Measuring what matters: internal communications in the hybrid era.

Here are four ways to evolve your internal communications metrics for maximum impact.

This fundamental change in work patterns means we need to change the way we think about—and measure—internal communications.

Internal communications play a critical role, not only in the way we share information with our people and receive feedback from them, but also in nurturing a strong culture, creating a positive employee experience, and supporting the rollout of new initiatives and other organizational changes.

In today’s virtual-first and hybrid work environment, the stakes are higher than ever—yet an astounding 60% of internal communications professionals do not measure their efforts. 

But tracking internal communications metrics isn’t just about measuring and optimizing—it’s about ensuring organizational resilience, effective employee engagement, and a unified culture in a transformed workplace.

Evolving metrics for evolving times.

Traditional internal communications benchmarks were designed for a different world—one where employees gathered in the same physical spaces, shared informal conversations, and consumed information through predictable channels. 

In our new reality, people are scattered across different locations, time zones, and digital platforms. With this shift, we need to adapt measurement strategies to capture engagement across multiple channels and work contexts.

Let’s take a look at four opportunities to measure internal communications and how they can evolve for hybrid and remote working environments.

1. Leverage your digital engagement metrics in different ways.

Before you scrap everything, know that traditional digital metrics like engagement rates and consumption patterns are still important—they just need to be viewed through the hybrid work lens. 

Consider how some common key metrics might be used for a hybrid or remote organization:

• Segment digital platform engagement rates by time zones and locations to understand how people in different regions and working environments interact differently.
• Combine open rates, click-through metrics, and post-communication surveys across different channels to measure how effectively key messages are received, remembered, and acted upon.
• Include poll response rates, Q&A submissions, and survey completions during live and asynchronous events to gauge engagement levels for in-person and remote events.

2. Keep the information flowing to enable knowledge sharing.

While there are definite advantages to using digital tools and channels to facilitate knowledge sharing, it makes measuring the effectiveness of information flow that much more critical. 

Some key areas to focus on:

• Track logins to your company’s knowledge base and compare successful searches vs. failed ones to identify gaps in the resources or areas requiring more clarity or updates.
• Measure whether employees can easily find, understand, and use critical information—regardless of working location or device—by monitoring system uptime, load speeds, and mobile-friendliness. Usability tests and employee feedback can also help fill in the blanks.
• Monitor how quickly information is received and acknowledged by employees, then use follow-up quizzes or surveys to evaluate understanding, to ensure timely and informed decision-making.

3. Tune into employee feedback and sentiment.

Although there are fewer opportunities to gauge employee sentiment through casual conversations and direct observations, real-time feedback is still a major indicator of how well communications resonate across employee experiences.

Rethink the way you gain and use feedback:

• Use regular pulse surveys with hybrid-specific questions. Track response rates, trends, and changes in employee sentiment to understand shifting employee needs, challenges, and engagement levels.
• Conduct focus groups that combine in-person and remote participants to gain deeper, qualitative insights into communication effectiveness and ensure inclusivity of diverse experiences.
• Leverage tools or custom intranet features to allow anonymous feedback submissions. Segment results by location, work setting, and department to identify trends or challenges specific to remote or office-based teams.

4. Set your leaders up for success with effective communication.

Measuring leadership communications has become more important than ever, as employees look for increased transparency and proactive engagement. Yet, nearly 59% of leaders struggle to evolve their internal communication strategy for the ever-evolving hybrid workplace. 

Track the impact and effectiveness of leader-created internal communications:

• Deploy post-communication surveys, quizzes, or polls to assess how well employees in various roles, locations, and departments understand leadership messages and identify communication gaps.
• Gauge employee interest, involvement, and alignment with company updates by measuring virtual town hall engagement rates—including attendance, live Q&A and poll participation, chat activity, and session watch times.
• Track leadership visibility scores, which measure the perceived accessibility and presence of leaders in hybrid environments, to ensure employees feel connected, supported, and guided regardless of location.

Putting into practice: implementation recommendations.

Now that we’ve explored some key metrics for different areas of your internal communications, it’s time to put insight into action. Implementing a robust measurement strategy starts with a thoughtful approach that’s tailored to your organization’s unique needs and goals.

Consider these five recommendations to help you build a strong foundation for tracking and optimizing your internal communications efforts in the hybrid era:

1. Start with a baseline measurement across all your current channels.
2. Choose and implement integrated analytics tools that can track cross-channel engagement.
3. Develop hybrid-specific KPIs that reflect your organization’s unique work arrangement.
4. Create feedback loops that capture both qualitative and quantitative data and are inclusive of all employee experiences.
5. Plan for regular review and adjustment to ensure your metrics—and resulting actions—continue to be relevant and effective.

Remember that the goal isn’t just to collect data, but to use it—to strengthen your internal communications and ensure they can evolve as workplace norms do.

The key is to remain flexible and responsive to changing communication patterns, while maintaining consistent measurement frameworks that provide actionable insights.

We can help you plan, execute, and measure internal communications that nurture employee engagement, foster a unified culture, and keep your organization running smoothly in the new hybrid era. Get in touch and let’s talk.