Internal Communications App: The 7 Game-Changing Benefits it Brings

Are your internal communications channels still up to the task? Or is it time to reassess your approach? We have changed the way we communicate with our workforce, and our internal communications need to keep pace.

Tech has come to the forefront, and digital tools are becoming mainstream. We’re dropping the channels that are no longer effective, and switching to more immediate, dynamic methods. Recent research reveals that over a third of companies feel their current internal channels just don’t deliver what they need. Traditional channels such as emails and intranets are struggling to reach the new hybrid workforce. That’s where the internal communications app comes into play. It’s reaching out beyond the office walls to reconnect the workforce.

In this blog, we discuss the seven game-changing benefits of the internal communication app, and how it has the power to transform your entire internal communications process.

Choosing the right channels

Success begins on the inside. While organisations often pay lavish attention to their external communications – marketing, public relations, stakeholders etc. – it is actually the strength of your internal communications that shapes your success. An effective internal communication system will influence the behaviour, attitude and understanding of the people working within your organisation. And it is those people who will determine the overall success or failure of your business vision.

So the question is… how to improve internal communication to get the maximum benefits for your business? The secret lies in your choice of internal communication channels, and the platform you use to implement them. An efficient and flexible platform will ensure your messages reach across the entire organisation. It will help you to break down silos and overcome resistance, reinforcing employee engagement and improving knowledge levels. It needs to be unfailingly reliable, it needs to be accessible to all, and it needs to be something your employees actually want to use.

It’s time to ask whether your current internal communication channels are up to the task at hand. Does your current solution effectively communicate with your hybrid workforce? Does it really resonate and connect? Does it effectively convey essential operational and HR information? Furthermore, does it offer the reach?

With a modern hybrid workforce, you can no longer just focus on the office-based staff, but also the home-workers, contractors, job-sharers and those on the move. And the final question to consider: do you know whether your internal communication tools are actually working? Without a way to monitor engagement levels, you’re really just shooting in the dark. When it comes to choosing the best internal communication system, you need an all-in-one solution that seamlessly covers all these essentials. This is where the internal communications app emerges as a clear winner.

Internal communications apps vs operational apps

With the arrival of a new breed of operational apps, some confusion has arisen as how to how and when they should be implemented. While, on first inspection, they can seem quite similar to internal communication apps in their capabilities, they actually have a very different role to play.

Apps such as Slack and Microsoft Teams have been created to help employees get the day-to-day job done. Essentially built as a chat room for the company as a whole, the operational app is designed to replace email as your primary channel of communication. It brings together global and remote teams into one common space, enabling the ability to work together and share information.

However, it is important to remember that these apps have not been built to support internal communication planning. As such, they fail to deliver in a number of crucial areas, including the inability to reach beyond desk-bound workers, no capacity to prioritise information and a lack of monitoring and measurement. 

In contrast, an internal communications app has been designed to specifically support every element of your employee engagement plan. As an organisational tool, they have been constructed with a comprehensive set of features designed to help companies connect and engage with their staff. The app connects employees with your business, your leadership team and each other in a simple-to-implement software platform that can be personalised to your unique requirements.

The question, therefore, should not be whether you should use Slack or Microsoft Teams for internal communications. But whether your organisation would benefit from an operational app alongside your internal communications app.

The internal communications app: a clear winner

One of the key internal communications trends of 2023 is the rise in popularity of the internal comms app. It’s not hard to see why. It’s a one-stop solution that reaches across the workforce, effortlessly engaging staff. You could look at it as a kind of ‘super channel’ that connects people on every level.

The latest research from  AJG highlights just how well the internal communications app performs against over channels. While the figures show that intranets and employee portals are still in place, the satisfaction levels with these channels are worryingly low, at just 58%. Respondents were critical of the analytics, integration with other systems and social functionalities.

Take a look at the internal comms app statistics instead. It gets the highest score when it comes to effectiveness. And it delivers a much better level of satisfaction - in fact it’s the highest-scoring of all the internal communication tools. And research shows that 55% of those who use an app have more than one: 28% said they have two, 14% have three, and 13% say they have even more. The employee app comes out as a clear winner in the new business landscape. And more and more companies are catching on to the solution.

Internal communications app: 7 game-changers

We’re going to take a look at the seven key benefits of the internal communication app, and how it will take your internal communications to the next level.

Game-changer #1: Improved connectivity

Key benefit: Reach every employee and create a real-time connection

With the modern workforce increasingly dispersed across geographical location, it becomes even more critical to reach every worker, wherever they are based. You also need to break down other barriers – technological and emotional – in order to reach every single employee in your organisation.

An internal comms app enables you to connect with your employees on the devices they use every day. It operates as a super-channel for internal communication, bringing together all the channels into a single personalised platform. The best platforms even give you the ability to personalise the app with your own logo and colours.

Unlike an employee intranet which relies on employees logging into office devices, an internal communication app is cross-platform, accessible on the web or via Android and IOS Apps. The ability to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) allows access via company or personal devices. By allowing employees to select their favourite means of communication, it effectively breaks down barriers and dramatically increases reach across the organisation.

This personalised approach reaches employees in a way that traditional methods just can’t match. Print, such as company newsletters and magazines, needs to be physically delivered to reach its audience. Presentations and team meetings will never manage to connect with every employee, especially remote workers. And one of the reasons why intranets fail to engage employees is because they fail to effectively link up with a significant proportion of the workforce. What is internal communication? It’s communication that reaches everyone, without fail.

