Measuring Internal Communication - An Impact Model

One of the best known measurement models for internal communications has to be the employee-customer-profit chain from Sears Roebuck that established a link between employees with the right attitudes to work and the profit the company can expect as a result of engaged consumers. The mechanics of measurement do not lie in the model itself - they reside within the strategic alignment that has been created between the drivers and units of measure that determine satisfaction and management buy-in to commit to the process.

Measurement, therefore, starts at the beginning. It must be incorporated into the strategic outline of the communication plan and benchmarks must be set to ensure that specific goals are achieved. In traditional measurement, only output is calculated through content and processes. In many instances, the efficiency of the communication, or impact, is not addressed. It is well established that communication tiers build on themselves: they start by building awareness; with the hope of gaining understanding; which in turn leads to acceptance and to commitment; and only then, to action - which is the unit of measurement.

The traditional measurement techniques are no longer adequate to prove meaningful return. A more robust model must be adopted that addresses business strategy and its key drivers. It requires alignment between the company's business vision and goals, the business and reputational priorities, and the strategic communication objectives. In other words, aligning the outcome to a tangible business need and measuring cause and effect.

Few would argue that internal communication starts at the top - with the CEO - and is the responsibility of all employees. It is for this reason that when a communications audit is conducted, a heavy score be allocated to management training and buy-in. This is not without reason. With the Sears Roebuck model, the employee-customer-profit chain became a cornerstone of the management decision process - something that required a thorough understanding of the system.

The model further argued that while the processes appeared undemanding from the outside, and a simple communication challenge, the underlying issue was that of trust and of business and economic literacy. It was believed that if the employees did not grasp the purpose of the system, understand it, and have a clear picture of how their own work fits into the model, the processes could not succeed. What this proves is that communication that does not cascade and does not have buy-in from all levels, will not produce a meaningful impact on the business. Communication starts at the top and is championed by management, but if staff do not understand the strategic direction and the behaviours required of them, they will not be able to successfully deliver a quantifiable return.

There would be few who would disagree that internal communication is an essential aspect of organisational development and change. The discipline continues to evolve in a world of new technologies, shifting perceptions, changing workforces and global influences. Management Communication Quarterly reported a study that found a correlation between employees' satisfaction with communication in their organisations and organisational commitment, productivity, job performance, satisfaction, and other significant outcomes. This is further echoed in information published by the Public Relations Society of America, who report that more than 80 percent of employees polled in the US and UK said that employee communication influences their desire to stay with or leave an organisation. Nearly a third said communication was a "big influence" on their decision.

In principle, effective communication is able to facilitate meaningful engagement and build trust. These are critical factors in sustainable organisations, who enhance business performance through engaged staff who influence customers. Establishing whether the mechanisms being used in a particular organisation are working effectively is a critical contributor to this success.