How To Create An Inclusive Internal Communications Strategy

Imagine arriving at the office or logging on remotely and feeling like a valued member of your work community. Every conversation you have, email you receive, or meeting you participate in makes you feel seen, heard, and understood. This is the impact of inclusive internal communication.

Unfortunately, many organizations struggle with their internal comms. They invest in technology, craft elaborate strategies, and host grand launches, but their employees still feel out of the loop. These companies are stuck in a cycle of sending out surface-level messaging that misses the mark and doesn't embrace the individuals that make up the organization.

Our guide outlines 11 steps to build an inclusive internal communications strategy. With expert insights and the latest Nectar data, you’ll quickly learn how to audit your current comms channels and make positive adjustments to bring everyone into the fold. 

Why Do Companies Need To Create An Inclusive Internal Communications Strategy?

An inclusive internal communications strategy makes everyone feel welcome and included by their employer. If a message or piece of content is shared internally, it should resonate with the intended recipient so the communication is clear, thoughtful, and doesn’t alienate anyone. Here’s why this is important: 

Inclusivity fosters a sense of belonging

Inclusive communications are crucial for making employees believe they’re valued and respected, which enhances their sense of belonging within the organization. However, achieving this is challenging for many companies. 

According to Bain's research, fewer than 30% of employees perceive they’re fully included at work. Surprisingly, no single demographic factor clearly identifies who is more likely to feel excluded. For example, only 16% of Asian men report being included compared to 29% of LGBTQ+ women. Surprisingly, even straight white men—who are often perceived as having an easier time at work—report low inclusion rates, with only 24% feeling included.

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Inclusivity strengthens employee engagement 

There's a discernible link between internal communications and employee engagement—Nectar's research of 1,000 full-time workers reveals that 89.7% of people believe regular communication and updates from company leaders positively impacts their engagement. Widening your internal comms net to include all your people will directly boost your workers' engagement along with other crucial side effects like productivity, job satisfaction, and morale. 

Inclusivity supports retention and recruitment 

A culture of inclusivity can attract diverse talent and retain valuable employees who feel supported and respected. Bain’s research highlights that: 

• 65% of people view an inclusive environment as “very important” when looking for a new role 
• Employees experiencing low inclusion are up to 6x more likely to look for new jobs compared to those in similar demographics experiencing high inclusion. 

Inclusivity supports diversity initiatives 

Inclusive internal communications and diversity initiatives are two sides of the same coin. Nectar’s research found that 72% of employees believe that regular communication and updates from company leaders positively affect diversity and inclusion at work. 

Strong messaging from the top of your org chart sets the tone for the rest of the company.  When leadership promotes inclusivity, it creates a culture that embraces all of your people—from every gender, ethnicity, background, rank, and role—and encourages everyone to do the same.  

Inclusivity reduces the potential for misunderstandings 

Conflict and disengagement in the workplace are often the results of miscommunication. One department didn't hear an important update, so misaligned on the latest project, frustrating colleagues in adjacent teams. Similarly, a junior employee is denied a promotion but didn't receive the announcement about the company's new career pathing framework so doesn't understand what they need to do to progress. In both of these situations, inclusive communication would have set better expectations and provided the key information that workers need to succeed. 

11 Ways To Create An Inclusive Internal Comms Strategy

Be intentional about creating a fully inclusive internal communications strategy using the tips below: 

1. Set Inclusive Goals For Your Internal Communications Strategy 

Start by considering the North Star of your strategy—why do you want to focus on inclusivity, what do you want to achieve, and how will you know if you've been successful? To accomplish this, try using the SMART framework to select specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. 

Example: Company X aims to boost employee engagement scores by 25% in the next quarter by increasing its use of communication channels and translating internal newsletter content into Spanish to better serve its Latinx employees. 

2. Know Your Audience 

Every communication you send out should be tailored to your intended recipients in terms of the content, tone, format, and channel you use to convey your message. In large, diverse companies, this may mean you need to tailor your content closely to different teams, branches, or people at certain levels of your org chart. 

