Internal Communications

Create clear, effective internal communications that inform, engage, and align employees.

Communication Types

Announcements

Major company news, organizational changes, policy updates

Updates

Project status, team progress, regular briefings

Memos

Formal internal documentation, policy clarifications

Executive Communications

Leadership messages, strategic updates, vision statements

Change Management

Process changes, system migrations, reorganizations

Core Principles

Clarity First

• •Lead with the key message
• •Use simple, direct language
• •Avoid jargon and acronyms (or define them)
• •One main idea per communication

Audience Awareness

• •Consider reader's perspective
• •Address "what's in it for me?"
• •Anticipate questions
• •Provide next steps

Appropriate Tone

• •Match formality to content
• •Balance professionalism with approachability
• •Be respectful of reader's time
• •Show empathy when appropriate

Templates

Company Announcement

**Subject: [Clear, Specific Subject Line]**

**TL;DR:** [One-sentence summary of the key point]

---

Dear [Team/All],

[Opening: What is happening and why it matters]

[Body: Key details, organized by importance]
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3

[Impact: What this means for the reader]

[Next Steps: What readers should do, if anything]

**Questions?** [Contact information or FAQ link]

[Sign-off]
[Name, Title]

Team Update

**Subject: [Team Name] Update - [Date/Period]**

**Highlights:**
- [Key achievement 1]
- [Key achievement 2]

**In Progress:**
- [Current focus 1]
- [Current focus 2]

**Coming Up:**
- [Upcoming item 1]
- [Upcoming item 2]

**Blockers/Needs:**
- [Any blockers or requests]

[Optional: Shoutouts or recognition]

Policy Communication

**Subject: [Policy Topic] - [New/Updated/Reminder]**

**Effective Date:** [Date]
**Applies To:** [Who is affected]

---

**Summary**
[2-3 sentence overview of the policy]

**What's Changing**
[Clear description of changes from previous state]

**Why This Matters**
[Business rationale and benefits]

**Key Requirements**
1. [Requirement 1]
2. [Requirement 2]
3. [Requirement 3]

**Resources**
- [Link to full policy]
- [Training materials]
- [FAQ]

**Questions?**
Contact [Name/Team] at [email/channel]

Change Management Communication

**Subject: [Change Topic] - Action Required by [Date]**

**Summary**
We are [brief description of change] starting [date].

**Why We're Making This Change**
[Business drivers and benefits]

**What's Changing**

| Before | After |
|--------|-------|
| [Old way] | [New way] |
| [Old process] | [New process] |

**Timeline**
- [Date]: [Milestone 1]
- [Date]: [Milestone 2]
- [Date]: [Go-live]

**What You Need to Do**
1. [Action 1] by [date]
2. [Action 2] by [date]

**Support Available**
- [Training sessions]
- [Documentation]
- [Help desk]

**Questions?**
[Contact information]

Writing Guidelines

Subject Lines

• •Be specific and action-oriented
• •Include key identifier (date, project, policy name)
• •Front-load important words
• •Keep under 50 characters when possible

Good:

• •"Q4 Benefits Enrollment Opens Nov 1"
• •"Office Move: Action Required by Friday"
• •"New Expense Policy - Effective Jan 1"

Bad:

• •"Important Update"
• •"Please Read"
• •"Announcement"

Opening Paragraph

• •Lead with the most important information
• •Answer: What, Why, When
• •Keep to 2-3 sentences
• •Don't bury the lead

Body Content

• •Use bullet points for lists
• •Bold key terms and dates
• •Break into scannable sections
• •Include visual breaks (headers, lines)

Calls to Action

• •Be explicit about what's needed
• •Include deadlines
• •Provide clear next steps
• •Make it easy to act

Tone Guidelines

Formal Communications

• •Executive announcements
• •Legal/compliance matters
• •External-facing policies

Characteristics:

• •Professional language
• •Complete sentences
• •Third-person references
• •Formal greetings/closings

Semi-Formal Communications

• •Team updates
• •Process changes
• •General announcements

Characteristics:

• •Clear, direct language
• •Can use contractions
• •"We" and "you" appropriate
• •Friendly but professional

Informal Communications

• •Team celebrations
• •Social events
• •Casual updates

Characteristics:

• •Conversational tone
• •Emojis acceptable (sparingly)
• •First names
• •Relaxed structure

Distribution Channels

Email

Best for: Formal announcements, documentation, wide distribution

Slack/Teams

Best for: Quick updates, discussions, urgent matters

Intranet/Wiki

Best for: Permanent reference, policies, resources

Town Hall/Meeting

Best for: Major announcements, Q&A, complex topics

Sensitivity Considerations

Layoffs/Restructuring

• •Lead with empathy
• •Be direct but compassionate
• •Provide support resources
• •Give time for processing

Benefits/Compensation Changes

• •Explain rationale clearly
• •Highlight any positives
• •Provide comparison tools
• •Allow questions

Leadership Changes

• •Celebrate departures appropriately
• •Welcome new leaders warmly
• •Address continuity concerns
• •Timeline transitions clearly

Checklist Before Sending

• • Subject line is clear and specific
• • Key message is in first paragraph
• • All dates/deadlines are correct
• • Links work and are accessible
• • Tone matches content and audience
• • Contact information included
• • Reviewed for sensitive content
• • Approved by appropriate stakeholders
• • Distribution list is correct
• • Timing is appropriate