Regularly monitoring the efficacy of your internal communication strategy is essential to proactively identify if you're overcoming your internal communication challenges. But which are the most critical internal communication metrics you should be tracking?
We've compiled them in this blog. Read on to learn about them and find quick ways to improve performance in those areas.
Content engagement metrics
Engaging content is the core of effective internal communications. If you are wondering how to improve employee content engagement, start by tracking these essential metrics on your employee communications platform:
1. Open rate
The open rate is like the front door to your internal communication. It shows how many employees are actually opening your messages or emails. If only a few are walking through, it might be time to rethink your approach. Personalizing your subject lines can work wonders—something that makes employees think, “This is for me!” Also, consider what time of day your workforce is most likely to engage.
Don't just stop at personalizing the message. Segment your communication based on employee groups—your frontline workers might need quick, actionable updates, while office staff may prefer more detailed information.
2. Click-through rate (CTR)
The click-through rate (CTR) is a key internal communication metric that tells you if employees are not just reading but acting on your messages. This is a strong indicator of how relevant your content is. If employees are clicking on links or attachments, it means they find value in what you’re sending out. To improve CTR, make your links and calls-to-action (CTAs) stand out. Whether it’s a bold button or a simple highlighted link, guiding your employees to click is critical.
Also, remember that many employees—especially your frontline workforce—are accessing messages on mobile. Optimizing content for mobile ensures a smoother experience, making it easier for employees to engage on the go.
3. Time spent reading
How long employees spend reading your communications can tell you a lot about the content's impact. If they’re just skimming through, you might not be hitting the mark. Consider creating personalized, audience-specific content. Tailor it based on employee roles—frontline workers might prefer shorter, to-the-point updates, while office staff may need more in-depth material.
To keep employees engaged, try adding visual elements like infographics or short videos. Breaking up long blocks of text makes it easier to digest information and encourages employees to spend more time reading. Tracking how much time employees spend on your content gives you the data you need to refine your internal communication strategy and ensure your messages are sticking.
4. Downloads
Downloads are a great sign that employees trust and value what you’re sending them. But if those numbers aren’t where you’d like them to be, it could mean your download links are hard to find or the content isn’t resonating. Make sure your download buttons are front and center. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, “Here’s a useful resource just for you!” to drive action.
Also, give your employees a reason to hit that download button—highlight how the document will help them, whether it’s a helpful guide, training material, or a form they need. And remember, people appreciate a little reassurance, so remind them the files are secure and virus-free. When employees trust what you’re sending, they’ll feel more comfortable engaging with it.
5. Shares
Shares are one of the most powerful internal communications metrics because they indicate that employees find your content valuable enough to spread the word. Whether it’s forwarding an email or sharing a post on your internal communication platform, when employees share, your message reaches a wider audience. To encourage this, create content that resonates—something that sparks discussion or provides solutions. Adding visuals and making your content interactive can significantly boost shares.
Don’t forget to make sharing easy. Embed social sharing buttons in your emails or messages and encourage employees to pass the information along. This not only increases engagement but also strengthens organizational alignment, a key goal for any internal communication strategy.
Employee sentiment analysis metrics
When you work toward evaluating your communication effectiveness, the importance of assessing employee sentiment in internal communication cannot be highlighted enough. Understanding this is important if you want to connect with employees deeper and enhance engagement, well-being, and job satisfaction. Here's what you can track:
6. Survey & poll responses
Surveys and polls are your secret weapon for tapping into employee sentiment. They’re the easiest way to get a quick pulse on how your team is feeling—whether they’re thriving or just treading water. Keep them simple, short, and visually appealing so employees won’t hesitate to share their thoughts. Regularly sending these out—whether it’s a deep-dive satisfaction survey or a quick check-in—gives you real-time feedback on your internal communications efforts.
The best part? You can instantly spot trends in employee engagement and well-being, helping you adjust your internal communication strategy on the fly. By regularly measuring internal communications through these tools, you not only collect valuable insights but also show your team that their voice matters. Over time, this feedback loop strengthens organizational alignment and boosts employee engagement.
7. Open-ended feedback comments
Sometimes, a multiple-choice survey just doesn’t cut it. Open-ended feedback is where you get the real, unfiltered thoughts from your employees. This is where they can truly speak their mind, and you can uncover insights you didn’t even know to ask for. Encouraging open-ended comments—especially with an option for anonymity—helps employees feel safe sharing honest feedback without fear of judgment.