We spoke to Dr. Laurie Cure, an executive coach and CEO of Innovative Connections, who explores this ability to customize your communication depending on your audience: 

“There is a great deal in the media about Kamala Harris and her ability to "code-switch." Code-switching, by definition in today’s environment, refers to the practice of alternating between different languages, dialects, or cultural behaviors depending on the context or audience. This can involve changes in speech, behavior, or appearance to fit in or be more effective in a particular environment.

Code-switching can facilitate more effective and inclusive communication and understanding between diverse groups of people by bridging cultural gaps and promoting stronger relationships.”

If code-switching isn't the right approach for your company, a broader strategy would be to use a diverse group of people to scrutinize every piece of communication to ensure it resonates with all employees and doesn't exclude anyone. 

3. Audit Your Communication Channels 

Consider where your employees receive their internal communications, which might include a mix of the following: 

• Emails via desktops, tablets, and smartphones 
• Internal communications software via desktop or mobile apps
• Team meetings in person or via audio calls or video conferencing software 
• Company-wide meetings such as town halls or all-hands gatherings 

Conduct a full audit of your communication channels to see if any employees are being left out, and brainstorm solutions to include everyone. 

Example: If you only use videos or video calls to share important company updates, you could provide closed caption subtitles for employees who are deaf. 

4. Make Accommodations The Norm 

Internal communications teams can make numerous accommodations to ensure every employee receives company messages loud and clear without any extra effort. But proactivity is key here: employees are more likely to feel included if you've anticipated their needs rather than having to nudge you into action. 

Following your audit above, make accommodations the default. Here’s a short checklist you might use: 

• Are your emails formatted for easy reading and navigation on mobile devices? 
• Do you use plain language, avoiding jargon or overly complex terminology that might make it hard to understand your message? 
• Is every video or audio file accompanied by a transcript? 
• Does every physical meeting room have assistive technology like hearing loops (or telecoil systems) or sign language interpreters readily available? 
• Do you submit agendas before each meeting to allow employees to prepare for the discussion regardless of learning style or pace? (This is especially important for neurodiverse individuals.)
• Do you provide alternative options for remote employees or those in different time zones to participate in important meetings? 
• Have you ensured that your website or intranet is accessible to people who use assistive technology, such as screen readers or voice recognition software? 

5. Strip Bias From Your Internal Communications 

188 different cognitive biases exist, and all of them seep into our work environments unconsciously. Examining the language we use is a great way to hold a magnifying glass up to some of these tendencies and understand how our words imply certain beliefs or exclusions. 

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Dr. Laurie Cure reminds us that images also play an important role in how inclusive your communications are: 

“Many organizations have worked to ensure that photos are representative of diverse groups and religions or that the examples provided in training materials include various cultural contexts. This helps build trust and relationships and helps employees feel included, valued, and safe to participate and contribute fully in the organization.” 

6. Ensure Open, Honest Communication Exists 

Real inclusivity depends on building an environment where people can speak openly and honestly in a two-way feedback loop. Jenna Rogers, Founder of Career Civility, describes the importance of HR and leadership being in regular conversation with their workforce rather than being too far removed from the front line. She shared, 

“There is a disconnect between how the larger organization wants to be communicated with and what decision makers think needs to be communicated. Learn to communicate with your employees by having conversations with them. Think of it like sales and marketing—you need to market the services and products to your audience in a language they understand. And do this by being curious and seeking to understand what they need, how they feel valued, and what motivates them. Specifically, ask questions such as: 

• How do you best like to be communicated with?
• What is the best way for us to deliver company news?
• What incentivizes you to come to work every day? .

You'll know you've succeeded in creating an inclusive strategy when your employees comment on the delivery of messages. It’s important to remember that you cannot please everyone, but through feedback surveys, conversations, and overall commentary on the communications of the company, you’ll get a better sense of how your inclusive communication strategies are performing.”

7. Lean On Employee-Led Groups 

Employee resource groups, or affinity groups, are well-placed to support an inclusive communications strategy. They connect with every corner of your organization to understand how well your messages translate to a diverse audience and offer feedback on how comms should be adjusted. 

