Internal Communications Trends Survey

Sponsored by:
2016-2017
Internal
Communications
Survey Results

SPONSORED BY POLITEMAIL SOFTWARE — 2 —
2016-2017 Internal Communications Survey Results
Executive
Summary
Business has long embraced measuring
customer engagement and the impact
of marketing efforts — whether it’s leads
generated, products sold, or customers retained
— as it helps maximize ROI and revenue.
In the realm of internal employee
communications, however, determining
objectives and reliably measuring performance
against them is often more challenging.
Do internal communications efforts have a
meaningful impact? Do they lead to better
employee engagement? Which channels are
working and how do you know? Where is your
work having the greatest influence?
PoliteMail Software commissioned independent
consulting firm Gill Research to conduct the
2016 Internal Communications Measurement
Survey to examine how communications
professionals define and measure the success
of their efforts. In total, 526 communications
professionals from organizations of varying size
participated:
1,000 or fewer employees — 37%
1,001 - 5,000 employees — 23%
5,001 - 49,999 employees — 30%
Over 50,000 employees — 10%
90% of respondents were based in the
Americas, with the remainder split between
Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
How many full-time employees does
your organization employ?
How many employees do you
routinely send communications to?
Platforms (Vocus/Cision)
100,000+
50,001-
100,000
30,001-
50,000
20,001-
30,000
10,001-
20,000
5,001-
10,000
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000Americas EU/ME Asia/Pac Other
The dThe data is hard to understand; I rarely make use of it
4%
5%
5%
4%
5%
10%
11%
23%
37%
3% 3% 4%
90%
12%8%
How
routi
Where are you located?
Other tools
Paid external social tools (HootSuite, Social Mention)
Free external tools (Facebook Insights)
Nothing
Webtrends
Adobe Analytics
Other
SharePoint stats
100,000+
50,001-
100,000
30,001-
50,000
20,001-
30,000
10,001-
20,000
5,001-
10,000
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000 5,001-
10,000+
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000er
The data informs my decision-making; I use it often
The data is hard to understand; I rarely make use of it
The data doesn't seem very accurate to me
There's not enough meaningful data;
it's interesting but not that helpful
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
14%
23%
5%
5%
4%
5%
10%
11%
23%
37%
30%
30%
40%
16%
15%
14%
56%
36%
14%
12%
39%
s Which of the following do you use
For your social media measurement?
What statement best matches your feelings
about this social media measurement tool?

Key Findings
Measurement is a growing priority
Most communicators are making an effort to measure internal communications efforts.
More than half (60%) measure at least some of their work.
Measurement yields better communication decisions
The vast majority (83%) see measurement as a way to make better decisions, and 79% believe
data will help them improve their communications efforts. 76% believe measurement helps them
engage employees more effectively.
IC teams are strapped for resources
More than half (54%) cite understaffing and inability to complete all work as their
greatest challenges.
IT must be enrolled
Communicators generally (52%) give their IT departments good marks for being supportive,
but 39% say IT creates roadblocks, or that they prefer to avoid IT altogether.
Email is the dominant channel
95% say that email is the most valuable corporate communication channel, yet half (51%) of
respondents do not measure its effectiveness.
List hygiene matters
Two-fifths of communicators surveyed use email distribution lists (DL), but only one-third
say they are accurate and up-to-date.
Corporate intranets are unpopular
Only one in five communicators see their intranet as a highly valued resource. Of those who do not,
many cite a lack of employee engagement, and most see less traffic than they expect.

