The Future of Internal Communication

Since the public launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, scarcely a day goes by without a news headline forewarning of mass redundancies caused by technological efficiency. But aren’t there some jobs or vocations where, no matter how sophisticated technology becomes, it simply won’t be able to replicate human empathy, reason and oversight? In this episode Cat, Jen and Dom chat with sociology Professor All...

Since the MacLeod report was first published in 2009, Engage for Success (EFS) has become a flourishing all-volunteer collective for those passionate about colleague engagement. A senior lecturer at Nottingham Business School, Dr. Sarah Pass is a practice-oriented academic who concentrates on employee experience and engagement. As a member of the Engage for Success (EFS) Advisory Board, she co-lea...

In 2025, workplace inclusion remains a key issue for the UK labour market. In summer 2024, the ONS reported the highest number of economically inactive people since 2012. While this label includes students and the retired, it more worryingly includes those who are unable to access the labour market due to either ill health or accessibility issues. As the working population across the Global North...

With so many pressing environmental and social challenges to address, workplace activism is on the rise. Concerned citizens are increasingly using whatever means they have – whether as consumers, shareholders, or increasingly now, workers – to raise awareness and effect change for the issues that matter to them. This has dynamic consequences for business. Organisations must work out how best to re...

According to Mental Health UK, 90% of adults experienced high or extreme levels of stress in 2023, a figure that was consistent across all ages. The same research found 20% of people of working age needed to take time off due to poor mental health. In 2025, there are all manner of reasons why people are anxious, stressed and close to burnout. The way we work isn’t working for far too many of us. B...

In February 2025, the IoIC launched its AI ethics Charter for internal communication. As GenerativeAI adoption goes mainstream, there are many moral and ethical considerations that require contemplation and resolution. Its implementation requires human care, stewardship and oversight. The goal of the AI Charter is to present some of the most pressing points for organisations to reflect and agree o...

AI and associated technologies are changing the work people do and the way business gets done. As work becomes increasingly digital, scant few of us can remain complacent with our current skills and expertise – we must all upskill to remain relevant and future-ready. This raises interesting questions. We are rapidly shifting away from an era where organisations trained their staff for efficiency a...

As we enter another year of instability and uncertainty, it behoves all organisations to keep one eye on the future for successful innovation and evolution. But shifting out of survival mode to examine the long game remains a challenge for many. Horizon scanning and scenario planning to mitigate risk and leverage opportunity ought to be in every business strategist’s toolkit. However, all too ofte...

Have we shifted from polycrisis to permacrisis? As geopolitical tensions, extreme weather events and societal discord show no sign of abate, the pressure builds for organisations to end unsustainable business practices and reduce carbon emissions. In addition to regulatory demands, a rising tide of employee activists expect business to act as a force for good. Organisational purpose seems to have...

In this first episode of 2025, Jen, Dom and Cat review their favourite conversations of 2024. They also discuss the topics, trends and themes they most want to explore in 2025, as shaped by what IoIC members have said they want to learn more about. This episode explores some of the primary risks and opportunities for internal communicators in the coming year. Tune in to hear about up and coming gu...

Deborah Hale MBE has spent her career developing high profile global campaigns. She knows the importance of building brands, navigating complex stakeholders and making change happen by creating enhanced audience engagement.   As employers across the board struggle to resume pre-pandemic levels of organisational performance, Jen, Dom and Cat chat with Deborah to hear what she has learned about crea...

As the climate crisis worsens and social inequality escalates, legislation to monitor the sustainability efforts of organisations abounds. But mandatory reporting is often undertaken by executives who don’t socialise their data in a way that helps internal stakeholders feel their employer is taking proactive steps to improve its impact. In this episode, Jen, Dom and Cat chat with strategic communi...

The volume of digital tools and platforms available to improve how we work expands by the day. But how effectively are we, as users of those products, integrating them into our daily work habits? What provision is made by organisations to make sure their internal stakeholders are skilled to optimally use these tools? And what is the long-term impact on the users trying to keep up with increasingly...

Tracey Camilleri is the co-founder of the leadership and organisational development consultancy Thompson Harrison. In 2023, her book The Social Brain, co-authored with Samantha Rockey and Robin Dunbar was published to widespread acclaim. In this episode we hear from Tracey as she shares what she’s learned about team dynamics and communicating within groups. As organisations across the board become...

Beatrice Ngalula Kabutakapua is a business storytelling coach who uses the power of story to help organisations and their leaders improve their communication styles. In a commercial world that is increasingly data-driven and preoccupied by measurement, how do we create emotional connection that sustains colleague engagement, builds trust and improves communication at work? A two-time speaker at th...

Ellen Van Oosten is Professor of Organization Behavior at Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio. She’s also the co-author of one of the best books we’ve read about human behaviour. Helping People Change, written by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith and Ellen Van Oosten was Henley Business School’s coaching book of the year in 2020. And we are unsurprised, becaus...

Peter Mandeno is an expert in the science of human connection. His work goes beyond simply explaining why connections matter to show organisations how to improve connectivity outcomes by design – for employee engagement, wellbeing, creativity and performance. As many countries in the Global North grapple with societal loneliness epidemics, in tandem organisations are encountering rising social fri...

James Ball is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author. He is a fellow of the think-tank Demos and the political editor of The New European. He is also the current chair of the UK committee of the Ethical Journalism Network. Having been part of the Pulitzer prize-winning journalism team at the Guardian who covered the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden, it’s little surprise he’s developed more...

Strategy consultant Jennifer Sertl is an internationally recognized influencer in social media and the president and founder of Agility3R, a leadership development company. In 2010, she co-wrote a book: Strategy, Leadership, and the Soul: Resilience, responsiveness and reflection for a global economy. Ahead of its time, the book set out the new era of digitized, hyperconnected globalisation and ex...

In 2022, Preeti Macwan embarked on a Master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communication with Kingston University. We are, of course, huge fans of anyone willing to invest in professional qualifications and so were keen to learn more about what Preeti studied and what her most compelling takeaways from the course were. In this episode, Dom, Jen and Cat chat with Preeti to uncover what...

Adam Bastock was enjoying a successful career in digital marketing when he realised the planet was in crisis and decided to do something about it. In 2020 he set up Small99 with a mission to help the UK’s small businesses become more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. He’s gone from strength to strength since then. Adam is the brain behind People, Planet, Pint – a social meetup for any...

The IC Index is a first-of-its-kind research project commissioned by the IoIC that explores the impact of internal communication on internal stakeholders. To mark the launch of the 2024 IC Index, Jen, Dom and Cat welcome Susanna Holten from project partner Ipsos Karian & Box. As research project lead, Susanna has expert insights as to what the data means for the internal communication professi...

David Wales’ interest in human behaviour stems from his career in the UK Fire Service. While there he held roles as investigation and research lead, emergency incident command and he helped develop national policy. In that time, he became fascinated by the difference between the advice given by professionals and the actions taken by people when they were confronted with emergency situations. In th...

Dr. Naeema Pasha is a leading expert in AI, diversity and skilling. She set up and led the World of Work (WOW) Institute at Henley Business School, examining the future of work, and more specifically the ethical impact of AI on work, workers and workplaces. A keynote speaker at our 2024 IoIC festival, we wanted to chat with Naeema in front of a broader audience. Of most interest, we wanted to expl...

While historically an industrial powerhouse, Manchester has, like most cities across the UK since the 2008 financial crash, struggled with increasingly precarious, low-paid and inaccessible work. The Good Employment Charter was developed to counter this. By raising standards of employment across all sectors, regardless of organisation size, the Charter has kickstarted a rising trend where people a...