Crucial internal comms trends for 2021 and beyond

Communicators have earned a stronger, more influential voice due to their perseverance and performance during the pandemic.

But how will you keep that momentum going moving forward? Ensuring your priorities correspond with chief business objectives is a great start.

ContactMonkey’s “Report: Global State of Internal Communications 2021” highlights key trends shaping internal communications in 2021. It also illustrates larger business developments that are shaping the post-COVID workplace environment, which, ideally, should mesh with your comms goals. Major findings from the report include:

• Employee experience, remote work, future of work, and diversity & inclusion are the leading trends of 2021. Do you have a plan for addressing each concern?
• Increasing employee satisfaction is the top goal for the majority of internal communicators. With no clear end to the pandemic in sight, how does your company plan to maintain engagement, collaboration and connectivity?
• Effective culture change, reduced attrition, and improved productivity are major drivers of internal communication strategy. Yes, but how do you plan to consistently prove the worth of your work and measure success?

The report also highlights concerns communicators should monitor in 2021 and beyond:

• 68% of internal communicators struggle with low employee responsiveness and feedback. At a time when burnout rates are off the charts, how do you plan to increase employee responsiveness?
• Measurement persists as a pressing challenge for 83% of internal communicators. It’s one thing to know how to measure—it’s quite another to know what’s worth tracking. (Presenting your findings in a persuasive, compelling manner are yet another matter.)
• More than 50% of companies do not have a long-term internal communications strategy, and 42% do not work with a fixed budget. Of course, the pandemic derailed strategies and sent everyone into full-time crisis mode. That doesn’t mean you still can’t cast a long-term vision, however. As for the budget question, why should your team get a bigger slice of the pie? You should be prepared to answer that question in 2021.
• A lack of human interaction was the biggest challenge when it came to shifting to remote work, though just 65% organizations already have an action plan in place for returning to work. Even as the threat of COVID-19 abates, many workers will be hesitant to return to an office. Some will have no desire to return—ever—while others are itching to get back to brick-and-mortar. How will you balance these competing concerns? How will you maintain a consistent, healthy culture amid such a muddled landscape?

2021 will undoubtedly be a pivotal year for communicators, as organizations adapt to shifting COVID-19 guidelines and shape plans to sustain workplace engagement. The big question is: Are you prepared to do your part?

Download ContactMonkey’s free report today to make sure your game plan is on point and in line with crucial trends.