The Power of Internal Communication: Using Podcasts to Engage Employees

Do you have a real strategy for internal communication? Research shows that companies with thoughtful, effective internal communication strategies achieve more and generate higher returns than those with poor communication. If that doesn’t surprise you, consider this: one of the most effective strategies for internal communication, being deployed by more large brands, is podcasts.

The Instinct to Use an Outside Voice

Think back to when you were seven years old, and you might remember your mother reminding you to use your inside voice. You were inside the house, and she had company over. You were probably still amped up from playing outside and were talking loudly. Ironically, nobody reminded you to use your outside voice when you went outdoors. It just felt natural to do so.

In business, we often fall into the habit of using our “outside voice,” focusing on broadcasting messages externally rather than engaging internally. This instinctive habit stems from our childhood experiences and the way we perceive communication in media, such as TV and radio. It’s no surprise that in business, our default approach is to focus on what we have to say to the outside world and do it with an outside voice.

But what about internal communication? Are we sure we’re using our inside voice effectively with employees, partners, investors, and vendors? Many employees don’t read mass emails attentively, often missing or reading them too late for maximum value. During conference calls and webinars, employees are often distracted, half-listening, or multitasking. When they miss content, they rarely go back to find it.

This childhood lesson in using an inside voice is directly applicable to our internal communication strategies today. Instead of broadly broadcasting messages, consider how adopting an inside voice approach can foster better engagement. This is where podcasts come into play, providing a platform for more personal, engaging communication within the company.

Common Internal Communication Challenges

Effective internal communication faces several challenges. Many employees don’t read mass emails attentively, often missing or reading them too late for maximum value. During conference calls and webinars, employees are often distracted, half-listening, or multitasking.

When they miss content, they rarely go back to find it. Traveling to multiple offices to convey energy and tone from leadership is expensive and time-consuming.

Different departments may need different messages, but it’s complex to deliver multiple versions effectively. Middle managers often convey their version of upper management messages, resulting in differences in tone and significance.

Strategic partners and retailers, busy with their businesses, might miss critical messages amidst other memos and emails. Taking entire departments away from productivity for video or conference calls can pause business operations, and not everyone will absorb the information.

All these issues stem from the automatic use of an outside voice strategy. This approach involves simply blasting a message to the company, hoping enough of it sticks. It may not convey the intended tone or importance, and may not be measurable in terms of effectiveness until you see if people have delivered on it.

The Habit of Blasting Messages

The concept of blasting messages comes from our habit of using an outside voice in business communications. This approach often fails to engage employees effectively. It involves sending mass emails or holding large conference calls, hoping that the message reaches and resonates with everyone. However, this method often falls short.

Blasting messages to the entire company often fails to engage employees and convey the intended tone. Instead of this broad approach, podcasts allow for more targeted and engaging communication. Leaders can address specific topics, departments, or issues, ensuring that each message resonates and is understood.

The Downside of Compliance Without Engagement

Consider a financial or insurance firm that ensures their representatives sign compliance training forms without making sure they actually paid attention, learned, or retained the information. The company might meet legal requirements technically, but wouldn’t it be beneficial if the information was engaging, measured for interaction and comprehension, and didn’t take their sales force out of the field?

This scenario underscores the need for engagement in communication. Simply having employees complete tasks isn’t enough. They need to understand, retain, and be motivated by the information. Podcasts can transform this dynamic by providing an engaging platform for communication.

The Need for an Inside Voice

Consider a company with thousands of employees adopting a major sustainability campaign. How do you make sure your employees care as much as you do? Email it? Shout it from a megaphone? Use conference calls or fliers? What if you adopted an inside voice approach, making it feel as if top leadership took each employee aside into a quiet room, sharing their passion, stories, and knowledge? This could improve morale and retention, increase productivity and company growth, reduce liability, and ensure employees actually care about what you have to say.

