive
Video 01:29 mins – How to focus on people and fix what’s going on inside your organisation for the long term
Download – The six keys to impactful communication
A communications consultancy (also known as an internal communication consultancy or employee communications agency) provides business consultancy that enables you to align your internal communication with your strategy and overall organisational goals. The Redefining Communications approach is based around the thinking that any organisational issue can be solved with good communication.
Much of our communication consultancy work uses The Field ModelTM as a framework to help navigate organisational change and transformation.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – What is internal communication?
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Podcast (under five minutes) – Why communication is important
A communications consultancy (also known as an internal communication consultancy or employee communications agency) provides business consultancy that enables you to align your internal communication with your strategy and overall organisational goals. The Redefining Communications approach is based around the thinking that any organisational issue can be solved with good communication.
Much of our communication consultancy work uses The Field Model™ as a framework to help navigate organisational change and transformation.
Helpful links:
Three-minute read – What is internal communication?
Four-minute read – Employee engagement and internal communication are not the same thing
Podcast (under five minutes) – Why communication is important
Communication is so important in building and maintaining excellent relationships at work. Do you understand your communication style? And do you know how you impact others? These questions are so important to answer to make sure you communicate effectively.
If you’d like to improve your communication skills, our Impactful communication workshop can help you to adapt your communication style to influence others and use the right communication methods to achieve the outcomes you want.
Helpful links:
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Article – Four steps to becoming an influential communicator (Poppulo)
Communication is so important in building and maintaining excellent relationships at work. Do you understand your communication style? And do you know how you impact others? These questions are so important to answer to make sure you communicate effectively.
If you’d like to improve your communication skills, we can run bespoke communication workshops for your team to help you to adapt your communication style to influence others and use the right communication methods to achieve the outcomes you want.
Helpful links:
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Article – Four steps to becoming an influential communicator (Poppulo)
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: Influence and persuasion
There’s nothing like getting together with like-minded communications professionals, leaders and business owners to share insights and challenges at communications events. There are lots to choose from, but here is a flavour of the events we recommend:
- Annual Strategic Internal Communications Conference – Inner Strength
- CommsHero Week / CommsHero Live (We are Resource)
- Comms Reboot (Redefining Communications – previously known as The Big Yak)
- Comms Retreat (Calm Edged Rebels)
- IABC World Conference (International Association of Business Communicators)
- Simply Summit (Simply Communicate)
- Unleash your Inner Rebel (Comms Rebel)
For invitations to free webinars and special discounts on events, subscribe to join our community or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.
There’s nothing like getting together with like-minded communications professionals, leaders and business owners to share insights and challenges at communications events. There are lots to choose from, but here is a flavour of the events we recommend:
- Annual Strategic Internal Communications Conference – Inner Strength
- CommsHero Week / CommsHero Live (We are Resource)
- Comms Reboot (Redefining Communications – previously known as The Big Yak)
- Comms Retreat (Calm Edged Rebels)
- IABC World Conference (International Association of Business Communicators)
- Simply Summit (Simply Communicate)
- Unleash your Inner Rebel (Comms Rebel)
For invitations to free webinars and special discounts on events, subscribe to join our community or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter.
To really understand what’s happening in your leadership team and how it might be affecting any organisational transformation or growth, you need to look at themes of accountability, adaptability, capability, communication, connection, strategy and velocity in your organisation.
If you’re seeking to understand what’s really happening among your leadership team, our leadership alignment tool can help. This discovery questionnaire for leaders efficiently capitalises on the expertise of your leadership team, gathers evidence to refocus, and the final consultancy report identifies the next steps in your organisational transformation. This process takes about four weeks and investment starts at £12,500 (exc. VAT).
Helpful links:
Diagnostic tool – leadership alignment tool
Three-minute read – Can’t see the wood for the trees
Six-minute read – The seven essential elements of organisational transformation
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: leadership behaviours
If you’d like to find out more about the leadership alignment tool, please get in touch.
To really understand what’s happening in your leadership team and how it might be affecting any organisational transformation or growth, you need to look at themes of accountability, adaptability, capability, communication, connection, strategy and velocity in your organisation.
If you’re seeking to understand what’s really happening among your leadership team, our leadership alignment tool can help. This discovery questionnaire for leaders efficiently capitalises on the expertise of your leadership team, gathers evidence to refocus, and the final consultancy report identifies the next steps in your organisational transformation. This process takes about four weeks and investment starts at £12,500 (exc. VAT).
Helpful links:
Diagnostic tool – leadership alignment tool
Three-minute read – Can’t see the wood for the trees
Six-minute read – The seven essential elements of organisational transformation
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: leadership behaviours
If you’d like to find out more about the leadership alignment tool, please get in touch.
There are several options:
Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) Internal Communication Certificate
Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) IPR Internal Communications Diploma
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Academy
Global Communication Certification Council (IABC)
Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) qualifications
We also run several workshops to help build communication skills and improve workplace relationships:
Impactful communications workshop | Power of productivity workshop | Mental resilience workshop
There are several options:
Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) Internal Communication Certificate
Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) IPR Internal Communications Diploma
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Academy
Global Communication Certification Council (IABC)
Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) qualifications
We also run several workshops to help build communication skills and improve workplace relationships:
Impactful communications workshop | Power of productivity workshop | Mental resilience workshop
Internal communication is: “The strategic management of interaction and relationships between stakeholders within organisations across a number of interrelated dimensions including, internal line manager communication, internal team peer communication and internal corporate communication”. (Welch and Jackson)
Employee engagement is: “A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being”. (MacLeod and Clarke)
Employee experience is: “The way in which employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their organisation, as well as the context that underlies those interactions.” (Gartner)
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: employee engagement, employee experience and internal communication
Internal communication is: “The strategic management of interaction and relationships between stakeholders within organisations across a number of interrelated dimensions including, internal line manager communication, internal team peer communication and internal corporate communication”. (Welch and Jackson)
Employee engagement is: “A workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being”. (MacLeod and Clarke)
Employee experience is: “The way in which employees internalize and interpret the interactions they have with their organisation, as well as the context that underlies those interactions.” (Gartner)
Helpful links:
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: employee engagement, employee experience and internal communication
There are several communication associations you can join:
- CIPR Inside – the specialist group of the CIPR and the only chartered body for communication and PR professionals with a specialist group dedicated to internal communicators.
- Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) – an independent professional body dedicated to internal communication in the UK. The body helps organisations and people succeed through promoting internal communication of the highest standard.
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) – the only global association connecting communication professionals with the people and insights they need to drive results.
There are several communication associations you can join:
- CIPR Inside – the specialist group of the CIPR and the only chartered body for communication and PR professionals with a specialist group dedicated to internal communicators.
- Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) – an independent professional body dedicated to internal communication in the UK. The body helps organisations and people succeed through promoting internal communication of the highest standard.
- International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) – the only global association connecting communication professionals with the people and insights they need to drive results.
Communication is so important in building and maintaining excellent relationships at work. Do you understand your communication style? And do you know how you impact others? These questions are so important to answer to make sure you communicate effectively.
If you’d like to improve your communication skills, our Impactful communication workshop can help you to adapt your communication style to influence others and use the right communication methods to achieve the outcomes you want.
Helpful links:
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Article – Four steps to becoming an influential communicator (Poppulo)
Communication is so important in building and maintaining excellent relationships at work. Do you understand your communication style? And do you know how you impact others? These questions are so important to answer to make sure you communicate effectively.
If you’d like to improve your communication skills, we create and deliver bespoke communication workshops for teams to help you to adapt your communication style to influence others and use the right communication methods to achieve the outcomes you want.
Helpful links:
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Article – Four steps to becoming an influential communicator (Poppulo)
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: why communication is important
Effective internal communication is the key to creating excellent workplace relationships. Here are some quick tips:
- It takes time – acknowledge the symptoms of chaos, but don’t rush to fix. Take the time to delve into the root cause.
- Great storytelling – make sure you’re telling a compelling story that takes people with you and helps them understand the journey towards achieving organisational goals.
- Know your desired outcome – focus on what you want people to “think, feel and do” to make sure your messaging elicits the desired response and behaviours.
- Invest in yourself – we have to understand how we work and why we behave in certain ways to improve our relationships, so it’s essential to work towards increasing skills that improve communication, productivity, empathy and resilience (see links below).
- Know your scope – what does internal communication mean as a function in your organisation and where does it sit? Being clear on scope is important. It doesn’t really matter where it sits, as long as it supports the business strategy.
Helpful links:
Four-minute blog with two-minute video – Why we need to understand symptoms versus root cause
Ways you can invest in yourself:
Power of productivity workshop | Impactful communication workshop | Mental resilience workshop | Coaching and mentoring
Effective internal communication is the key to creating excellent workplace relationships. Here are some quick tips:
- It takes time – acknowledge the symptoms of chaos, but don’t rush to fix. Take the time to delve into the root cause.
- Great storytelling – make sure you’re telling a compelling story that takes people with you and helps them understand the journey towards achieving organisational goals.
- Know your desired outcome – focus on what you want people to “think, feel and do” to make sure your messaging elicits the desired response and behaviours.
- Invest in yourself – we have to understand how we work and why we behave in certain ways to improve our relationships, so it’s essential to work towards increasing skills that improve communication, productivity, empathy and resilience (see links below).
- Know your scope – what does internal communication mean as a function in your organisation and where does it sit? Being clear on scope is important. It doesn’t really matter where it sits, as long as it supports the business strategy.
Helpful links:
Four-minute blog with two-minute video – Why we need to understand symptoms versus root cause
Invest in yourself and your team: Communication workshops and event facilitation
Leadership isn’t easy. There’s a huge amount of pressure on leaders to understand the complexity of their industry and organisation, lead projects, grow the business, as well as recognise team dynamics and nurture relationships.
When chaos hits the leadership team it can have a huge impact on the whole organisation. Chaos related to leadership can result from a lack of alignment with organisational goals, inability to make decisions, absence of leadership skills or egos that prevent progress. If you’re looking for additional support, there are some resources and links that may help you below:
Helpful links:
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Impactful communications workshop
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: leadership behaviours and culture and leadership
Two-minute read – The role of the communicator in influence and leadership
If you are a leader and have any questions about improving communication in your organisation, please get in touch to arrange a free 15-minute call.
Leadership isn’t easy. There’s a huge amount of pressure on leaders to understand the complexity of their industry and organisation, lead projects, grow the business, as well as recognise team dynamics and nurture relationships.
When chaos hits the leadership team it can have a huge impact on the whole organisation. Chaos related to leadership can result from a lack of alignment with organisational goals, inability to make decisions, absence of leadership skills or egos that prevent progress. If you’re looking for additional support, there are some resources and links that may help you below:
Helpful links:
Book – Influential Internal Communication by Jenni Field
Article – Six leadership skills to master for better internal communication (Insights for Professionals)
Communication workshops and event facilitation
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: leadership behaviours and culture and leadership
15-minute podcast – Chaos to calm: building trust and credibility
Two-minute read – The role of the communicator in influence and leadership
If you are a leader and have any questions about improving communication in your organisation, please get in touch to arrange a free 15-minute call.