Internal
Communications
Measurement:
The Latest
Know Your Numbers
The majority of respondents agree that
measurement is becoming a higher priority.
More than half (60%) of internal communicators
measure at least some of their communications,
and 20% measure nearly all of their content.
Still, most are unsure of what to measure, how
to measure success, and, in particular, how to
measure behavioral changes. Respondents
capture obvious statistics, such as page views,
likes, and comments, and they also examine
internal audits, employee feedback and surveys,
ad hoc feedback, and video views. Although
digital signage is widely used, its effectiveness
is difficult to measure.
Larger organization are more likely to measure their internal
communications.
Do you measure your internal
communications efforts?
Employee
size
Measure at
least some
Measure
none
Up to 1,000 32% 22%
1,000 to 5,000 64% 10%
5,000+ 74% 9%
It help
We're
It's eas
It help
We ca
We ca
They're
They're
They're
We don
Our IT department makes it challenging for us
Leadership doesn't see the value/not a priority
We are forced to use inaccurate external marketing tools
I don't
know
NoneFewSomeMost
IT
an
We
rep
co
Our email often isn't readable on mobile devices
Our intranet is accessible via mobile
We think mobile may be the best way to reach
the majority of our employees, and are researching it
Our intranet isn't accessible via mobile
Our email is mobile responsive
20% 40% 23% 15% 3%
22%
44%
54%
76%
79%
83%
18%
24%
50%
26%
25%
7%
14%
30%
35%
48%
53%
How
to yo
Whic
depa
What are the biggest challenges to
measuring internal communications
At your organization?
Which statement(s) best describes the state
of your mobile communications?
Which
use of
which
at you

Why Measure?
Simply put, measuring internal communications
is good business. Reports from The Grossman
Group, The Society for Human Resource
Management, and Deloitte Consulting have
found that miscommunication results in an
average loss per company per year between
$420,000 (SMB) to $62.4 million (enterprises
with 100,000 or more employees). Given these
numbers, as well as tight budgets, changing
demographics, and an increasingly culturally
diverse workforce, understanding how
communications are received is critical to the
bottom line.
“Measurement was helpful
to honing our efforts
and convincing senior
leaders that investing in
communications
was worth it.”
83% of respondents say the data helps them
make better decisions and 79% believe
measurement improves results. 76% report it
helps improve employee engagement, which is
the primary driver for internal measurement.
“It allows us to stop doing things that we know
don’t work,” one survey respondent says,
adding, “It also helps us develop
more compelling content.” However, more
than half (59%) of communicators are
unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with the way
internal communications are measured
within their organization.
How is measurement most
valuable to your organization?
Overall, how satisfied are you with the way
internal communications is measured in
your organization?
Larger organizations are more likely to use measurement data
to inform decisions and better engage employees.
Employee
size
Improve our
efforts by
measuring
what works
Make better
decisions
based on
data
Better
engage
employees
Up to 1,000 71% 73% 69%
1,000 to 5,000 86% 86% 81%
5,000+ 83% 93% 79%
Yes
It helps us increase our internal communication budget
We're able to prove our department's worth to senior execs
It's easier to persuade senior execs to do what works
It helps us engage our employees better
We can improve our efforts by measuring what works
We can make better decisions based on, or informed by, data
They're not widely adopted, and not particularly effective
They're growing, more people seem to be using them
We don't use any social networking tools for communications
I don't
know
NoneFewSomeMost
I avoid any new projects
that require IT involvement.
IT is rarely supportive and
often sets up roadblocks.
IT is mostly supportive
and helpful.
We have a dedicated IT
representative for our
communication teams.
Our com
We can'
Our em
We don
We use
We are
It's som
overall
It's und
but mo
9%9%
30%
52%
20% 40% 23% 15% 3%
14%
22%
44%
54%
76%
79%
83%
18%
24%
50%
26%
25%
7%
54%
47%
50%
42%
43%
42%
N/A
39%
N/A
34%
N/A
20%
14%
30%
35%
43%
30%
48%
53%
How is measurement most valuable
to your organization?
Which
your c
Will yo
measu
Which statement best describes how the it
department responds to your needs?
Which
feelin
Which statement best describes employees’
use of social networks (e.g., Chatter and Slack
which allow users to post/comment and chat)
at your organization?
Not sureWhat
budget?
NoYes
cs
data Lack
Lack
We d
We d
Lack
2016
2014
2016
2014
Our communications technology and tools are too antiquated
We can't identify which channel is best for which group of employees
Our email distribution groups are not accurate/targeted enough
We are understaffed and can't get it all done
Inacc
Getti
Accu
We h
14% 38% 32% 16%
63%
63%
52%
54%
42%
34%
29%
28%
26%
21%Very
satisfied
1% 1%
Satisfied
16% 14%
Neither
satisfied or
unsatisfied
27% 26%
Unsatisfied
47% 44%
Very
unsatisfied
9% 15%
54%
47%
50%
42%
42%
N/A
N/A 26%
26%
33%
40%
Wh
of y
Which of the following challenges does
your communication department face?
Will your internal communications
measurement budget increase in 2017?
Overall, how satisfied are you with
the way internal communications is
measured in your organization?
Wha
mea
at yo
your communications department face?
(detail)

