In recent years, the way in which companies communicate has changed fundamentally. One of the major trends here is that the boundary between internal and external communication is becoming increasingly blurred. Whereas there used to be a clear distinction between internal communication with employees and external communication with customers, partners and the public, these areas are now increasingly intertwined. In some companies, they have even been merged organisationally (see here). But why is this the case and what impact does this trend have on companies and in particular on those responsible for internal communication?

Why are internal and external communication merging?

There are various factors driving this development:

  1. Digitalisation and social media: Digitalisation has revolutionised the way we all communicate. Platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and company blogs are breaking down the walls between internal and external information. Employees are increasingly sharing company content on social media, whether consciously or unconsciously. This means that information that was previously only accessible internally is now also visible externally.
  2. Content is king: Content is playing an increasingly important role in external communication. In the past, marketing lived primarily from advertising content such as TV adverts or print ads. Social media has changed this and the boundaries between advertising and editorial content are often blurred.
  3. Transparency and authenticity: Companies today are under pressure to communicate authentically and transparently – both internally and externally. Customers and stakeholders demand the same openness and clarity that employees expect. A coherent message and attitude in both communication channels strengthens trust in the brand and in the company. This means that it is also becoming increasingly important for internal and external communication to be closely coordinated.
  4. Corporate culture and employer branding: A company’s culture is an important differentiating factor – and it is visible both internally and externally. Employees are brand ambassadors who embody the corporate values and culture and also convey these in external communication. Employer branding, i.e. the image of a company as an employer, is therefore closely linked to internal communication, because the authentic external perception is increasingly characterised by the experiences of employees.
  5. The mobility and flexibility of work: Remote working and increasing flexibility mean that employees no longer only work within fixed structures. The boundaries between private and professional communication are becoming blurred, as are those between internal and external communication. This development requires harmonised communication that works flexibly regardless of location.

What does this mean for companies and those responsible for internal communication?

The merging of internal and external communication brings opportunities, but also challenges. Those responsible for internal communication must find new ways to actively shape these developments.

  1. Develop standardised messages: The most important task is to develop a standardised communication strategy. The content of information that goes out to the outside world should match that which is disseminated internally. This is not just about pure information, but also about conveying values and culture.
  2. Utilisation of external content: Marketing content should be used in internal communications to connect employees more closely with the brand and company goals. Creative and inspiring content increases engagement and promotes a shared understanding of the company’s vision and values. Many employees would otherwise not even realise how and where the company communicates externally. The number of channels on which this happens today is simply unmanageable.
  3. Promote employees as brand ambassadors: Employees are playing an increasingly important role in external communication. They not only communicate about the company in a professional context, but also in their private lives. Companies should therefore support and train their employees in how they can act as ambassadors for the company without coming into conflict. This is where internal communication can generate real added value for marketing.
  4. Increased cooperation with PR and marketing: The boundaries between internal and external communication are becoming blurred not only in terms of content, but also structurally. Those responsible for internal communication must work more closely than ever before with PR, marketing and other external communication areas to ensure consistent messages.
  5. Embrace transparency and openness: Transparent communication is not a one-way street. Companies must be prepared to communicate openly – both internally and externally. This means that internal challenges and successes as well as external feedback and requirements should be integrated into the internal communication flow.
  6. Rethinking crisis communication: In times of crisis, it is particularly important that internal and external communication are seamlessly interlinked. Information that is released externally must also be made available to employees immediately in order to avoid uncertainty and rumours.

How tchop helps

This development fits perfectly with the way we think and how our platform was developed. Aggregating and curating digital content is one of our major USPs – regardless of whether we are talking about our own press releases or advertising formats. There is often already enough relevant, interesting content in the company. It just needs to be bundled simply and efficiently into a single offering. An employee app or even a frontdoor intranet can and should show employees both: what is happening in external communication (e.g. also what is happening at competitors or in the market) and how this fits in with internal messages and goals. Ideally, there is a large overlap here.

A special case here is content from social media, which can be easily synchronised, adopted and refined fully automatically. This means that even small teams can manage the use of external communication content in internal apps in no time at all.

Conclusion

The merging of internal and external communication is a natural consequence of digitalisation, growing transparency requirements and the flexible working world. For companies and communication managers, this means greater networking of communication channels and the need to develop clear, standardised messages. Those who understand and actively shape this trend can benefit from the resulting synergies and strengthen both the internal sense of togetherness and external perception. Transparency, authenticity and close co-operation between communication departments are the key to success.

Last Update: October 4, 2024