Looking for valuable internal communications statistics? Below, you’ll find some interesting data around workplace communications, employee engagement, and more.
Employees are looking for more information, collaboration, opportunities, and transparency from their companies and executive leaders.
These items not only help your team drive professional success, but helps everyone be connected and more engaged at work.
But even with that knowledge, organizations still struggle with mastering internal communications.
In this article, we’ll explore some interesting internal communications statistics, some of which is related to how valued communications are, the current challenges, and more.
- Internal Communications Statistics – The Struggles
- Why Communications Is Important For Your Overall Business
- The Good News About Internal Communications
Internal Communications Statistics – The Struggles
Many organizations probably recognize that internal communications is very important, but might not realize how disconnected their employees currently feel.
Something to consider when reading these internal communication statistics below, is to start to analyze and think about communications in your own organization.
You might be surprised to find that your communication strategy is struggling, when you thought otherwise. Don’t be too discouraged if that is the case!
Most companies of all different sizes are facing similar challenges.
The good news is that you are aware and will hopefully make necessary changes to not become part of these struggling data points below.
- 60% of companies don’t have a long-term strategy for their internal communications. (Workforce)
- 74% of employees feel they are missing out on company information and news. (Trade Press Services)
- Disengaged employees could cost organizations over $450 billion dollars per year. This loss is experienced in wage dollars, retraining time, loss of profit, loss of sales, and much more. (Conference Board)
- Globally, 21% of internal communicators admitted that they do not employ any form of formal planning. That number increases to 31% for communicators in North America. (Gatehouse)
- 72% of employees don’t have a full understanding of the company’s strategy. (IBM)
- Only 23% of executives say that their companies are excellent at aligning employees’ goals with corporate purposes. (Deloitte)
- Only 54% of respondents in a VMA group study strongly agree/agree that progress towards communications objectives are researched, measured, and evaluated with metrics and KPIs. (VMA Group Study)
- 57% of employees report not being given clear directions and 69% of managers are not comfortable communicating with the employees in general. (HR Technologist)
- 39% of surveyed employees believe that people in their own organization don’t collaborate enough. (Queens University)
- 86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures. (Salesforce)
- Only 5.9% of companies communicate goals daily. (GoVitru)
- 33% of employees said a lack of open, honest communication has the most negative impact on employee morale. (Recruiter)
Why Communications Is Important For Your Overall Business
An internal communications process and strategy directly impacts a lot of areas within your company. No matter the size of your organization, communication is vital.
For instance, here is a snippet of workplace communication benefits:
- Less misunderstandings
- Improved productivity
- More collaboration
- Increase in knowledge sharing
- Better company moral
- Higher employee engagement
- Stronger employee job satisfaction
- Overall better employee experience
- Better sales and business results
Now, to drive home those benefits is some data to back it up. The below statistics show the incredible benefit and impact communication strategies can have for your employees and company as a whole.
- 85% of employees said they’re most motivated when management offers regular updates on company news. (Trade Press Services)
- More informed employees outperform their peers by 77%. (CEB/Gartner)
- More than 80% of Americans say employee communication is key to developing trust with their employers. (Lexicon)
- Businesses who have highly engaged employees are able to bring in 21% more profit than those who do not. (Rise People)
- Employee productivity increases by 20 to 25% in organizations where employees are connected. (Inc)
- Organizations with effective change and communication programs are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. (ThinkTalent)
- Businesses with effective communication are 50% more likely to have lower employee turnover. (Clear Company)
- Up to 80% of an organization’s opportunity for improvement comes from frontline employees. (SoapBox)
- 54% of employees say a strong sense of community (great coworkers, celebrating milestones, a common mission) kept them at a company longer than was in their best interest. (Gusto)
- According to an Alfresco survey of more than 753 business professionals, it was found that nearly 83% of professionals depend on technology to collaborate. 82% of the participants also felt that they would feel impacted if this technology to collaborate was lost.
The Good News About Communications
A lot of the data above show the struggles of communications currently, but also how valuable it is to your organization.
The good news is now more than ever, company leaders are making communications a priority.
Meaning, organizations are looking for more effective streamlining solutions, taking employee feedback more seriously, adopting the right technology, and making it a priority to build a long-term communications strategy.
“Communicating strategy, values and purposes” was listed as a key priority by 64% of communicators responding to Gatehouse”
And employees are ready to be more informed and involved. This is where technology can also help improve internal communications.
For example:
- An internal messaging tool like Slack between teams and departments
- Maybe a collaboration tool like Facebook Workplace for group chats and internal video communications
- Another option would be an employee advocacy software like EveryoneSocial, which acts as the central hub for employees and all company news, content, engagement, and social sharing. Plus includes mobile apps for employees on the go.
It could be a combo of technologies too, but don’t go overboard. You want to make communications and collaboration as streamlined and simple as possible.
“The Queens University survey found that there is significant support for the use of social tools for workplace collaboration. 31% of baby boomers, 40% of Gen X, and 49% of millennials support social tools for collaboration.”
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, these internal communications statistics made you raise your eyebrows and start thinking about your own strategies and challenges.
Communications has such a major impact on your business, that you can’t just send some basic info to employees and assume everyone is getting value.
Take these key stats and other research, and really look at your current state of communications in your organization.
Collaborate and gather feedback from employees, then work with executives to strategize next steps towards building an informed and connected workplace community.
