We often talk about how work is changing — new technologies, evolving employee expectations, the shifting nature of the psychological contract. But one shift that’s perhaps been slower to catch up is how we think about internal communication.
When we step outside of work, we’re used to experiences that are intuitive, personalised, and friction-free. From shopping to banking to entertainment, brands invest heavily to ensure every interaction feels simple, relevant, and — let’s be honest — enjoyable.
And yet, too often, employees return to work and find an entirely different world: clunky systems, fragmented channels, overwhelming volumes of information, and messaging that doesn’t feel designed with them in mind. It’s not surprising that engagement with internal communication often struggles as a result.
The gap between expectations and reality
Today’s employees don’t switch off their expectations when they walk through the door (or log in from home). Increasingly, they expect the same quality of experience at work as they do in their personal lives. They want:
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Relevant, timely information — not a flood of generic updates.
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Channels that are easy to navigate — not a maze of disconnected platforms.
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Communication that recognises who they are — their role, location, preferences, and needs.
At its heart, this isn’t about adding more content or more technology. It’s about designing communication with the employee at the centre — and borrowing some of the lessons that consumer brands have already mastered.
Taking inspiration from consumer-grade experiences
When we work with clients on internal communication strategy, we often ask them to put their ’employee-as-customer’ lens on. That means thinking about:
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Audience segmentation: Not all employees need the same information, in the same way, at the same time. Use data and insight to tailor messages to different groups.
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Personalisation: Can we serve people information that’s most relevant to them, based on their role or location?
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Clear user journeys: Are our channels intuitive and easy to navigate? Can people find what they need, quickly?
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Consistency and simplicity: Are we speaking with a consistent voice? Are we making complex topics easier to digest?
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Measurable impact: Are we measuring not just activity (how much we send) but effectiveness (whether it’s landing, driving action, or improving connection)?
It’s not about perfection. It’s about progress.
Of course, most internal comms teams don’t have the budgets, technology, or resources of a global consumer brand — but that doesn’t mean these principles aren’t relevant. Even small changes can have a big impact.
Whether it’s simplifying language, making better use of targeting, improving navigation, or streamlining the number of channels in use — the more we design with the employee experience in mind, the more likely we are to cut through the noise and build stronger connection.
In a world where attention is limited and demands are high, internal communication has a real opportunity to lead the way in creating better, more human workplace experiences.
Exploring this in practice
The EX Space recently explored these ideas in much more detail during the webinar Creating a Consumer-Grade Internal Communication Experience. Alongside our guest expert, we unpacked what it really means to apply consumer principles to internal comms, and shared plenty of practical tips, real-world examples and actionable insights for IC and EX teams.
If you missed the live session, don’t worry — you can still access the full recording here and catch up in your own time. Or join The EX Space (Essentials membership is free!) to access any of our past webinars and supporting materials.
Bringing this thinking into your organisation
At People Lab, we help organisations redesign internal comms through the lens of employee experience — blending research, insight, and practical design to create strategies that actually work.
👉 If you’d like to chat about how we can help, get in touch today
