New Guide: Mastering Channel Etiquette for Better Internal Communications

Internal communication is only as effective as the channels that carry it.

In many organizations, channel sprawl and blurred boundaries between tools create confusion rather than clarity. The result? Employees are left overwhelmed, confused, and disengaged.

Our new guide, Mastering Channel Etiquette for Better Internal Communications, is here to help.

It will walk you through the essential steps to:

• Simplify your internal communication ecosystem
• Clarify the purpose of each channel
• Provide your people with a better, calmer experience

Without clear rules of engagement, communication becomes chaotic instead of helping to align everyone around the most important priorities and messages. 

That’s why “channel etiquette” is so vital – a shared set of rules that define how, when, and why each internal communication channel should be used. This ensures consistency, clarity, and engagement across your organization. 

Being clear about what differentiates a communication channel from a collaboration channel, for example, means fewer buried messages in the wrong places, where employees don’t think (or have time) to look. 

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the other steps the guide recommends. 

1. Define your purpose

Before you start crafting any communication or considering how to send it, it’s critical to clarify your purpose. What is it you want your audience to think, feel, or do because of your communication?

Deciding this determines everything else – audience, choice of channel, messaging, content format, and frequency.

2. Segment your audience

Repeatedly, comms teams make assumptions about audiences and default to homogeny in channel and message. 

In The Frontline Gap Report – our research report based on insights from more than 7,500 frontline workers worldwide – half of frontline workers say their company cares more about office workers than about them. For your messages to resonate, you must meet your audiences where they are.

3. Establish channel etiquette

According to Gallagher’s 2024/25 State of the Sector Report, half of communicators are dissatisfied with their channels’ ability to reach all employees, regardless of location or work type, and many describe their channels as “not fit for purpose”.

It doesn’t sound sexy, but setting clear guidelines at an enterprise level covering the following for all your channels will significantly enhance the effectiveness of your communications:

• Why it’s used
• What it’s used for
• When to use it
• How to use it

4. Regularly audit

In Gallagher’s Report, despite high volumes of communication being a challenge this year, one in three communicators had added a channel, while only 6% had removed one.
It’s best practice to regularly audit your communication channels (we recommend at least once per year) to check that they’re meeting the goals of your communications strategy.

This requires having clear objectives, agreed metrics, and accurate methods of measurement (quantitative and qualitative) for each channel.

5. Broadcast less, listen more

While channel auditing is typically led by your corporate communications team, employee listening should happen at all levels of your organization. It’s a critical driver of engagement, productivity, and business performance. 74% of employees are more effective in their work when they feel heard. 

And when your people see change on the back of their feedback and inputs, they’re far more likely to use your channels again and again.

Get your free guide now!

Check out the new guide, where you’ll also find a bonus cheat sheet to help you implement clear and effective channel etiquette in your organization.