Lack of Resources
is a Growing
Pain Point
Compared to the 2014 communications survey,
communicators now report that lack of time,
tools, and staff are even bigger obstacles
to measuring communications. More than
half of current respondents struggle with
understaffing, which in turn makes it difficult
for them to spend time on measurement.
Teams at larger companies are more likely to use antiquated
tools and struggle more list targeting and accuracy.
What challenges does your communications
department face?
Employee
size
Distribution lists
not accurate or
not targeted
enough
Antiquated
communications
tools
Up to 1,000 26% 36%
1,000 to 5,000 47% 54%
5,000+ 47% 52%
e
Google Analytics
Nothing
Lack of measurement tools
Lack of budget
We don’t know what to measure
We don’t know how to measure
Lack of time and/or personnel
We use too many channels
2016
2014
2016
2014
2016
2014
ted
yees
gh
16
14
Getting HR data into DLs is a simple process
We don't have targeted DLs for most of our audiences
Inaccurate, out-of-date DLs are a problem area
Getting HR data into DLs is time-consuming and complicated
Accurate, up-to-date DLs are not a problem area
We have DLs for our most common target audiences
63%
63%
52%
54%
42%
34%
29%
28%
26%
21%
25%
29%
Very
satisfied
1% 1%
Satisfied
16% 14%
Neither
satisfied or
unsatisfied
27% 26%
Unsatisfied
47% 44%
Very
unsatisfied
9% 15%
20%43% 7%
24%
26%
26%
33%
40%
of your email distribution groups?
(detail)
Which of the following do you use
For your intranet measurement?
about this intranet measurement tool?

Wrestling with
Budgets
Only 14% of respondents secured budget
increases, while 38% are certain they will not
see an increase. 18% of respondents from
midsize companies expect increases, while
45% of enterprise organizations do not. 42% of
smaller organizations don’t have a budget.
“The data obviously is
important in terms of driving
communications strategy.”
One respondent says, “It helps us focus on
things that matter and shows leaders that
we are in tune with what’s important to the
business. It’s not just communications for
the sake of communications. It’s to drive
performance in key areas.”
However, not knowing how to interpret
and leverage the data can impact resource
allocation, thereby exacerbating the situation.
Midsize companies expect the largest budget increases.
Not sureWhat
budget?
NoYes
It helps us engage our employees better
We can improve our efforts by measuring what works
We can make better decisions based on, or informed by, data
Adobe
Other
ShareP
Googl
Nothin
They're shrinking, fewer people seem to be using them
n't
w
and helpful.
2
2
20
20
We don't know if or how to implement a mobile strategy
2016
2014
It's a highly valued and utilized resouce
It's somewhat valued, some pages are busy but
overall we seem to get less traffic than expected
It's undervalued; we put a lot of effort into it
but most employees don't utilize it
9%9%
30%
52%
14% 38% 32% 16%
22%
44%
54%
76%
79%
83%
14%
23%
25%
29%
18%
24%
50%
Very
satisfied
1% 1%
54%
47%
50%
42%
43%
42%
N/A
39%
N/A
34%
N/A
20%
43%
30%
How is measurement most valuable
to your organization?
Over
the w
meas
department responds to your needs? Whic
your
(deta
Whic
For y
Which statement best describes your
feelings about your organization’s intranet?
Employee
size
Yes No
What
budget?
Up to 1,000 9% 34% 42%
1,000 to 5,000 18% 37% 29%
5,000+ 15% 45% 22%

