From Gut Feeling to Data-Driven: A New Approach to Measuring Internal Communications
Internal communications professionals often rely on intuition and surface-level metrics like open rates and click-through rates to assess the effectiveness of their work. However, these traditional indicators provide an incomplete picture, failing to demonstrate the true impact of internal communications on business outcomes. To secure leadership buy-in and drive meaningful organisational change, communicators must shift to a data-driven approach that connects their efforts to measurable business value.
This article explores the shortcomings of conventional internal comms metrics, presents a strategic framework for measurement, and provides actionable steps to prove the real impact of internal communications on employee engagement, retention, and productivity.
The Problem with Traditional Metrics
Many organisations still assess internal communication effectiveness through open rates and click-through rates. While these figures may indicate initial interest, they don’t answer the most critical question: Did the message truly land?
Without understanding comprehension, behavioural change, or alignment with business objectives, these metrics can create a misleading picture of communication effectiveness.
A study by Kong, Zhu, and Konstan (2020) found that recipients often open organisational emails out of habit, without engaging meaningfully with the content. This highlights a critical flaw in traditional metrics: they measure interaction, not understanding. An open email does not mean a message was read, let alone acted upon—creating a false sense of success for internal communicators.
Why Traditional Metrics Fall Short
- Engagement Without Insight – An opened email doesn’t mean the message was read, let alone understood or remembered.
- No Connection to Business Impact – Click-through rates may show interest, but they don’t reveal whether employees took meaningful action.
- Lack of Sentiment Analysis – Numbers alone don’t capture how employees feel about a message or whether it fosters trust and alignment with company goals.
Without meaningful data, internal communicators risk being seen as non-essential, leading to underinvestment and a lack of strategic influence. To prove their value, communicators must shift towards a holistic measurement approach—one that tracks comprehension, sentiment, and behavioural change —ensuring that communication efforts drive tangible business outcomes.
Reference: Kong, S., Zhu, H. and Konstan, J.A. (2020) ‘Understanding Email Engagement: Predicting Users’ Read and Response Behaviors in Organizational Emails.’ arXiv. Available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.16508 (Accessed: 5 February 2025).
A Smarter, Data-Driven internal communications Approach
Relying on gut instinct or basic engagement metrics is no longer enough. To prove the impact of internal communication, measurement must be embedded from the start—not treated as an afterthought. By blending qualitative and quantitative data, communicators can move beyond surface-level insights to understand how messages drive engagement, behaviour, and business outcomes.
Key Elements of a Data-Driven internal communications Strategy:
1. Setting Clear Objectives
Success must be defined in measurable terms that align with business priorities. Instead of vague goals like “improve engagement,” communicators should set precise, outcome-driven targets:
Example goals:
- Reduce employee turnover by 10%
- Increase survey response rates by 20%
- Improve productivity by streamlining communication channels
Why it matters:
Clear objectives connect communication efforts to business impact. For instance, organisations with structured communication frameworks have reported a 15% increase in employee engagement (Gallup, 2023).
Reference: Gallup (2023) ‘State of the Global Workplace Report’. Available at: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
2. Moving Beyond Vanity Metrics
To gain real insights, communicators must use a multi-layered measurement approach:
- Sentiment Analysis – AI-powered tools like Microsoft Viva and Glint detect trends in employee feedback and messaging.
- Behavioural Tracking – Monitoring participation in town halls, internal platforms, and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams provides deeper insights into engagement.
- Employee Surveys – Regular pulse surveys capture qualitative feedback and assess message comprehension.
💡 Pro tip: Combining these methods creates a 360-degree view of internal communications effectiveness.
3. Benchmarking Performance
Measuring performance against industry standards provides valuable context and highlights areas for improvement.
The NewZapp Ecosystem provides organisations with internal comms benchmarks, enabling them to compare their performance against sector-wide data.
For example the NewZapp NHS Email Analytics Report, an analysis of over 1,500 internal comms campaigns involving more than 8 million emails sent across NHS Trusts has yielded the following insights:
- Email Open Rates: NHS open rates fluctuate throughout the year, with peaks in March and April and lower engagement in October and November.
- Optimal Sending Times: The most effective time for internal comms emails is between 2 PM and 5 PM, with minimal activity seen between 7 PM and 7 AM.
