In today’s digital workplace, communication is both a lifeline and a liability. While internal comms teams work tirelessly to keep employees informed and engaged, the reality is sobering: 41% of information shared with employees is irrelevant to their role, and 38% say they’re overwhelmed by the volume of messages they receive. The result? Missed messages, unclear priorities, and a workforce that feels more distracted than directed.
This isn’t just a productivity issue; it’s a cultural one. Gallup reports that only 15% of workers feel highly engaged, and unclear communication ranks among the top three causes of workplace stress. For communications managers, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity: to cut through the noise and deliver messages that matter.
But how do you know what’s working and what’s not? How do you move from intuition to insight?
The answer lies in data.
Traditional internal communications often rely on a broadcast model: send a message and hope it lands. But in a world where employees are bombarded with information across multiple channels, hope is no longer a strategy.
Data-driven communication flips the model. It empowers comms teams to:
This shift isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about relevance. And relevance is what drives engagement, clarity, and ultimately, business performance.
To move from guesswork to impact, comms teams need to measure three core dimensions: consumption, understanding and sentiment.
Tracking when, where, and how employees engage with content reveals critical patterns. Are messages being read on mobile during commutes? Are videos watched in full or dropped after 30 seconds? These insights help optimise publishing times, formats, and channels.
You can also identify “hot spots” by device and time of day—insights that inform not just when to publish, but how to format content for maximum reach.
Understanding goes beyond clicks. It’s about whether employees grasp the message and know what to do next. Journey tracking, such as whether users follow calls to action or search for related terms, offers clues. Community participation, Q&A activity, and dwell time by department or location also signal comprehension.
For example, if employees consistently search for acronyms or clarification after reading a post, that’s a sign that the message wasn’t clear. If they explore related content or engage in discussion, that’s a sign of resonance.
Reactions, comments, and shares provide a window into how messages are received. Are employees inspired, confused, or indifferent? In-the-flow surveys and keyword monitoring add qualitative depth to the data, helping comms teams fine-tune tone and content.
Sentiment analysis also helps identify cultural undercurrents—whether employees feel heard, valued and aligned with the organisation’s direction.
This is where Addin365’s analytics tool becomes indispensable. Built specifically for internal communicators, it layers data across campaigns, audiences, and channels to surface actionable insights.
Whether you’re launching a leadership update, a culture campaign, or a product announcement, AddIn Analytics helps you:
It also supports campaign planning by showing what’s worked before by topic, audience and channel, so you can build on proven strategies rather than starting from scratch.
When communications are data-driven, they become more than messages; they become levers for change. You can align your efforts with organisational goals, support major transitions like M&A or product launches, and foster a culture of transparency and trust.
You also gain credibility. When you can show the impact of your work in terms of engagement, understanding, and sentiment, you elevate the role of communications from support function to strategic partner.
If you’re a communications manager looking to elevate your strategy with real-time insights, it’s time to explore what Addin365 can do for you. Book a demo today and discover how data-driven decisions can transform your internal communications; from noise to nuance, from broadcast to impact.