Engaging
Leadership
Demonstrating the ROI of measurement to
leadership is an essential part of any
communications program. Several
respondants indicated measurement
helps leaders better understand broader
communications objectives.
“Sometimes, if you’re
not an engineer or
in manufacturing,
leadership wonders
what communications
really does, and this is
where measurement
really helps.”
For business leaders who have a difficult time
understanding the value of communications and
the role of the communications team beyond a
service organization, measurement and metrics
can help bridge the gap.
Larger companies value metrics more and face greater
budget constraints.
Employee
size
IT makes it
challenging
Not a
priority to
leadership
Lack of
budget
Up to 1,000 15% 34% 35%
1,000 to 5,000 34% 29% 46%
5,000+ 31% 22% 48%
Custom i
Broadcas
Microsof
Other
Online em
Nothing
Employees feel like they get too much of it
We have no idea if employees read our email messages
I think we can do better in terms of content and targeting
It's highly valued, our employees' preferred channel
We probably send too much email, but it works
They're w
They're s
They're n
They're g
We don't
IT is
and
We
repr
com
We don't have a mobile solution, but it's a minority of our employees
We have an effective mobile solution
22%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
26%
25%
7%
13%
5%
14%
30%
35%
48%
53%
Which statement best describes
your organization’s view of email
as a communication channel?
Which
depar
Which
use of
which a
at your
Which
For yo

Enrolling IT
Enrolling the IT department is also imperative
and has the potential to be a complex process.
More than half (52%) of respondents report
that their IT departments are supportive,
but 39% still report IT as a major roadblock
to new projects. Only 9% of respondents
have IT professionals dedicated to assisting
communications teams.
“IT helps, but they
are spread thin.”
Some respondants indicated that external
facing communications take priority over
internal, “External websites and marketing
email take higher priority, so it takes more
time to get internal things done from an IT
perspective.”
Most organizations have supportive IT teams.
Which statement best describes how the IT
Y
Microsoft Outlook-specific tool
Other
Online email marketing (Constant Contact/MailChimp)
Nothing
They're widely adopted and seem very effective
I don't
know
NoneFewSomeMost
and helpful.
Our
We c
Our
We d
We u
We a
It's a
We d
It's s
over
It's u
but m
The
The
Ther
it's in
9%9%
30%
52%
20% 40% 23% 15% 3%
1
22%
44%
12%
18%
51%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
26%
25%
7%
54
47
50
42
43
42
N/A
39
N/A
34
N/A
20
13%
5%
14%
30%
35%
20
8%
43
30
33
39
48%
53%
Wh
you
Wh
fee
For your email measurement?
Wh
abo

Preferred Channels,
Most communicators have culled their channels
in the past two years. Only 20% of those
surveyed say they “use too many channels,”
which is down from 43% in 2014. This suggests
that having fewer channels is more manageable
for those who oversee communications and
likely preferable to employees who may be
overwhelmed by too many options.
Not sureWhat
budget?
NoYes
Paid exte
Free exte
Nothing
Other
Nothing
Webtre
Adobe
Other
SharePo
Google
Nothin
t
and helpful.
201
201
2016
2014
ees
We don't have one
9%9%
30%
52%
14% 38% 32% 16%
22%
44%
54%
27%
38%
18%
51%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
Very
satisfied
1% 1%
54%
47%
50%
42%
43%
42%
N/A
39%
N/A
34%
N/A
20%
20%
8%
43%
30%
39%
department responds to your needs? Which
your c
(detai
Which
For yo
about this email measurement tool?
Which
For yo
Not sureWhat
budget?
NoYes
ecs
data
Other
SharePoint stats
Google Analytics
Nothing
ons
Lack
Lack
We
We
Lack
cts
ment.
and
cks.
2016
2014
2016
2014
2016
2014
Gett
We d
Inac
Gett
Accu
We
but most employees don't utilize it The
Ther
it's in
14% 38% 32% 16%
63
63
52
54
42
34
29
28
26
21
23%
25%
29%
Very
satisfied
1% 1%
Satisfied
16% 14%
Neither
satisfied or
unsatisfied
27% 26%
Unsatisfied
47% 44%
Very
unsatisfied
9% 15%
54%
47%
50%
42%
43%
42%
N/A
39%
N/A
34%
N/A
20%
20%43% 7%
24
26
26
33
40
43%
56
Wh
of y
Wh
mea
at y
(detail)
’
ck
at)
Wh
abo
Communications teams are concentrating their efforts on
fewer, highly effective channels such as email and video.

