What is internal comms vs employee engagement?

Internal comms and employee engagement are often mentioned together, but they serve different purposes. Internal comms focuses on sharing information and keeping employees informed, while employee engagement is about how motivated and connected they feel to their work. Although distinct, the two are closely linked—strong communication helps drive engagement, and engaged employees are more likely to engage with company communications. Many internal comms professionals find themselves responsible for engagement initiatives because of this connection. Understanding the differences, as well as how they complement each other, is key to creating a more connected and motivated workforce.

Understanding internal communications

Internal communications (often shortened to internal comms) is how organisations share information with employees. It covers everything from company-wide updates to leadership messaging, team collaboration, and day-to-day operational communications. The goal is to ensure employees are well-informed, aligned with business objectives, and feel connected to the organisation.

Internal comms can take many forms, including emails, newsletters, intranet updates, employee apps, town halls, and digital signage. While the channels may differ, the underlying purpose remains the same—ensuring employees receive the right information at the right time.

Understanding employee engagement

Employee engagement, on the other hand, is about how committed, motivated, and connected employees feel to their organisation. It’s not just about job satisfaction but a deeper emotional connection that drives employees to go above and beyond in their roles.

Engagement is shaped by many factors, including leadership, workplace culture, recognition, career development, and communication. Employees who are engaged are more productive, contribute positively to the company culture, and are more likely to stay with the organisation long term.

How internal comms and employee engagement are connected

Although internal comms and employee engagement are distinct, they are deeply connected. Communication is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement. When employees understand company goals, feel informed about what’s happening, and have opportunities to share their voices, they are more likely to feel engaged.

Strong internal comms help to:

• Build trust between employees and leadership through transparent updates

• Make employees feel valued by recognising their contributions

• Foster a sense of belonging by keeping teams connected

• Reduce uncertainty by providing clarity around company direction and changes

• Create opportunities for two-way dialogue so employees feel heard

However, communication alone doesn’t guarantee engagement. If employees don’t feel recognised, have no career development opportunities, or experience a toxic workplace culture, no amount of well-crafted internal messaging will make them engaged.

Why do so many internal comms roles include employee engagement?

In many organisations, internal comms teams are given responsibility for employee engagement initiatives as well. This is because communication plays such a significant role in shaping engagement levels. When companies introduce engagement programmes—whether it’s a new recognition scheme, wellbeing initiative, or leadership development programme—internal comms is responsible for ensuring employees know about it, understand its value, and get involved.

It’s also a matter of organisational structure. In some companies, internal comms sits within HR, where engagement also lives. In others, engagement might be a business-wide initiative with internal comms playing a key role in its execution.

Many internal comms professionals find themselves taking on engagement responsibilities because they’re best placed to understand how employees feel. They have access to employee feedback from surveys, engagement metrics from communication platforms, and insights from conversations across the business. This makes them valuable in shaping not just how engagement initiatives are communicated, but also how they are designed.

Common challenges when balancing internal comms and employee engagement

Managing both internal comms and engagement can be challenging. One of the biggest issues is ensuring communication remains meaningful rather than just another corporate broadcast. Employees don’t engage with updates that feel one-sided or irrelevant to their work.

Another challenge is information overload. Employees are often bombarded with messages, policies, and updates, which can lead to disengagement rather than connection. Finding the right balance—communicating enough to keep employees informed but not so much that they feel overwhelmed—is key.

It can also be difficult to measure the impact of internal comms on engagement. While engagement surveys provide some insights, it’s not always clear whether improved scores are a direct result of better communication or other factors like leadership changes, team culture, or external circumstances.

What does this mean for frontline teams?

For organisations with frontline employees—such as retail, healthcare, or customer service teams—internal comms is often the primary link between staff and the wider business. Many frontline employees don’t have access to company email or intranet, making it harder to keep them engaged.

This means businesses need to think carefully about how they communicate. Mobile-first solutions, real-time updates, and clear, concise messaging are essential for keeping frontline employees informed and engaged. Without effective communication, frontline teams can feel disconnected, which ultimately affects their engagement and performance.

FAQs

Can you have internal comms without employee engagement?

Yes, but it’s not ideal. You can have strong communication without employees feeling engaged. However, engagement is difficult to achieve without good communication. Employees need to feel informed, heard, and connected to be truly engaged.

Why do HR and internal comms teams often work together?

HR focuses on policies, culture, and people-related initiatives, while internal comms ensures those messages are communicated effectively. Because of this overlap, internal comms teams often collaborate closely with HR or even sit within the HR function.

What are some signs that internal comms isn’t working?

If employees feel out of the loop, disengaged, or frustrated by inconsistent messaging, it’s a sign that internal comms needs improvement. A lack of two-way communication, low engagement with company updates, and frequent misunderstandings about business changes can also indicate issues.

More info about internal comms vs employee engagement

For more on internal comms best practices, take a look at this blog post on what makes a good internal comms strategy​.