Latest news with #internalcommunication
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How To Align Internal And External Messaging During Big Company Changes
Whether it's a rebrand, a restructure or a crisis, internal communication can't be an afterthought when you're navigating a big company change. Your employees need clarity before your customers do, and they need to trust that what they're hearing internally lines up with what's being said publicly. Achieving this alignment takes planning, cross-functional coordination and a careful understanding of your people. To help, 20 Forbes Communications Council members explore how internal comms professionals can keep their messaging tightly connected to the company's external-facing messaging, even when the ground is shifting. 1. Align The Interests Of Employees And Customers A clear brand purpose that aligns the interests of employees and customers is the cornerstone, of course. In moments of change, internal communications must be proactive and embedded in the rhythm of change, which means you structure for strategic sensing and orchestrate the delivery of clear signals. Interdependence and transparency between People and MarCom leadership are indispensable. - Caroline Kennedy, Material 2. Craft One Core Narrative With Flexible Delivery Effective alignment starts with a clear core narrative, tailored by audience but grounded in one strategic truth. Internally, I brief leaders early, arm them with FAQs and reinforce the message via written comms, town halls and small group sessions. Externally, I ensure the same core story flows through PR, customer and partner channels. - Meghan Keough, C1 (formerly ConvergeOne) Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify? 3. Assign Clear Ownership To Ensure Message Integrity Ownership of the narrative and message is key. The owner of the message has the responsibility to get appropriate input—and debate, when needed—from key stakeholders. Once the message (and, potentially, tone) is agreed upon, one person or team should be responsible for the execution, including serving as spokesperson when required. - Odette Maher, Symphony 4. Prioritize Consistency Across Channels For internal and external messaging alignment, I always prioritize clear, consistent communication from leadership. It's important that the message being told to the public mirrors and doesn't differ from that being told to employees. Companies should utilize town halls, internal newsletters and direct manager briefings to ensure all employees understand key messages and the strategic direction. - Nandini Sankara, Suburban Propane 5. Reinforce Key Messages Through Repetition Consistency and repetition are key. Clear internal communication builds alignment and makes external messaging more effective, especially during change. Do not hesitate to repeat core messages; reinforcement builds understanding and trust across teams and stakeholders. Internal clarity is the foundation for external confidence. - Suneeta Motala, Stewards Investment Capital 6. Anchor Messaging In Shared Values Aligning with the value systems of the comms plan is critical. What do we stand for, how will we consistently show up and what is our point of difference? Unification around these principles ensures that we don't waver during volatile times. - Melissa Sierra, USIM 7. Design A Flexible Framework For Audience-Specific Delivery The messaging should naturally align, even if the delivery and formatting may differ. There should be a macroscopic framework that has the key messages you want to deliver to all stakeholders. That framework should be tailored to different audiences to ensure maximum impact, but the overall message you are aiming to project will remain consistent. - Andrew Frank, KARV 8. Foster Alignment Through Listening And Purpose I focus on clarity and shared purpose. By listening to internal teams and making space for their questions, we build trust. That alignment naturally reflects in how we communicate externally, especially when things are shifting. - Barbara Puszkiewicz-Cimino, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt 9. Inform Employees First To Empower Authentic Advocacy I always start with employees. They should hear news from us first, not the outside world. I keep messages clear and consistent but then tailor the details for each audience. I also listen—staff questions often help shape better external messaging. When your team's on board, they're your best spokespeople. - Luciana Cemerka, TP 10. Start With Honesty Most brands treat internal and external comms like two scripts, but they should be mirrors. During change, employees sense spin faster than consumers. If they don't believe the story, they won't carry it. True alignment happens when internal truth becomes external tone. Don't start with alignment; start with honesty. - Cade Collister, Metova 11. Activate Brand Alignment From The Inside Out Align internal and external messaging by activating the brand from the inside out. Our team ensures all employees understand the 'why' behind changes, reinforcing key messages through branded tools, leadership alignment and clear, consistent communication so the experience is unified, regardless of audience. - Mike Neumeier, Arketi Group 12. Coordinate Leadership And Marketing For Unified Messaging It's really just about maintaining effective communication and coordination between the marketing team and company leadership. As long as those are aligned, internal and external messaging should be in sync. - Tom Wozniak, OPTIZMO Technologies, LLC 13. Link Internal Buy-In With External Visibility Connect messaging from the inside out and outside in. In moments of change, like a brand refresh, consistency and repetition are key. Help employees understand the 'why' behind shifts and new language, reinforce it externally and connect the dots. Leverage LinkedIn posts to energize internal teams and spotlight them publicly. That duality builds alignment and momentum around shared goals. - Alyssa