Percentage of survey respondents who do not
use the following communication channels:
Please rate your usage of the following
commmunications channels:
(on a scale of 1=low usage/importance and 5=high usage/importance)
On a scale of 1 (low use/importance)
through 5 (high use/importance), survey
respondents rated their usage of the top
three communication channels:
Email:
Intranet:
Town halls/leadership presentations:
Signage (print and digital)
Intranet
Town halls/leadership presentations
Email
Print/PDF publications
Video
Social media (Twitter, Facebook…)
Social network (Chatter, Socialcast, etc.)
Mobile app/SMS (text)
PlatfoCustom in-house
Broadcast marketing (ExactTarget, Marketo)
Americas EU/ME Asia/Pac Other
7%
6%
6%
‹1%
8%
8%
19%
33%
40%
4%6%
6%
3% 3% 4%
90%
8%
How
you
nce)
Percentage of survey respondents
who do not use the following
communication channels:
Video
Intranet
Email
Intranet
Email
Video
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
It's a
We d
It's u
but
The
The
The
Ther
it's in
2.95
2.80
2.51
1.99
3.18
3.19
3.65
4.05
4.73
7%
6%
6%
‹1%
8%
8%
19%
33%
40%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
8%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
13%
5%
14%
30%
20
8%
30
33
20
8%
39
WhePlease rate your usage of the following
communications channels:
(on a scale of 1=low usage/important & 5=high usage/importance)
Wh
abo
se rate your usage of the following
mmmunications channels:
scale of 1=low usage/importance and 5=high
e/importance)
anet
(on a scale of 1=low usage/importance and 5=high
usage/importance)
54321N/A
36246
13861
54321N/A
7110294894234
54321
54321
193102672717
Email
se rate your usage of the following
mmmunications channels:
scale of 1=low usage/importance and 5=high
e/importance)
n Hall
usage/importance)
Video
128110954925
usage/importance)
Intranet
54321N/A
19310267271725
usage/importance)
Town Hall
usage/importance)
Intranet
54321N/A
54321N/A
19310267271725
usage/importance)
Town Hall
12811095492524

Email Dominates
95% of respondents say that email is their
most indispensable communications channel.
In terms of both usage and importance, email
ranks significantly higher than other channels,
including the second most popular channel,
the corporate intranet.
“Engagement is our
number one priority.”
Despite this, more than half (51%) of those
surveyed do not measure the effectiveness
of their email messaging. The remaining
respondents use a mix of platforms intended
for external marketing efforts.
Of those who do measure, more than half use
a tool design for external email marketing, 39%
say their analytics lack enough meaningful data,
and another 20% believe the data isn’t accurate.
your organization’s view of email as
a communication channel?
The majority of companies do not measure their email
communications, although larger companies are more likely to
do so.
Employee
size
Internal or
Outlook-
specific tool
Email
marketing
tool
Nothing
Up to 1,000 9% 26% 57%
1,000 to 5,000 12% 18% 53%
5,000+ 18% 26% 42%
Which statement best matches
your feelings about this email
measurement tool?
for your email measurement?
Video
Intranet
Email
Intranet
Email
Video
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
A
We do
The d
The d
The d
There
it's int
2.95
2.80
2.51
1.99
3.18
3.19
3.65
4.05
4.73
7%
6%
6%
‹1%
8%
8%
19%
33%
40%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
8%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
13%
5%
20%
8%
33%
20%
8%
39%
WherPlease rate your usage of the following
Wha
abou
Email Mobile app/SMS (text)
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
and helpful.
We
Ou
We
We
It's
We
It's
ove
It's
but
The
The
The
The
it's
30%
52%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
8%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
26%
25%
7%
4
4
4
N
3
N
3
N
2
13%
5%
14%
30%
35%
2
8
4
3
3
2
8
3
48%
53%
Wh
W
fee
W
ab
Platform
Other to
Paid exte
Free exte
Nothing
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
Webtre
Adobe
Other
ShareP
Google
Nothin
and helpful.
201
201
2016
2014
ees
We don't have one
9%9%
30%
52%
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
47%
42%
43%
42%
N/A
39%
N/A
34%
N/A
20%
20%
8%
43%
30%
33%
20%
8%
39%
How m
your o
(detai
Which
For yo
Which
For yo