It’s a great way to measure internal communication beyond the numbers and dig into the “why” behind employee sentiments. Plus, it allows you to fine-tune your communication efforts based on what really matters to your people. Honest feedback isn’t just a box to check—it’s the foundation of improving employee engagement and internal communications effectiveness.
8. Message sentiment analysis
Message sentiment analysis might sound techy, but it’s basically a way to read between the lines of your communications. You’re not just looking at what employees say, but how they say it—whether it’s excitement, frustration, or confusion. This tool helps you figure out the mood of your workforce by analyzing the tone in emails, social intranet posts, or even chats. If the vibe is off, it could be a red flag that you need to tweak your internal communication strategy before things snowball.
Using sentiment analysis lets you measure internal communications in a more human way. Instead of focusing only on clicks or open rates, you’re gauging emotional engagement. A positive trend means your messages are resonating, boosting employee engagement. Negative sentiment? That’s your cue to step in and shift the conversation. Either way, it’s a direct line into how your team really feels.
9. Emoji reactions
Sometimes a thumbs-up or heart emoji says it all. They’re easy, instant, and give you a quick snapshot of employee sentiment. Whether it’s a smiley face on a company announcement or a thoughtful reaction to a policy update, tracking these reactions helps you see, at a glance, how well your internal communications are hitting the mark.
Encouraging emoji reactions, especially in your internal communications platform, is a simple way to boost engagement—especially for frontline workers who need fast, mobile-friendly ways to give feedback. Over time, you can see patterns and adjust your messaging based on what’s getting positive (or not-so-positive) reactions.
Employee app engagement metrics
You may have implemented an employee communication tool. However, it's useful only to the extent employees use and engage with it. Track the following essential employee app engagement metrics to assess this aspect:
10. Login frequency
Login frequency is like a heartbeat for your employee app—it shows how often employees are tapping in and engaging with your internal communication. Frequent logins are a solid sign that your app is useful and engaging. If you notice low login rates, it could be time to shake things up. Encourage employees to use the app for all communication by making it their go-to hub for updates, announcements, and resources.
The more relevant and sticky the content, the more likely employees will keep coming back. This could mean anything from helpful how-to guides to company news or even social recognition posts. By tracking this internal communication metric, you can measure how well your internal communications efforts are working and spot any gaps in engagement.
11. Time spent on the app
How much time employees spend on the app tells you a lot about how valuable they find your internal communication. If employees are logging in but not sticking around, it’s worth looking into why. Is the app interface too complicated? Is the content not relevant enough? These are all clues that could point to a need for improvement. The longer they stay engaged, the better your communication strategy is working.
To boost time spent, try streamlining the user experience and focusing on delivering content that’s not only useful but also engaging. Tracking this metric gives your internal communications team insights into what’s working and what might need a refresh. If the content is truly resonating, employees will spend more time interacting with it, which boosts employee engagement overall.
12. Feature usage data
Feature usage data is your inside look at what employees actually find valuable in your employee app. Whether it’s the newsfeed, chat, or file-sharing features, tracking how employees interact with these tools helps you understand what’s working. If some features, like the 'groups' feature or newsfeed, aren’t getting much love, it might be time to rethink how you present them or offer training to make sure employees know how to use them.
13. Push notification open rates
Push notifications can be a great tool for cutting through the noise—if employees actually open them. Tracking push notification open rates gives you a clear idea of whether your messages are reaching employees or getting lost in the shuffle. If open rates are low, it could mean your notifications are either too frequent, irrelevant, or poorly timed.
To fix this, focus on sending timely and relevant notifications. Also, consider whether your employees need more control over the types of notifications they receive.
14. Social intranet read-receipts
Read receipts on your social intranet are like a digital nod that your message has been received. Knowing if employees are actually reading the updates you post on your internal social network is invaluable. If read-receipts are low, it might indicate that your messages aren’t resonating or are getting lost in the flow of information.
You can use this internal communication metric to gauge whether your employees are keeping up with important announcements. If not, it’s worth exploring why. Maybe the messages aren’t relevant to their roles, or perhaps the timing is off. Fine-tuning these factors can ensure your internal communications efforts are more effective.
15. Page visits and logins
Page visits and logins are great indicators of employee engagement with specific content on your app or intranet. If employees are frequently visiting certain pages, it’s a sign that the content there is relevant and useful. On the flip side, if some pages are being ignored, it’s time to dig deeper and find out why.
Boosting engagement on less-visited pages could be as simple as redesigning them for better usability or refreshing the content to make it more engaging.
