Think internal communications is a “soft” investment? Think again.

Businesses everywhere make regular investments in hard assets. It could be corporate office space, manufacturing equipment, research and development tools, security infrastructure, etc. All of these things are tangible and have direct ties to your bottom line.

It’s time we start thinking of internal communications the same way.

Don’t believe me? Check out this eye-opening recent finding from Gallup: Employee engagement has stagnated in the United States. Per the report:

“In 2023, employees in the U.S. continued to feel more detached from their employers, with less clear expectations, lower levels of satisfaction with their organization, and less connection to its mission or purpose, than they did four years ago. They are also less likely to feel someone at work cares about them as a person.”

The rub? Neutral or actively disengaged employees can be directly tied to about $1.9 trillion in lost productivity nationally.

Gallup cites a few key reasons for stagnating engagement. Some of the biggest ones include a decline in role clarity, a lack of clear expectations and a detachment from the company’s mission and purpose.

You might have already guessed where I’m going with this. From defining roles to including team members in their career planning, better internal communications are at the root of better engagement.

The data supports this theory, and it cuts a few different ways. Research has shown that communication effectiveness has been one of the leading indicators of an organization’s financial performance. And it’s not just formal communications programs and strategies—individuals’ “soft” skill sets are important here, too, leading to both qualitative and quantitative benefits for your organization.

The bottom line is that employee engagement—and business performance—is directly tied to strong, intentional and strategic internal communications efforts.

QuestionMark_Icon How do your maintenance teams stay informed of your organizational priorities? What’s more—do they care? Why should they?

QuestionMark_Icon How in touch are your procurement teams with your production managers? Are their needs in sync? If not, what are the consequences?

QuestionMark_Icon Are your marketing and sales teams aligned? Are they operating with mutual—or separate—intentions and goals? What’s stopping them from operating in lockstep?

You might not have immediate answers to these questions. But finding them is important. And that’s where strong investment in internal communications can make a real impact that you can measure.

For manufacturers, shop floor workers across all functions are better able to reach a common goal when they’re clear on what that goal is. The same is true for your white-collar functions keeping up with orders and sourcing critical raw materials. Sales and marketing teams working in a complementary fashion will deliver better results than when they inadvertently work against each other.

So why not invest in internal communications? Whether it’s robust internal email efforts, hands-on printed materials, regular all-hands meetings or something more out-of-the-box, there are real and tangible initiatives that can make a big difference in your organization. Put simply, you can’t afford to let your teams stay disconnected.

Unsure where to get started? We can help. Akhia has decades of experience connecting teams, linking missions and connecting strategies toward common goals. No matter the media, no matter the message, we can help you unite the entirety of your organization toward collective success. Get in touch to learn more.