Internal Communication

What is Internal Communication?

Internal communication is the flow of information within a company – between leadership, teams, and employees. It creates orientation, participation, and cohesion and uses channels from the personal conversation to the videocast.

Internal Communication in Detail

Internal communication is aimed at an organization's employees and has several functions: to inform (about goals, decisions, changes), to motivate and retain, to enable participation, and to provide orientation in change or crises. Diverse channels are used – personal conversations, meetings, the intranet, newsletters, employee apps, and increasingly moving-image formats such as videocasts. Good internal communication is not a mere announcement but a dialogue: it listens, takes up feedback, and is credible. It is especially important in change processes and crises, where missing or unclear information quickly leads to uncertainty and rumors. Internal and external communication must also be consistent – employees should not learn important things first from the media. Internal communication thus pays directly into motivation, trust, and corporate culture.

In practice, internal communication decides motivation, trust, and culture – especially in change processes and crises, where missing or unclear information quickly leads to uncertainty and rumors. Dialogue rather than a mere announcement is proven practice: listen, take up feedback, and inform credibly. Diverse channels are used – personal conversations, meetings, the intranet, newsletters, employee apps, and increasingly moving-image formats such as videocasts. A central principle is consistency with external communication: employees should not learn important things first from the media, otherwise trust and credibility suffer. Those who communicate internally in a clear, honest, and timely way create orientation, strengthen loyalty, and turn the workforce into ambassadors of the company.

What is Internal Communication used for?

Internal communication steers the flow of information in the company: it informs, motivates, enables participation, and provides orientation – especially in change and crisis. Through channels from the conversation to the videocast, it creates dialogue rather than a mere announcement.

Internal Communication – Examples in Practice

A management explains a reorganization via a video message to all employees. A team uses the intranet for daily exchange. In a crisis, the company informs the workforce before the media report.

Internal Communication: Key Features at a Glance

• Target group: employees and teams
• Functions: inform, motivate, involve
• Channels: conversation, intranet, newsletter, videocast
• Principle: dialogue rather than a mere announcement
• Especially important: in change and crisis

Related Terms

• Leadership Communication
• Corporate Communications
• Community Management
• Web Meeting (Web Call)
• Webinar

Would you like to communicate effectively internally – for example via videocast? We support you with our Videocast Training.

Internal Communication: Frequently Asked Questions

What is internal communication?

The flow of information within a company – between leadership, teams, and employees – that creates orientation, participation, and cohesion.

Which channels does internal communication use?

Personal conversations, meetings, the intranet, newsletters, employee apps, and increasingly moving-image formats such as videocasts.

Why is internal communication important?

Because it shapes motivation, trust, and culture – and provides orientation in change and crisis. Missing information quickly leads to uncertainty and rumors.

How are internal and external communication connected?

They must be consistent: employees should not learn important things first from the media, otherwise trust and credibility suffer.