With an internal communications app, you can be sure you are connecting with employees wherever they are; at home, at work or on the move.

Game-changer #2: Improved communication

Key benefit: Provide an efficient flow of information on a regular basis

The communication of news, facts and information lies at the heart of every internal communication plan. Your aim is to deliver efficient, clear information on a consistent basis. By switching to the right internal communication software, you’ll be cutting through the noise and reaching employees directly.

Timing is everything in the world of internal communications. Fire out too many messages and your key intent will be lost in the general noise. Send out too little information and you’ll leave employees guessing. That’s when gossip and rumour start to flourish. Consistency and regularity of messaging is one of the key internal communication best practices you should never ignore.

An internal communications app allows you to schedule communications. Dedicated news feeds, event alerts and critical updates can all be programmed to send at pre-specified intervals. In addition, it allows you to circulate information across hierarchies, giving everyone the same message at the same time. This information equality is crucial when it comes to limiting the generation of rumours.

Game-changer #3: Improved engagement

Key benefit: Encourage staff to get involved and take action

The most effective internal communication strategy and action plan will focus on engaging with your employees. Rather than simply informing them, you are aiming to prompt them to take action. It should open up a free-flowing communication channel, encouraging feedback and response as well as imparting information. 

Effective communication in the workplace relies on two-way channels. Essentially, you need to give your workers a chance to speak out. This is where an internal communications app really comes into its own. It offers free-flowing feedback channels, inviting responses and opening up new opportunities to interact. The app encourages participation by inviting responses and enriching information with real-time updates, multimedia and posts that promote clicks.

The right internal communications software will ensure your messages are both received and understood. An array of modules ensures participation and feedback; from social spaces where colleagues share information to communication hubs, polls and events channels to encourage company-wide participation. In short, an internal comms app means you no longer need to worry whether your messages are hitting their mark.

Game-changer #4: Improved operations

Key benefit: Provide instant access to essential information

Policy and procedure may not be exciting to impart, but they are critical to the success of your operations. When health and safety is your top priority, you’ll need to ensure every employee is fully aware of the processes in place. Equally, when you’re communicating change, it’s vital that every worker is kept up-to-date with the latest changes in policy and procedure.

An internal communications app will make it simple to update employees with the latest policy changes. It allows you to gather all your information into an accessible central hub. You can use themed boards or dynamic pages to post policies, procedures, videos and essential documents. Create sub-hubs, set up private hubs, configure editing rights, limit content. In essence, you’ll keep full control of what is there and how it is managed.

The ability to control the flow of information is particularly useful where there are strong compliance requirements placed on employees to deliver the company's products and services. The app can act as a reminder or a guide to remind workers on what they must do. This is especially relevant if they work remotely and have no other way of accessing organisational information.

And when it comes to crisis situations, there’s nothing more important than having all the critical information in one place and instantly accessible. Your employees have the reassurance that everything they need to know is right there at their fingertips.

Game-changer #5: Improved HR delivery

Key Benefit: Assist the HR function with automated processes

HR professionals know that effective internal communication channels are important to deliver on strategic goals such as increased employee engagement and motivation. Issues such as employee voice, performance, learning and development are key to a successful HR function.

An internal communications app offers a wide range of features that will assist in the HR delivery. Remote workers will benefit from self-service options such as booking annual leave or a place on internal training courses via their phones. This automation of basic processes takes the pressure off the HR department and allows them to concentrate on more pressing matters.

Recognition modules serve to create a positive culture of appreciation and improved performance. By allowing employees to celebrate success and recognise their peers, you’re instilling an understanding of company values. Equally, innovation modules promote learning and development. The app allows employees to put forward ideas and suggestions that address business challenges. It effectively captures ideas and manages the workflow of the implementation of the best suggestions.

Game-changer #6: Improved feedback

Key Benefit: Keep your finger on the company’s pulse

Feedback is an essential element of any employee communication plan, and this is another area where an internal comms app really excels. They make it possible to really

keep your finger on the pulse of your company with ad-hoc polls to gauge opinions, preferences and points of view. Survey modules allow you download results from employee surveys for offline analysis and collation. You can even monitor your eNPS score and keep track of engagement levels.

It’s also vital for employee engagement and motivation. Whether you’re implementing an internal communications survey or taking a quick job satisfaction poll, it’s giving employees that all-important voice of their own.

The employee voice is particularly relevant in the new hybrid working environment. It’s all too easy for those working remotely to feel silenced in comparison to their office-based colleagues. Those easy opportunities allowing natural feedback have been lost, and we need to make a conscious effort to replace them. By scheduling regular polls and surveys you’ll be reopening that essential opportunity to speak out and be heard.

Game-changer #7: Improved measurement

Key Benefit: Measure engagement levels and adjust your strategy to suit

One of the most common mistakes is the failure to measure the impact your messages are having on your audience. You need the ability to compare how teams and divisions are interacting and track engagement levels. Only then will you be able to act on the data you're seeing and quickly correct or improve participation. Tracking internal communication metrics is the final vital piece of the puzzle.

Most internal communications apps provide the tools to monitor participation and improve engagement. Real-time dashboards deliver an instant view of engagement levels, while built-in reporting tracks engagement and exports for external reports. You can also monitor the success of your roll-out, by closely monitoring onboarding rates as the app launches across the company.

When it comes to measurement, the internal communication app is a top performer, allowing you to track, evaluate and dig deeper into those essential details.