Kopelman, Otsuka Precision Health 14. Establish A Message House Before Going Public Establish a unified message house and ensure cross-functional leadership alignment before any external announcement. This means involving key internal stakeholders from the outset. Once the external message is finalized, it becomes the bedrock for all internal communications. We also provide internal teams with clear talking points to prevent mixed messages. - Patrick Ward, NanoGlobals 15. Deliver A Unified Narrative With Contextual Clarity I create unified narratives serving both audiences. During Western Digital's merger, employees heard the same vision as external stakeholders, just with internal context. The key is transparency within legal limits and explaining the 'why' behind the 'why.' Employees become authentic advocates when they understand and can articulate our story first. - JoAnn Yamani, Future 500 16. Close The Gap Between Internal Insight And External Story Say it early, say it clearly and say it the same way inside and out. In moments of change, I try to remove the gap between what the team knows and what the world hears. So I share the "why" behind decisions, not just the 'what.' And I make space for questions and feedback before the message hits the public. When my team feels respected and informed, they carry the message forward with clarity and conviction. - Aditi Sinha, Point of View Label 17. Conduct Prelaunch Workshops To Align Messaging Early Before rolling out any major changes externally, I organize prelaunch workshops with key internal stakeholders. These workshops are designed to clarify the core messaging, its objectives and the anticipated impact. By aligning everyone on the same page from the start, we ensure that internal communication mirrors the external message, making the transition smoother and more consistent. - Lauren Parr, RepuGen 18. Cascade Clear Messaging With Strategic Timing I align cross-functional leaders on the 'why,' then cascade the message internally with clarity and context. When employees feel informed and connected, alignment becomes visible across the organization. Internal messaging sets the tone, so I build rollouts prioritizing timing, trust and consistency across audiences. - Sarah Chambers, SC Strategic Communications 19. Lead With Transparency To Build Internal Credibility I lead with transparency, sharing the real story behind the change, not just the polished version. Internal alignment starts with honesty. When your team feels respected and in the loop, they become your best ambassadors, making it easier for external messaging to land with integrity. - Cody Gillund, Grounded Growth Studio 20. Anchor All Comms To A Shared Strategic Narrative Consistency and congruency are fundamental. I ensure alignment by anchoring all communications, internal and external, to a unified strategic narrative, owned and reinforced by leadership. During change, precision matters. Language must be clear, timing deliberate and tone calibrated. Employee conviction is the foundation of external credibility. - Marie O'Riordan
Globe and Mail
09-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
AgilityPortal Recognized as a Leading SharePoint Alternative for Internal Communication and Collaboration in 2025
London, UK - AgilityPortal, a modern all-in-one internal communication software and digital workplace platform, has been officially recognized by industry analysts as one of the top SharePoint alternatives for 2025. This recognition highlights AgilityPortal's growing impact on how organizations streamline communication, centralize knowledge, and empower hybrid and deskless teams. In an era where businesses are moving away from complex, legacy systems like SharePoint, AgilityPortal offers a simpler, faster, and more engaging solution—purpose-built for the modern workforce. Designed to unify project management, team chat, document sharing, and employee engagement in one intuitive platform, AgilityPortal helps companies cut through app overload and enhance internal collaboration from day one. 'Being named a top alternative to SharePoint is a major milestone,' said Jessica Jones Director at AgilityPortal. 'Our goal has always been to build an internal communication tool that's not only powerful but actually enjoyable to use—whether you're in the office, working remotely, or out in the field.' Why Organizations Are Choosing AgilityPortal Over SharePoint: Faster deployment with no technical overhead Built-in communication tools like chat, video huddles, and announcements Centralized document collaboration and management with role-based access Mobile-first design for remote and deskless workers Customizable dashboards for departments, teams, and projects AgilityPortal is already in use across multiple industries, including healthcare, education, and manufacturing—helping companies create a more connected and collaborative workplace. About AgilityPortal AgilityPortal is a modern internal communication and collaboration platform that enables organizations to connect, inform, and engage their workforce through a unified digital workspace. It's designed for growing teams that need better tools without the complexity of traditional systems. Try AgilityPortal free for 14 days – no credit card required. Visit to learn more. For more details, contact: Jessica Jones Marketing & PR, AgilityPortal PR@ 20-22 Wenlock Rd, London N1 7GU Phone: 020 3239 0240 Media Contact Company Name: Agility Online, Ltd Contact Person: Jessica Jones Email: Send Email Phone: 020 3239 0240 City: London Country: United Kingdom Website:
Fast Company
12-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
From messengers to meaning makers: 4 ways to transform middle managers into comms superstars