Email: List
Maintenance
Matters
Up-to-date DLs are essential for effective email
communications. Yet, data quality seems to be
troublesome in enterprise organizations. While
two-fifths of communicators use distribution
lists, only 26% say they are accurate and
current. “It’s fairly easy to target by business
unit, but it’s extremely difficult to target
employees by their job function,” says one
survey respondent. Using HR data for more
targeted distribution groups is a common
practice, but still presents challenges. Some
respondents, however, are hopeful about
the state of their distribution lists (“Just now
getting there”) or hesitantly optimistic.
“We just solved this
ongoing problem last
month… only took me
three years.”
DL issues are more common in larger organizations, and
pulling HR data is more time-consuming and complicated.
Employee
size
Inaccurate,
out-of-date DLs
Pulling HR data is
time-consuming
and complicated
Up to 1,000 15% 14%
1,000 to 5,000 31% 34%
5,000+ 33% 32%
Which statement(s) best describes the
state of your email distribution groups?
e
Other tools
Nothing
Webtrends
Adobe Analytics
Other
SharePoint stats
Google Analytics
Nothing
We don’t know how to measure
2016
2014
2016
2014
ted
yees
gh
16
14
26%
21%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
Very
satisfied
1% 1%
Satisfied
16% 14%
Neither
satisfied or
unsatisfied
27% 26%
Unsatisfied
47% 44%
Very
unsatisfied
9% 15%
20%43% 7%
24%
26%
26%
33%
40%
16%
15%
14%
56%
36%
14%
39%
(detail)

Corporate
Intranets
The second most popular channel, the
intranet, factors in more prominently at larger
organizations. More than 90% of organizations
surveyed report having one, but lagging
usage is a concern; fewer than 20% report
high adoption.
43% of respondents report their intranet sees
less traffic than expected and 30% report
that, despite their efforts, most employees
undervalue the platform.
The lack of engagement maybe be a result
of technical, user experience (UX) design,
or maintenance issues. “The pages are so
antiquated and horribly designed,” says
one respondent.
“It could be useful, but it’s
not updated regularly
and isn’t user-friendly.”
Another respondent notes there aren’t “enough
staff to keep our newly revamped intranet
current and relevant.”
Larger organizations are more likely to maintain an intranet,
but that doesn’t mean teams are happy with it as an internal
communications tool.
Employee
size
It’s a highly
valued
and utilized
resource
We don’t have
one
Up to 1,000 13% 17%
1,000 to 5,000 20% 3%
5,000+ 27% 1%
Video
Platform
Other to
Paid exte
Free exte
Nothing
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
Webtre
Adobe
Other
ShareP
Google
Nothin
that require IT involvement.and helpful.
Americas EU/ME Asia/Pac Other
2016
2014
yees
We don't have one
8%
8%
19%
33%
40%
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
3% 3% 4%
90%
43%
34%
20%
20%
8%
43%
30%
33%
20%
8%
39%
How m
your o
Whic
For y
Which
For yo

Intranet:
Measuring
Performance
Roughly half of the respondents measure
intranet usage via Google Analytics (25%)
or SharePoint stats (23%). However, the
largest segment (29%) admits it doesn’t
review analytics. More than half (56%) of
those surveyed say their chosen intranet
measurement tool doesn’t provide enough
meaningful data.
Which of the following do you use for
your intranet measurement?
What statement best matches your
feelings about this intranet measuring tool?
Other tools
Nothing
Webtrends
Adobe Analytics
Other
SharePoint stats
Google Analytics
Nothing
s
ent.
d
s. We don't know if or how to implement a mobile strategy
2016
2014
Getting
We do
We don't have one
but most employees don't utilize it The da
The da
The da
There's
it's inte
The da
The da
The da
There's
it's inte
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
5%
5%
4%
5%
10%
11%
37%
3% 3% 4%
43%
39%
34%
N/A
20%
20%43% 7%
24%
20%
8%
43%
30% 16%
15%
14%
56%
36%
14%
12%
39%
33%
20%
8%
39%
How m
routin
k
)
What
abou
What
abou
Other tools
Nothing
Webtrends
Adobe Analytics
Other
SharePoint stats
Google Analytics
Nothing
2016
2014
ted
yees
gh
16
14
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
20%43% 7%
24%
26%
26%
33%
40%
16%
15%
14%
56%
36%
14%
12%
39%
(detail)

