Contents
- What is Internal PR
- Goals and Objectives of Internal PR
- Who is Involved in Internal PR
- How to Establish an Internal PR System
- Tools of Internal PR
What is Internal PR
Internal PR is a set of actions aimed at establishing and maintaining trustful relationships between the organization and its employees. In general terms, PR involves creating a positive image of the company in the eyes of a specific audience. For internal PR, the target audience consists directly of the organization's employees. Therefore, the tasks of internal PR are often handled not by specialized PR managers, but by HR specialists, personnel departments, corporate psychologists, or team leaders. In large companies, separate divisions may be created that are solely responsible for internal PR.
Despite this, I, as a specialist, believe that internal PR should be handled by a PR specialist, because when this task is assigned to, for example, an HR manager, it is perceived as an additional burden. As a result, internal communications do not receive the necessary attention, which can negatively impact their effectiveness.
Goals and Objectives of Internal PR
The main goal of internal PR is to form the correct perception of the company among employees. Additionally, important tasks include ensuring the moral comfort of employees and developing staff loyalty to the business. Employees who recognize their value demonstrate higher productivity. To achieve these goals, the internal PR department builds communications within the company and shapes corporate culture.
Building Communications within the Organization
It is essential to avoid situations where information sources contradict each other. For example, if a project manager aims to increase sales while the marketing manager emphasizes improving branding, this creates confusion among employees. Workers should clearly understand what results the company expects from them and how their efforts influence overall success. It is also beneficial to know what colleagues in other departments are doing and how each person's contribution affects the overall result.
Forming Corporate Culture
Working in a company with a healthy corporate culture gives employees a sense of belonging to an important cause and motivates them to work productively. People prefer to work in organizations where their opinions are valued. This increases the likelihood that such employers will be recommended to acquaintances. Within the framework of corporate culture, employees and managers should act in accordance with the stated values and norms, which in turn fosters trust and respect for leadership.
Who is Involved in Internal PR
Some companies may afford to create a separate internal PR department; however, this is not always feasible. Let's consider other options.
- Top Management: The company’s leadership plays a key role in shaping internal PR by defining strategic goals and values.
- HR and Personnel Departments: These specialists develop the internal PR strategy, create and distribute information among employees, and organize internal events.
- Employees: Each worker impacts the overall image of the company, so it is important that everyone understands and adheres to the established standards of behavior.
How to Establish an Internal PR System
Establishing an effective internal PR system begins with analyzing corporate culture to understand the needs, expectations, and fears of employees. This may include surveys, interviews, and questionnaires, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of corporate events.
After identifying issues, a plan for changes is developed with specific and measurable tasks. For example, if there is distrust towards management, the plan may include organizing meetings with top executives and creating columns for leaders in corporate publications.
Tools of Internal PR
Various PR tools can be used depending on the specifics of the organization:
- Website and Social Media: Used for disseminating information about the company.
- Information Boards, Flyers, Newspapers: Traditional means of informing employees.
- Testing and Surveys: Collecting feedback from employees.
- Corporate Events: Enhance team cohesion and employee morale.
Each enterprise should choose the tools that work best for conveying its key business messages.