Internal communications

The inside story: a guide to more effective internal communications


The success of any organisation lies with its people, but for local government the need for a motivated, well informed and collaborative workforce is perhaps more important than most. With council employees responsible for delivering so many public services, it is essential that they have access to up-to-date information about their organisation and appreciation for the challenges facing local government. This is so that they can continue to provide the most effective service to residents and stakeholders and support the organisation to achieve its corporate objectives.

While there are many factors that contribute to developing a motivated and engaged workforce, an effective internal communications function is one of the most important. Delivered correctly, internal communications has the ability to inform, engage and inspire your workforce to fulfil your ambitions and overcome your challenges. It has the opportunity to encourage employees from all parts of your organisation to share ideas for continuous improvement and provides a facility for staff from all ranks and roles to learn from each other and celebrate the successes that are happening across your council.

With so many benefits it’s important for councils across the country to make internal communications a key part of their communications planning and delivery. This will not only help to promote the valuable role that staff can play in communicating your messages and ambitions, it will also help to mitigate the risk that employees will miss important information or updates. With many employees also living in the communities their council serves, an effective internal communications approach can also increase your opportunities to directly communicate with residents in your area.

This guide has been developed to support your council to achieve that. From providing assistance with developing an effective internal communication strategy, to advice on engaging hard-to-reach or senior stakeholders, this guide contains our recommendations for getting the most from employee communications. You will also be able to read case studies from councils across the country who are already seeing the difference that more effective internal communications can make to the success of an organisation.