- Subject Line Effectiveness: Emails with concise, engaging subject lines performed significantly better in open rates.
- Sentiment & Behaviour Analysis: Trends from qualitative feedback indicate that staff engagement increases when messages focus on employee well-being and organisational transparency. Behavioural insights suggest that more interactive formats, such as surveys and town hall invitations, encourage higher participation rates.
By leveraging these benchmarks, NHS communicators can assess their strategies against wider sector data and implement optimisations that enhance employee engagement and communications effectiveness.
Reference: NewZapp (2024) ‘NHS Internal Communications Statistics’. Available at: https://newzapp.co.uk/downloads/nhs-internal-communications-statistics/ (Accessed: 5 February 2025).
4. Adapting to Hybrid and Remote Work
As remote work evolves, new methods are required to assess communication effectiveness.
Key metrics to track:
- Participation in virtual meetings and town halls
- Usage rates of collaboration tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams)
- Sentiment trends in remote work surveys
- Real-world example: Companies using Microsoft Teams analytics have identified engagement gaps in remote employees, allowing them to refine their strategies for better communication.
Best Practices for Measuring Internal Communications
Successful organisations don’t just measure internal communications—they use data to refine their strategies and drive meaningful change. Case studies provide real-world examples of how structured measurement improves trust, engagement, and alignment.
SAP Barcelona Digital Hub: Data-Driven Communication in a Hybrid Workplace
- Challenge: SAP needed to maintain motivation and alignment in a hybrid work environment.
- Solution: By leveraging digital tools like Microsoft Viva, SAP tracked behavioural engagement patterns and sentiment analysis.
- Results:
- 30% improvement in alignment between leadership messaging and employee understanding.
- Data insights allowed SAP to adjust communication strategies in real time, ensuring clarity and engagement.
Reference: Hytonen, E. (2023) ‘The Impact of Internal Communication on Employee Motivation in a Hybrid Workplace: A Case Study of SAP Barcelona Digital Hub’. Theseus.fi. Available at: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/800105/Hytonen_Elina.pdf (Accessed: 5 February 2025).
Proving Value to Leadership
Gaining leadership buy-in requires more than stating the importance of internal communication—it requires hard evidence. Senior leaders prioritise metrics tied to performance, retention, and profitability, so communicators must demonstrate how their work directly impacts these business-critical areas.
Ways to Demonstrate Impact:
1. Boosting Employee Productivity
Clear, well-structured communication reduces misunderstandings and minimises time wasted on unnecessary clarifications.
📌 Example: A global organisation streamlined its internal messaging, reducing meeting times by 30% and significantly improving productivity.
2. Driving Retention & Engagement
Informed employees are more engaged—and far more likely to stay.
📊 Statistic: Companies with strong internal communications experience 4.5x higher employee retention rates (Gallup, 2023).
How to measure:
✅ Track engagement survey results over time.
✅ Analyse exit interviews for communication-related feedback.
3. Measuring Cultural Change & Alignment
Internal comms play a crucial role in embedding company values and driving key initiatives like DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion).
📌 Example: To measure the success of a DEI campaign:
🔹 Track participation in training sessions.
🔹 Conduct pre- and post-initiative sentiment surveys to assess shifts in perception.
Conclusion
The era of relying on gut instinct is over. Internal communicators now have the tools to prove their strategic value and drive meaningful change.
To measure and improve internal communications effectively, focus on three core principles:
- Set Clear Objectives – Define measurable goals aligned with business priorities, such as improving retention or streamlining workflows.
- Use Multi-Metric Measurement – Go beyond clicks and open rates to track sentiment, behavioural engagement, and qualitative feedback.
- Demonstrate Business Impact – Link communication efforts to outcomes leadership cares about, including productivity, retention, and cultural alignment.
By embedding a data-driven internal communications approach, organisations can transform their communications from a support function into a strategic business driver. The result? Stronger employee trust, improved workplace culture, and sustained business success.
Now is the time to act. Evaluate your current measurement approach, identify gaps, and integrate smarter metrics. With the right strategy, internal communicators can shift from being seen as facilitators to key strategic players—delivering measurable value that shapes the organisation’s future.
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