Introduction

Through our comprehensive survey, we aimed to understand the obstacles preventing communication professionals from adopting a strategic approach and demonstrating their true value. The insights gathered from over 200 internal communication professionals worldwide paint a vivid picture of the current landscape and the challenges faced.

Key findings from our research include:

• Over 70% of respondents feel confident in their ability to embrace a strategic approach to communication.
• There remains a disconnect between professionals’ confidence in their strategic IC skills and demonstrating these skills to senior leadership.
• Only a small percentage feel that their work in strategic internal communication is recognized by top management.
• The main obstacles include a lack of recognition from leadership, insufficient time, and inadequate resources to focus on strategic initiatives.

– Sia Papageorgiou FRSA, FCSCE, SCMP
Managing Partner, Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence

2. Confidence and Skills in Adopting a Strategic Approach

The research revealed significant insights into the confidence levels of internal communication professionals in adopting a strategic approach to their work. Despite their numerous challenges, the results indicate a generally high level of confidence.

Over 70% of respondents reported feeling either very or extremely confident in their ability to adopt a strategic approach to internal communication. This high level of confidence is encouraging and suggests that many internal communication professionals believe in their capability to contribute strategically to their organizations.

Confidence in strategic abilities correlates strongly with experience, seniority, and role independence (e.g., consultants and self-employed professionals). However, the data reveals important exceptions that offer a more nuanced understanding of these perceptions.

The most significant predictor of higher confidence in strategic skills is years of experience. Professionals with over 10 years of experience rated their abilities the highest, suggesting that extensive exposure to varied communication challenges enhances strategic thinking. Seniority and role independence also emerged as key differentiators. Senior-level professionals, consultants, and agency specialists consistently rated their skills as “very good” or “excellent.” These roles typically require professionals to be deeply involved in high-level decision-making and advising, which may explain their higher confidence levels.

Cross-referencing role with years of experience suggests that many consultants and agency specialists may have built their confidence through previous in-house roles before transitioning to client-based environments. This trajectory could explain the elevated confidence of these professionals, as they draw upon both their in-house experience and the strategic agility required in consulting roles.

Interestingly, first-level managers reported lower confidence, with none rating their skills as “excellent.” Despite their leadership roles, this may reflect limited exposure to strategic initiatives compared to senior professionals. Similarly, individual contributors, who often focus more on tactical execution, rated their skills lower. This highlights a potential need for greater involvement in strategic tasks to bolster their confidence.

3. How Internal Communication Professionals Spend Their Time 

The survey results indicate that internal communication professionals dedicate significant time to key tasks like developing messages (56%) and planning and executing tactics (55%), which are crucial to achieving organizational goals. Interestingly, while activities such as segmenting and analyzing audiences (21%) and defining measurable objectives (26%) are recognized as important, they receive comparatively less attention. 

This raises an intriguing question: Are these priorities driven by the communication professionals themselves, based on their professional judgment, or are they shaped by the expectations and demands of the business? It’s possible that internal communication professionals focus more on areas where they can have immediate impact, while other activities like evaluation and audience analysis may be under-prioritized due to time constraints or organizational pressure. This trade-off suggests a key consideration for the profession—balancing tactical execution with deeper strategic analysis to optimize communication outcomes.

Segmenting and analyzing audiences (21%) and defining measurable objectives (26%) receive less attention compared to developing messages and planning and executing tactics.

Strategic mindsets at every level

The analysis of time spent on strategic internal communication activities by role, career level, and years of experience reveals a notable trend. Professionals in more senior roles and with greater experience tend to engage more in strategic activities. However, this raises a critical question: why aren’t all internal communication professionals, regardless of their career level, embracing a strategic approach from the outset?

The data suggests that as internal communication professionals advance in their careers, their focus shifts from operational to strategic activities. However, this should not imply that foundation-level professionals are incapable of strategic thinking. Cultivating a strategic mindset from the beginning of one’s career ensures that all internal communication professionals, regardless of their role or experience, contribute strategically to their organizations.

This brings us to an important consideration: the role of senior professionals in nurturing the next generation of communication talent. It may not always be a matter of capability but rather the opportunities and expectations set for junior professionals. By providing mentorship and creating opportunities for these individuals to engage in strategic initiatives, senior professionals can help them develop and flex their strategic muscles early in their careers. This proactive approach can foster a universally strategic mindset, empowering the entire internal communication team to drive value and impact for their organizations.

4. Barriers and Challenges

The survey results highlight several key barriers preventing internal communication professionals from adopting a strategic approach to their work. The most significant barrier, cited by 34% of respondents, is the perception that organizational leaders do not value strategic communication. This suggests a disconnect between communication professionals and senior management regarding the role and importance of strategic internal communication. It underscores the need for internal communication professionals to better demonstrate and articulate their value in terms that resonate with business leaders.

