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Craft an Internal Communications Strategy

Choose communications empowerment over ownership to enable organizational strategy.

  • Communicating effectively is even more challenging in today's operating environment. Business ‒ and the world of work ‒ is in a state of flux, and cutting through the noise is increasingly difficult.
  • While internal communications are considered critical, efforts are not always strategic. Without effective communication channels, employees report higher dissatisfaction and lower engagement (Gallagher, 2022).

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst.


  • Get on-demand project support
  • Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
  • Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • Choose internal communications empowerment over ownership to enable organizational strategy.
  • Empowerment starts with the clarity, tools, and capability to communicate effectively and guarantees an exchange downwards and upwards.

Impact and Result

  • Craft an effective internal communications strategy with the main purpose to enable the organization to meet its strategic goals.
  • Execute the communications strategy by empowering everyone in the organization to communicate effectively. Provide them with the tools, tactics, and messages to drive strategic internal communication.

Craft an Internal Communications Strategy Research & Tools

2. Analyze the current situation and perform a gap analysis

Conduct an internal communications audit and SWOT analysis, profile target audiences, establish the current state, and identify critical gaps.

3. Create an internal communications guide

Review and customize all components of McLean & Company’s Internal Communications Guide Template.

4. Share the strategy, plan tactics, and measure success

Establish appropriate feedback mechanisms for upwards communication, and plan for rolling out the internal communications strategy and ongoing support for communicators.


Employee and Labor Relations

An active membership is required to access McLean Academy
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This program has been approved for continuing professional development (CPD) hours under Section A of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Log of the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA).

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McLean & Company is recognized by SHRM and can award Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.

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HR Certification Institute's® (HRCI®) official seal confirms that McLean & Company meets the criteria for pre-approved recertification credit(s) for any of HRCI’s eight credentials, including SPHR® and PHR®.

How to complete this course:

Use these videos, along with the Project Blueprint deck above, to gain an understanding of the subject. Start with the Introduction, then move through each of the Course Modules. At the end of each Module, you will be required to complete a short test to demonstrate your understanding. You will complete this course when you have completed all of the course tests.

  • Number of Course Modules: 4
  • Estimated Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Build and improve upon the employee and labor relations function in your organization. Balance the priorities of efficiency, equity, and voice to meet the needs of both the employer and employees.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Describe the employment relationship and main stakeholders in both union and non-union environments.
  • Describe key processes of employee relations and those specific to labor relations.
  • Recall communications best practices to improve the employment relationship.

Course Modules

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Introduction

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Module 1

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Module 2

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Module 3

Craft an Internal Communications Strategy preview picture

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 10 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Define internal communications objectives
  • Call 1: Confirm appropriate strategy discovery activities.
  • Call 2: Determine internal communication objectives, key results, and metrics based on organizational goals.

Guided Implementation 2: Analyze the current situation and perform a gap analysis
  • Call 1: Review quantitative and qualitative data to identify themes, trends, and insights.
  • Call 2: Discuss possible employee segments and plan for audience profiling.
  • Call 3: Evaluate internal communications audit results, discuss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to summarize current state.
  • Call 4: Analyze critical gaps and outline strategic action items.

Guided Implementation 3: Create an internal communications guide
  • Call 1: Review McLean & Company’s Internal Communications Guide Template and customize to suit your organization.

Guided Implementation 4: 4. Share the strategy, plan tactics, and measure success
  • Call 1: Discuss appropriate feedback mechanisms and how to implement them.
  • Call 2: Plan for rollout of the internal communications strategy and continued support for communicators.
  • Call 3: Review metrics and determine success of key results.

Contributors

  • Melodie Barnett, Managing Partner, Pivot Communication, and co-author of the book, An Honest Living: Be Wildly Successful Without Being a Jerk
  • Priya Bates, Accredited Business Communicator, MC, CMP, IABC Fellow, President, Inner Strength Communication Inc.
  • Ally Bunin, Senior Vice President, Employee Practice, MSL Group
  • Tyler Cook, Internal Communication & Public Relations Consultant
  • Ivana Di Millo, Director of Communications, City of Mississauga
  • Richard Donovan, Global Head of Social Innovation & UK&I Head of Corporate Responsibility, Experian
  • Morag Farquharson, Accredited Business Communicator
  • Shel Holtz, Accredited Business Communicator, Director of Internal Communications, Webcor Builders
  • Rob Manne, Creative Communications Consultant
  • Melanie Anne Martin, CMS, Event Marketing Manager, Goldcorp
  • Michele Martin, Accredited Business Communicator, Manager of Internal Communications, Strategic Priorities at London Health Sciences Centre
  • Andrea Richter, Marketing and Human Resources Manager, NPT LLP Chartered Accountants
  • Aniisu K. Verghese, India Corporate Communications Leader, TESCO HSC, Internal Communications leader, blogger, and author of Internal Communications: Insights, Practices and Models (Sage Publications, 2012)
  • Scott Tabachnick, Director, Executive Projects & Partnerships, WE
  • Stephanie Thornbury, Accredited Business Communicator, Senior Executive, Communication and Marketing, Inner Strength Communication Inc.