Bad news spreads faster than facts – and without strong internal communications, rumours will always win.
Internal communications is often underestimated – until something goes wrong. When employees are unsure of what’s happening, rumours spread, confusion builds and productivity declines. We’ve all seen it: a restructuring email sent at 4:59 p.m. on a Friday, or a policy or process change explained so poorly that it creates more worry than clarity. The result? Frustration, loss of trust, and sometimes public fallout.
Professional internal communications makes all the difference. A clear, thoughtful approach keeps people informed, aligned and engaged. It ensures that staff understand not just the “what” but the “why,” building trust, morale and resilience – especially in tough times.
What often goes unseen is that skilled internal communicators do far more than write emails or build PowerPoint decks. They support leaders with professional messaging, coach junior staff on presentations and business etiquette, and raise the overall standard and effectiveness of communications across the organization.
The results are measurable: stronger engagement, fewer misunderstandings, more effective collaboration, lower turnover, and a culture where people feel informed and respected.
Internal communications isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a core strategic function that strengthens culture and ensures that the team feels valued and heard, and that the knowledge base across the organization is consistent.
During emergencies – whether in housing, health care, public safety or an issue that happens to a private company – the words that leaders choose and how they say them can set the tone for how those impacted feel and respond. Clear, compassionate language can build trust and create calmness – while vague, careless or self-involved wording can fuel fear, anger, uncertainty or speculation.
It’s easy to think that communications is about polishing words until they sound corporate or, worse, “intellectual.” (For the record – we love smart people, but writing to make yourself look intelligent isn’t what smart people do.) The fact is that effective writing isn’t about showing off. It’s about creating a genuine connection with the people reading, viewing or hearing what you have to say. It’s about understanding what they want to hear. It’s a two-way street.
Biotech. Policy. Agtech. The justice system. Policing. Health care. Forestry management. Education. Housing. Emergency management. Life sciences. Travel and tourism. The arts. Federal, provincial and regional governments…
As communications professionals, we do our work in a volatile world. Shifting perceptions, actions and events that are out of our control, and political decisions in Victoria, Ottawa, Washington or beyond, can change public perception in a single headline.