IC Teams ‘Setting Themselves up for Failure’, According to Report
Internal Communications (IC) teams are reportedly failing to develop robust communication strategies, which is detrimental to the function’s reputation. A survey of over 500 IC professionals highlights significant gaps in strategic planning within the industry.
Survey Findings on IC Strategy
The fifth annual internal communications market survey, ‘Inside Insight’, conducted by VMA GROUP, reveals that over one-third of IC professionals do not have a strategy in place. Among those who do, few review it regularly, with only 25% doing so annually and 24% on an ad hoc basis.
Andrew Harvey, Director of Internal Communications Practice at VMA GROUP, comments on the findings: “By failing to develop and regularly review a strategy, these teams are essentially setting themselves up to fail. Without a strong internal communications plan aligned to business goals, it will be impossible for professionals to demonstrate to the board the real value of their work.”
Challenges and Recommendations
Drew McMillan, Head of Internal Communications & Innovation at Virgin Trains, shares insights from the survey: “There’s a common complaint amongst IC professionals that we are not taken as seriously as some other enabling functions in our organisation. Why should we be if we don’t apply the most fundamental management principles to our work?”
He continues, “Perhaps we feel that ‘strategy’ is a dirty word, perhaps we are a little scared of planning and governance, or perhaps we don’t want to think that the rules apply to us. But for the profession to flourish and deliver real, sustained value to our organisation, we must get the basics right.”
McMillan emphasizes that a strategy should not be a “dusty tome left on a shelf” but rather a “living, breathing, and (at best) a very simple roadmap aligned to the ‘parent’ strategy of the organisation.” He concludes, “Get it right and both you and your stakeholders will see the benefits.”
For more insights, read the original article and explore the latest (2018) Inside Insight Report.
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