16. Adoption rates for new apps
If you’ve recently rolled out a new app, the adoption rate will tell you how well it’s being embraced by employees. A low adoption rate might mean the app isn’t user-friendly, or employees don’t see the value in it. It could also indicate a lack of clear direction from management about how and why to use it.
To improve adoption, offer training, and communicate the app’s benefits clearly. Show employees how the new app fits into their daily workflow and how it makes their lives easier.
17. Mobile usage rates
Mobile usage rates are especially important if your workforce includes a large number of frontline employees who need to access communication on the go. If mobile usage is high, it means your app is doing its job—allowing employees to stay connected and informed from anywhere. But if mobile usage is low, you might need to revisit the mobile experience. Is the interface clunky? Is the content mobile-friendly?
Make sure the content is crisp, relevant, and easy to access on small screens to boost employee engagement across the board.
Additional metrics to consider
18. Meeting attendance (physical or virtual)
This strongly indicates employee performance and availability. If employees regularly miss meetings, find out the causes and take steps to address difficulties. Suppose you find out too many meetings are causing this and disturbing work-life balance. You may consider implementing asynchronous communication for non-urgent communication. Similarly, you can share meeting video recordings for frontline workers on the go to catch up.
19. Training process completion rates
Regular learning and development are key to ensuring competitiveness. Simply creating a base isn't enough; you must track whether employees consume and resonate with that content. Poor engagement may indicate difficulty accessing it, lack of awareness, or outdated, unhelpful content. For example, Employee Journeys Analytics within Speakap allows you to see which steps are most engaging, identify any bottlenecks, and optimize employee training processes for maximum impact.
20. Internal communication platform search queries
Search queries within your internal communication platform are like windows into what your employees care about most. When employees actively search for information, functions, or messages, it shows what they genuinely need but perhaps aren’t finding easily. Tracking these searches is a great way to measure internal communication effectiveness and identify any blind spots in your communication strategy.
Are employees frequently searching for company policies, HR forms, or key updates? If so, it might be time to make these resources easier to find.
21. Help desk tickets related to internal communication issues
When employees submit tickets about internal communication issues, whether it’s trouble accessing important documents or confusion over a policy update, they’re indirectly pointing out where your internal communications could use some work.
Tracking these tickets helps you proactively address and fix common pain points before they become bigger frustrations. Maybe employees are struggling to find certain files, or perhaps they’re not clear on how to use a new tool.
How traditional internal comms methods hinder measurement
Traditionally, internal communicators have relied on feedback forms, surveys, or manual data collection to track employee engagement and sentiments. However, these legacy methods are time-consuming and also prone to human errors. Moreover, between collection, analysis, and response, there's usually a significant lag. This often delays resolution and can cause sufficient damage in the process.
Given the availability of digital tools and the prevalence of distributed workforces today, relying on technology for this measurement, tracking, and response is far more efficient. However, you must note that not all tech tools are equal in this respect.
The power of an employee comms app with engagement metric analytics dashboard
When it comes to employee internal communication apps, look for ones that support data-driven analysis compared to costly trial and error. According to a report, nearly 90% of organizations with frontline workers agree that success depends on data-driven decisions. The best way to integrate this into your comms is by using tools that automate tracking and analyzing critical internal communication metrics in real-time.
Make sure you choose the app that collects and interprets data and presents easily digestible insights in a sleek dashboard. Ideally, use a tool that tracks real-time data and compares it against historical trends. If you find anything alarming, ensure the tool allows you to go deeper into the root cause. These features are vital to gathering a well-rounded view and communicating the situation with your stakeholders. With that, you can speed up response time with the right plan of action to improve internal communication effectiveness.
Streamline internal communication with measurable results
Monitoring internal communication metrics is necessary to gather an overall and granular picture of your internal communication strategy's effectiveness, what employees want, and how you can boost their well-being and productivity. The best way to track is by using secure, up-to-date technology that automates internal communication data collection and simplifies interpretation with a centralized dashboard.
For more insights on measuring the impact of your internal communication strategy and how to make data-driven decisions for the future, check out this White Paper - Measuring Internal Communication Effectiveness
Want to experience the power of data-driven communication? Leverage Speakap's internal communications app to achieve cohesive team communication through the innovative employee communication app. It's designed to empower and inform everyone with targeted internal communication and efficiently supports tracking engagement. Thanks to a user-friendly interface optimized for mobile devices, our users have experienced a staggering 80% adoption rate within the first 2 weeks of implementation!