Resource constraints are another major impediment, with 31% of respondents indicating that they lack the necessary resources to implement a strategic approach. This highlights the critical need for better resource allocation or an increase in resources dedicated to internal communication. Without adequate resources, it is challenging for professionals to focus on long-term strategic initiatives.

Time limitations also pose a significant challenge, with 28% of respondents reporting that they do not have enough time to devote to strategic activities. This suggests potential issues with workload management and prioritization within departments. Internal communication professionals may be overwhelmed with immediate tasks, leaving little room for strategic planning and execution. However, this is precisely why these professionals need to adopt a more strategic approach—which is about setting clear priorities and having the courage to communicate in a straightforward way, saying ‘no’ to tasks that don’t align with key objectives. By doing so, communication professionals can ensure their efforts remain focused on what truly matters for organizational success.

Interestingly, only 7% of respondents admitted to not knowing how to take a strategic approach to their work. This suggests that the majority of communication professionals are aware of what needs to be done but face constraints that hinder their ability to prioritize strategic initiatives. This points to a broader issue within organizations where strategic internal communication is not given the importance it deserves, even within the field itself.

Calculating ROI is the most substantial struggle (27%) among internal communication challenges.

What internal communication professionals struggle with the most

Internal communication professionals face several significant challenges in their strategic efforts, with calculating ROI emerging as the most substantial struggle (27%). This is closely followed by defining measurable communication objectives (13%) and gaining leadership buy-in (13%). These difficulties highlight a critical area for development—effective measurement and demonstration of value.

The struggle with calculating ROI is not surprising. To elevate the value and visibility of internal communication, professionals must measure what matters. This means focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. Another key challenge is defining measurable communication objectives. This suggests that professionals need clearer frameworks for setting and evaluating communication goals and objectives. Without well-defined objectives, it becomes challenging to measure success and demonstrate the strategic value of internal communication.

Gaining leadership buy-in remains a significant hurdle for many communication professionals. This indicates a gap between communication efforts and senior management’s recognition of their value. Bridging this gap requires effective advocacy and demonstration of how strategic communication contributes to organizational success.

Planning a measurement approach is another area where professionals seek improvement (12%). This reflects the complexity of aligning communication strategies with business outcomes. Providing business insights to senior leaders and other stakeholders (11%) is also a challenge, underscoring the need for strategies that better articulate the business impact of internal communication.

Segmenting and analyzing audiences (8%) poses difficulties for some professionals, pointing to potential enhancements in data collection and analysis techniques. A small proportion of professionals feel fully competent in all areas of strategic internal communication (4%), while others struggle with specific tactical elements like planning approaches and developing key messages.

5. Tools and Resources

Internal communication professionals rely on a variety of sources to seek assistance with strategic challenges, highlighting the diverse approach taken to gather information and insights. Free online resources, such as blogs, articles, webinars, and podcasts, are the most used sources, with 21% of respondents indicating their preference for these accessible and readily available options. By leveraging a diverse range of information sources, internal communication professionals can enhance their strategic capabilities and effectively address the challenges they face in their roles. This balanced approach, incorporating both informal and formal learning opportunities, will ensure a well-rounded understanding of strategic internal communication and foster continuous professional growth.

Satisfaction with current tools and resources

The data reveals that only 44% of respondents are satisfied or very satisfied with the tools and resources they have, indicating a clear need for better support and investment. A significant 35% remain neutral, suggesting mixed feelings, while 21% are dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, further emphasizing the need for improvement.

Final Thoughts and Reflections from Internal Communication Professionals

These final thoughts from survey participants reflect a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape of internal communication. Based on 69 open-ended responses grouped into themes, they underscore the importance of strategic thinking, advocacy, and continuous improvement in the field. The insights emphasize the need for internal communication professionals to advocate for their role, demonstrate their value through measurable outcomes, and adapt to technological advancements to maintain relevance and effectiveness in supporting organizational success.

Strategic importance

• 26% of respondents emphasize the vital role of strategic internal communication in enhancing employee engagement and supporting organizational objectives.

 Measurement and demonstration of value

• 9% stress the importance of clear metrics to demonstrate ROI and justify the strategic value of internal communication to senior leaders.

Professional development and upskilling

• 7% highlight the necessity of continuous learning in areas like data analytics and business strategy to align communication efforts with organizational goals.

Strategic planning and early involvement

• 6% emphasize the need for early involvement in strategic planning to ensure alignment with business objectives.

Additional themes

• Integration and influence across the organization, sharing best practices, and the influence of external consultants are other areas of interest.

26% of respondents emphasize the vital role of strategic internal communication in enhancing employee engagement and supporting organizational objectives.