Internal communication during a crisis

Internal corporate communication is in crisis, with large sections of the workforce seeing significant shortcomings – at least in the US. This is shown by a new study conducted by the Center for Public Relations (USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles) in collaboration with the software company Staffbase (Chemnitz). The study surveyed not only around 1,000 employees, but also around 20 chief communication officers (CCOs) from leading US companies. According to the study, poor internal communication is one of the reasons why 61% of employees are considering changing jobs. 26% even cite this issue as the main reason for their potential resignation. The study further breaks down the core problem: 71% of all respondents are dissatisfied with the quality and quantity of information they receive in terms of internal communication. 40% of those dissatisfied also state that they are not familiar with their company's goals and vision. In contrast, the value of effective internal communication is also evident: 81% of respondents stated that they perceive an increase in productivity as a result – and for employees who are satisfied with internal communication, the risk of resignation decreases by 29%. The study also notes a significant discrepancy between the perceptions of managers and those of employees: Managers tend to emphasize the strategic value of internal communication, while their staff tend to prioritize the quality and content of the information. The lack of knowledge about a company's vision also suggests that previous efforts and approaches at the management level have not been communicated clearly to the workforce, according to one conclusion. The authors of the study also present possible solutions to this problem: From the perspective of the CCOs surveyed in particular, targeted training and the involvement of middle management are key factors in improving the quality of communication. In addition, AI can also play an increasing role in personalizing information: the technological efficiency achieved in this way could enable managers' communication to reach a level of authenticity and trustworthiness that meets the needs of their employees. We were also interested in these topics:

• Works councils: The influence of European works councils is often rather limited in practice. To change this, new reforms are needed at the EU level, argues the Hans Böckler Foundation. In a recent analysis, the foundation also outlines the role that works councils play in the continuing education of employees.

• Overtime: Since the Covid pandemic, the number of overtime hours worked by German employees has been steadily declining, most recently by more than a third. This is shown by the latest IAB labor market barometer, which is summarized by the Tagesspiegel.

• AI in the workplace: On the second anniversary of the release of ChatGPT, the bidt has investigated how widespread its use has become in professional and private contexts.

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