PoliteMail Research Reveals Internal Corporate Communicators Struggle with Measurement

One third of survey respondents do not measure any internal communications, citing lack of time, tools and budget

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#OutlookPoliteMail Software, provider of accurate analytics for internal employee email communications programs, released the results of a comprehensive survey of more than 340 internal communications professionals.

The research reveals email as the dominate employee communications channel, valued by 96% of enterprises with more than 1,000 employees. The survey, “2019 Internal Communications Measurement Survey Results,” indicates that 84% of communicators want to implement some form of measurement to determine employee engagement but often lack the budget and technological resources to do so. 45 percent of respondents were not even sure where to start or what to measure.

Commissioned by PoliteMail and conducted by Ragan Communications, the survey polled internal communications professionals in such sectors as healthcare, technology, government, education and nonprofit. Across all industries and company sizes, the survey found several commonalities, including:

  • 94% of survey respondents said that email was their “most important” employee communications channel at helping them achieve their objectives.
  • 67 percent of communicators are measuring any of their communications, with 71% of those measuring internet activity, only 55% measuring email and 42% measuring leadership/town hall meetings, leaving one-third of respondents with no measurement at all of their communication results.
  • Internal communicators cite information overload (53%), lack of manpower (51%) and antiquated technology and tools (45%) as top challenges to effectively measuring employee communications campaigns.
  • Of the 22% of communicators who are satisfied with their ability to measure their campaigns, they use these metrics to make decisions (78%) and improve effectiveness (68%).
  • Only 16% of communicators use mobile tools to reach their workforce, and among those using a mobile app, 42% are indifferent to its effectiveness, while 16% consider it ineffective.

“The research shows that proving the effectiveness of employee communications continues to be a challenge for most enterprises,” said Michael DesRochers, managing partner at PoliteMail. “While digital tools such as instant messaging, mobile apps and social networking continue to flood the market, email remains most effective and companies continue to rely on email. The ability to improve email content and use inside corporations is dependent on accurate measurement to help communications teams make decisions informed by objective data.”

To download a free copy of 2019 Internal Communications Measurement Survey Results, visit https://politemail.com/2019-internal-comms-survey-results/.

About the research

PoliteMail commissioned Ragan to conduct a survey targeting internal communications professionals. The survey was administered to 340 qualified individuals in the spring of 2019. Data points were compiled and analyzed by Ragan’s team, then compared with the 2017 study.

About PoliteMail

PoliteMail is an internal communications measurement platform for Microsoft Outlook and Office365. Twenty-seven percent of America’s largest business organizations trust PoliteMail to deliver the tools and metrics they need to accurately measure, effectively manage and definitively improve employee email communications. PoliteMail adds measurement, responsive design, employee feedback and list management tools into Microsoft Outlook to align communications efforts with better business outcomes. For more information, visit www.politemail.com.

About Ragan

Ragan Communications, Inc., delivers practical advice, real-world solutions and field-tested strategies for today’s corporate communicator. Ragan is rooted in helping the communications professional advance in their careers while also improving the voice of the organizations they serve. The Ragan brand includes highly curated live and virtual events, two leadership Councils, multiple websites, an awards division, a consulting arm and targeted newsletters. Ragan live events draw more than 3,000 professionals annually and provide attendees with access to leading communicators, best practices and rich networking opportunities.

Contacts

Michelle Barry

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