Social Networks
Social media ranks second-to-last among
communicators, with nearly 19% of
respondents avoding this channel for
employee comms.
Of those who leverage social media, almost
half manage and measure it with Facebook
Insights, Hootsuite, or Social Mention. However,
38% don’t measure social media effectiveness at
all. Among those who do measure it, more than
half find the data meaningless or too difficult to
understand.
Which of the following do you use for your
social media measurement?
about this social measurement tool?
Other tools
Nothing
Webtrends
100,000+
50,001-
100,000
30,001-
50,000
20,001-
30,000
10,001-
20,000
5,001-
10,000
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000Americas EU/ME Asia/Pac Other
We don't have one The d
The d
The d
The d
There
it's in
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
5%
5%
4%
5%
10%
11%
23%
37%
3% 3% 4%
90%
20%
8%
15%
14%
36%
14%
12%
39%
33%
20%
8%
39%
How
rout
Wha
abo
Other tools
Nothing
Webtrends
Adobe Analytics
Other
SharePoint stats
Google Analytics
Nothing
100,000+
50,001-
100,000
30,001-
50,000
20,001-
30,000
10,001-
20,000
5,001-
10,000
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000 5,001-
10,000+
1,001-
5,000
0-1,000
16
14
4%
10%
22%
27%
38%
4%
4%
14%
23%
25%
29%
5%
5%
4%
5%
10%
11%
23%
37%
30%
30%
40%
16%
15%
14%
56%
36%
14%
12%
39%

Social Messaging
Tools
While one in four say the use of social
messaging platforms such as Yammer,
Slack, and Chatter is growing within their
organizations, management is “fearful
employees will be distracted from their work…
or use the tools inappropriately.”
Others forgo these platforms for compliance
reasons or budget limitations.
“We use Skype
for Business for
interpersonal comms,
but [we have] nothing
that can reach all
employees at once.”
It appears that while internal social channels
may be good for collaboration, they are
not particularly effective as a broadcast
communications channel.
use of social networks (e.g. Chatter and
Slack, which allow users to comment and
chat) at your organization?
Intranet
Email
Video
Custom in-house
Other
Nothing
and helpful.
We do
We us
It's a h
We do
It's so
overa
It's un
but m
The d
The d
The d
There
it's int
3.19
3.65
4.05
4.73
8%
19%
33%
40%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
8%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
7%
43%
39%
34%
N/A
20%
13%
5%
14%
30%
35%
20%
8%
43%
30%
33%
20%
8%
39%
48%
53%
Whe
Whic
feeli
Wha
abou

Mobile Devices
The majority of respondents (84%) check their
work email on mobile devices, although they
have yet to embrace mobile as an internal
communications channel. A little more than
one-third (35%) believe mobile communications
are the best way to reach employees, and 53%
offer employees access to email on mobile
devices. Nevertheless, 48% indicate their
intranet isn’t accessible via mobile, and just
5% have a mobile device strategy.
Face-to-Face
Communications
Although the majority of communicators use
email and intranet as their primary channels,
in-person communication remains vital. On a
scale from 1 to 5, town halls and leadership
presentations score 3.65, and signage scores
3.19.
Few organizations are using mobile for internal comms, but
larger organizations are more likely to be looking into it.
Which statement best describes the state of
your mobile communications?
Employee
size
Our email isn’t
readable on
mobile devices
Mobile may be
the best way to
reach people —
we are
researching it
Up to 1,000 11% 17%
1,000 to 5,000 11% 40%
5,000+ 21% 50%
Intranet
Email
Social m
Social n
Mobile
Custom in
Broadcas
Microsoft
Other
Online em
Nothing
They're w
They're sh
They're no
They're gr
We don't
IT is
and
We h
repre
com
3.65
4.05
4.73
19%
33%
40%
6%
6%
7%
12%
18%
51%
8%
17%
20%
23%
32%
4%
5%
18%
24%
50%
25%
7%
13%
5%
14%
30%
35%
48%
53%
Which s
use of s
which a
at your
Which
For yo
Percen
who d
comm

Closing Thoughts
Measurement data is helping reposition
the communications role from an internal
creative services agency to strategic leadership
advisory. Internal employee communications
teams are becoming key players for driving
business initiatives and employee engagement.
The 2016-2017 Internal Communications
Measurement Survey found that despite
ongoing challenges, communications
professionals are learning to refine their
strategies and channels to maximize
effectiveness, clear away miscommunication,
and to avoid wasting employees time with
non relevant messaging. Accordingly, accurate
communications measurement is fast becoming
a business essential.

Internal Communications Trends Survey

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