Imagine if top leadership could take each employee aside into a quiet room to share their passion and knowledge. This inside voice approach can be achieved through podcasts. Podcasts enable leaders to speak directly and personally to employees, creating a sense of intimacy and engagement that mass emails or conference calls cannot match.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Let’s check the numbers. According to a 2018 study by Arthur J. Gallagher and Company, 60% of companies lack long-term internal communication strategies. Workforce wrote that poor internal communication can result in seriously negative impacts on a company, such as poor morale, high employee turnover, and lower productivity. These issues can lead to lasting effects on a company’s bottom line.

The statistics provided are compelling and support the argument for effective internal communication. Effective communication strategies not only improve employee engagement but also have tangible financial benefits. According to a report by Willis Tower Watson, companies with effective communication strategies see shareholder returns 47% higher than those with poorer communication. This clearly shows the financial benefits of good internal communication.

Financial Benefits of Good Internal Communication

Does a strategic internal communication plan actually make you money? A report by Willis Tower Watson states that companies with effective communication strategies see shareholder returns 47% higher than those with poorer communication. This clearly shows the financial benefits of good internal communication.

The financial data strengthens the argument. It’s persuasive and relevant. Effective internal communication isn’t just about keeping employees informed; it’s about driving the overall success and profitability of the company.

How You Say It Matters

How you communicate with employees matters significantly. A 2019 Gartner survey showed that the most important driver of worker performance is understanding how their work relates to the company’s strategic goals. More than 60% of senior executives believe their company struggles with moving from strategy creation to day-to-day implementation. When culture is created and implemented uniformly across a company, ensuring employees feel connected, the organization feels more stabilized during changes.

The manner in which you communicate can make a substantial difference in how the message is received and acted upon. Podcasts provide a unique opportunity to create a personal, engaging, and clear communication channel that can help bridge the gap between strategy and implementation.

Lessons from Industry Leaders

Executives from Meredith, a major magazine publisher, emphasized that their communication mission is to help employees understand key issues so they see how their jobs contribute to the organization’s success. This highlights the importance of effective communication.

The example from Meredith adds credibility but could be expanded to include more specific examples of how they use internal communication. By sharing specific stories or strategies, readers can better understand how to apply these lessons in their own organizations.

For example, Meredith could share how they use podcasts to keep employees informed about editorial changes or new initiatives, ensuring that everyone feels involved and understands their role in the company’s success.

Adapting to Generational Communication Styles

Given the prevalence of social media use among those under 40, it’s crucial to use similar communication channels within an organization. Younger generations communicate differently, and it’s essential to adapt communication methods to align with their preferences.

Podcasts are a natural example of a communication method that appeals to younger generations while being adopted by older ones. Internally deployed audio content, resembling podcast episodes, is cost-efficient to produce and allows leadership to provide messages from anywhere. This method keeps the tone and context consistent across departments and locations, connecting to every employee, partner, investor, and vendor. The content can be consumed at one’s own pace and is repeatable. It can be measured for engagement and comprehension and doesn’t always take workers away from their tasks.

The Rise of Podcasts as a Communication Tool

Customized versions can be created easily, and audio can be updated quickly. This method keeps the tone and context consistent across departments and locations, connecting to every employee, partner, investor, and vendor. The content can be consumed at one’s own pace and is repeatable. It can be measured for engagement and comprehension and doesn’t always take workers away from their tasks.

Podcasts offer a flexible, engaging way to communicate with employees, ensuring that messages are delivered in a consistent and personal manner. The benefits of podcasts are clearly outlined. The argument is compelling and well-supported by data.

Practical Benefits of Podcasts

More than 50% of U.S. homes are podcast fans, and nearly a quarter of Americans listen to podcasts weekly. Communicating with employees, partners, investors, and customers in a format they already consume is effective. Podcasts provide an intimate, one-on-one experience, making the listener feel part of the conversation.

By adopting podcasts as a communication tool, companies can ensure that their messages are engaging, accessible, and impactful. The statistics on podcast consumption are relevant and persuasive, highlighting the growing popularity and effectiveness of this medium.

Reaching Your Audience Where They Are

The case is clear. Everyone associated with your company is waiting to hear from you. It’s time to use your inside voice. By adopting podcasts as a key component of your internal communication strategy, you can ensure that your messages are heard, understood, and acted upon. This will not only improve employee engagement and morale but also drive the overall success and profitability of your company.