You can also use these groups as mouthpieces for your comms. Megan Sweeney, Former Senior Advisor for Communications at the Department of Labor, describes how to maximize the value of these groups in achieving inclusivity: 

“Regularly attend any affinity group meetings and listen to what they're feeling or seeing, and include them in the development of messaging whenever possible along with HR. For example, work with them to develop a standard operating procedure for acknowledging cultural holidays and discuss any messaging and graphics regarding important dates or commemorations before you send them out.

Additionally, be deliberate when choosing who to profile on your company's blog, website, or videos. Employees in affinity groups have already shown a willingness to improve the organization. See if any members may be open to writing a blog post or starring in an internal video.”

8. Give Your Employees A Voice 

Part of including your employees in your approach to internal communications is understanding how they currently perceive your messaging. Along with monitoring their preferences, it's also essential to explore whether the content you distribute resonates with them. 

• Do they understand your messages or have they misinterpreted their meaning? 
• Do they feel compelled to take action after receiving your communications?
• Are there any barriers that prevent them from engaging with your comms? 

Dr. Laurie Cure explains the importance of assessing your employee communications:

“If confusion, misunderstanding, errors, or morals are negatively impacted, it can be a clear sign that communication is ineffective. Listening to how your employees perceive your messages will help you evaluate and improve your communications. This can be through anonymous methods, focus groups or surveys, as well as personal conversations.”

9. Gain Executive Buy-In 

Like any other internal initiative, the success of your inclusive internal communications strategy depends on buy-in from the top of your organization, cascading down to every rank and role beneath. You need everyone involved to believe and follow your approach. 

• When buy-in exists: Executives actively support the strategy by promoting inclusivity, allocating resources, and integrating clear policies, leading to consistent and effective implementation. For example, you might see the CEO championing inclusive language in meetings and investing in translation tools. 
• When buy-in is missing: Lack of executive support results in inconsistent practices, such as managers of some departments adopt your inclusive approach while others stick with using outdated language. This results in low employee engagement levels in certain areas. 

10. Document And Communicate Your Policy 

Detail the following in a formal internal communications policy document: 

• The goals of your strategy and how you plan to measure progress toward them
• The range of communication channels you'll use to ensure inclusivity 
• Examples of the type of language to be used and what is considered inappropriate or offensive
• Your approach to translating your communications 
• How and when you’ll review your policy, and who is responsible for this task  

Circulating this policy through various channels, such as employee handbooks, company intranet, and team meetings, reinforces its importance and ensures employees are aware of expectations.

11. Monitor And Adjust Your Inclusive Communications Strategy 

Imagine you’ve rolled out your new policy, you’re a few months down the line, and you want to know if you can call your initiative a success. Cheryl Overton, Chief Experience Officer Cheryl Overton Communications reveals that measuring and evaluating your internal communications is key: 

“Much as we would for external campaigns, internal efforts should be devised with specific goals, benchmarks, and both qualitative and quantitative performance metrics to determine true impact. Of course, measures like diverse hiring, culture shifts, and "best places to work" for inclusive communities are longer-term wins, but charting progress against these goals is possible. Internal communication is more than brochure content. Employees are a critical source of intelligence and evangelism for messaging if leveraged respectfully.”

Ensure Inclusivity With Nectar’s Internal Communications Tool 

Nectar’s new internal communication platform offers multiple features that ensure inclusivity with every message you send out. 

• Multi-channel distribution: Our tool meets your employees wherever they spend their time. By integrating with Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Chat, you can be certain that your team members will access and consume your messaging as part of their daily workflows. Our engineering team plans to add even more third-party integrations in the coming months. 
• Employee lists and segments: Create targeted messaging by segmenting your workers into different lists and sending appropriate content to each. For example, you might create lists based on their department, seniority level, geographic location, or languages spoken. 
• Mobile app: For workers in the field or on the frontline with access to desktops, our mobile app ensures everyone receives timely updates wherever they are. Depending on your plan, we also offer multi-language support in Portuguese, Spanish, and French. 

Ready to update your internal communications and bring them in line with your company’s mission to be inclusive? Book a free Nectar demo today.