How Internal Communication Has Changed - And What It Still Needs

Internal communication used to be simple.

Get the message out. Tell people what’s happening. Print the memo. Book the meeting. Send the email.

Now it’s a bit more complicated.

We’ve got more channels than ever, more tools, more updates, more noise. We’ve got teams spread across time zones, managers unsure what to say, and a workforce that’s both more connected and more overwhelmed than it’s ever been.

The evolution of internal comms hasn’t just been about technology. It’s been about trust, timing, tone and attention — and what happens when those things get stretched.

From message delivery to meaning-making

The job is no longer about pushing messages out. It’s about helping people make sense of what’s coming at them.

That shift is easy to miss if you’re still being asked to “do a comms plan” or “launch a campaign.” But it matters. Because without someone focused on clarity — not just content — the gaps get wider. Mistrust grows. Engagement falls.

And even good leaders end up sounding like scripts.

This is where outside help comes in

I don’t think every business needs an internal comms agency. But I do think most could use a thinking partner.

Someone to help slow the pace down long enough to ask,

“What are we really trying to say?”

“Who needs to hear it — and how?”

“What do we hope happens after this goes out?”

Not because internal teams can’t do this. They can. They do. But often, they’re firefighting. Or they’re too close to the message. Or they’re working in a system where comms has been reduced to tone-checking and sending things on time.

When that happens, bringing someone in gives you space. Perspective. Breathing room. And sometimes just enough distance to be honest about what’s really needed.

What’s changing now

Internal comms isn’t about newsletters anymore. It’s about:

• Helping leaders speak like humans

• Making sure change doesn’t land like a surprise

• Building consistency in tone and truth

• Reducing confusion, not just creating content

• Supporting people through complexity with clarity

It’s also about knowing what not to say. Or when not to say it yet. Or how to say something hard without sounding like you’re hoping no one reads it.

That’s where strategy meets empathy. That’s what most comms teams are quietly doing well. And it’s what more leadership teams are slowly starting to value — if they see it done well.

Where I can help

I don’t run an agency. I’m not selling a platform. I work with people who care about how their organisations feel on the inside — and who want to make it better.

Sometimes that means writing. Sometimes it’s coaching. Sometimes it’s sitting quietly in a room and helping someone finally put words to what’s been stuck in their head.

Good comms doesn’t need noise. It needs clarity.

And clarity is a leadership act.

If that’s what you’re looking for, I can help.