In today's always-on work environment, clear internal communication isn't a nice-to-have—it's a business imperative. Yet many organizations overlook the people most responsible for making it happen. Middle managers sit at the intersection of leadership and the front line, tasked with translating strategy into action. When they're equipped to deliver messages with clarity, context, and confidence, they can turn communication into a powerful driver of alignment, engagement, and trust. Many companies are finding that today's hybrid environments are not ideal for traditional cascade communication models, in which information flows top-down from leadership to managers to frontline employees. Today's employees are working across multiple time zones and using countless digital communication channels, resulting in more opportunities for message dilution, distortion, and deprioritization. According to Gallup, 74% of employees feel they're missing out on company news because the company's internal communication is not effective. And the impact of poor communication is costly. An Economist survey found that communication barriers in the workplace can lead to project delays or failures (44%), low morale (31%), missed performance goals (25%), and lost sales (18%). Caught in the 'middle' of today's challenges are middle managers, who are expected to bridge the communications gap between leadership and frontline workers while also managing both in-office and remote teams. The result? Messaging fatigue, professional burnout, and a perhaps unfair reputation as less-than-stellar communicators. In fact, 47% of internal communications specialists call out poor middle manager communication skills as a main barrier to success. And only 56% of employees say they fully trust their line managers as a source of information. Even so, middle managers play a crucial role as primary communicators, with 83% of employees saying that communication with their immediate supervisor is important. This represents a significant opportunity to invest in middle managers as effective communicators who drive employee engagement and connect the dots between high-level strategy and day-to-day realities. The key is offering the right support. 4 WAYS TO EMPOWER MIDDLE MANAGERS AS COMMUNICATORS Here are four ways to empower middle managers to become 'meaning makers' for your organization: 1. Offer Training And Development Opportunities Communication doesn't come naturally to everyone, but it's a skill that can be developed. Support managers by offering different types of communications training, like workshops on effective messaging, courses on strategic planning, and guidance on how to tailor information to different audiences. By investing in their development, organizations can empower middle managers to be not only better communicators, but better leaders overall. One training success story is Cleveland Clinic, which faced a growing internal communications gap as it expanded to over 70,000 caregivers. As a solution, the clinic launched communication workshops, training managers to become message drivers, not just administrators. Managers learned skills like active listening, emotional intelligence, and message framing—including how to translate top-level strategy into day-to-day relevance for clinical staff. The model helped lead to a 33% increase in managers' confidence in their comms role and a 15% boost in team engagement. 2. Provide Clear Direction And Helpful Assets A study by Gallup reveals that only 30% of middle managers strongly agree that they understand what's expected of them at work. To be strong communicators, managers need to understand the full context and goals of communication efforts. Leaders can help by providing managers with messaging briefs and clear talking points for all comms efforts. Consider preparing a toolkit with assets they can leverage for their teams, including emails, social media posts, videos, FAQs, and more. In the case of Cleveland Clinic, middle managers received manager briefing templates aligned with organizational priorities, allowing messages to be shared consistently and concisely across teams. 3. Equip Them With The Right Tools And Technology Empowering middle managers with the latest comms technology can pay huge dividends. Many of today's platforms offer analytics dashboards with open/read rates, allowing managers to understand what's resonating with their team and what needs adjustment. There are tools that allow managers to share upwards feedback, push out real-time updates, conduct surveys, and more. For Unilever, investing in digital enablement paid huge dividends. Their internal communications process was slow, top-down, and overly formal—causing a disconnect between leadership and frontline teams. To solve this, they rolled out 'Unilever Connect,' a mobile-first internal comms platform where managers could share updates and celebrate wins, and employees could react, comment, and post updates. The platform included internal manager forums with best practices on communication techniques, tone, storytelling, and listening strategies—helping managers to find their authentic leadership voice. As a result, employee communications engagement rose 19%, and manager confidence in communicating strategy increased by 37%. 4. Create A Two-Way Feedback Loop Consider setting up regular check-ins with managers to talk openly about your company's comms efforts. By holding one-on-one meetings you can share context, close communication gaps, catch issues early, and shed light on your project's goals. You should also encourage managers to seek out feedback from their teams—a task that can be made easier by using modern comms platforms like the one embraced by Unilever. These types of tools make it easier for managers to curate team insights and deliver a 'boots on the ground' perspective to executives. Middle managers can be more than messengers—they can be meaning makers. With the right tools, training, and support, they can connect the dots between big-picture strategy and day-to-day work, turning communication into a catalyst for clarity, culture, and performance. When you invest in their ability to lead through communication, you're not just supporting them—you're unlocking a critical lever for company-wide success.
