If you’re measuring just clicks and views, they are not telling you essentials like whether your comms made a difference or inspired employees to reflect, connect emotionally, or take meaningful action.  Daren Jennings, Speakap's CCO, rightly points out, “What matters is whether employees are thinking, feeling, or doing something as a result of your message”. 

But how do you measure outcomes that matter, if not clicks and views? Daren offers a refreshingly simple way with the Think, Feel, Do framework. In this blog, we'll explain this framework and share practical tips for implementing it in your IC strategy. 

Introducing the "Think, Feel, Do" framework

“Internal communications should encourage employees to think about, feel, or do something,” Daren asserts. The  "Think, Feel, Do" framework he proposes entails:

1. Think: spark reflection and clarity

The “Think” component measures whether your message prompts employees to reflect, gain clarity, or better understand an idea. For instance, it tries to capture whether employees remember your new safety protocol after you’ve reached out with your messaging. If they remember, it means they’re thinking about it, right?

Some examples of “Think” objectives:

• Employees understand your company’s strategic goals.
• Employees reflect on how their roles align with organizational priorities.
• Employees gain clarity on a policy change or process update.

To measure “Think,” you can:

• Run follow-up quizzes or retention tests.
• Use pulse surveys to gauge understanding.
• Track engagement with informational content, like CEO updates or policy documents.

“If the goal of your communication is to make employees aware of a new safety protocol, poll them a few weeks later to see if they can recall the details,” Daren suggests. “That’s how you measure whether they’re thinking about it.”

2. Feel: build emotional connection

“When employees trust leadership or feel connected to the mission, they’re more engaged and invested in the company’s success,” Jennings explains. 

The “Feel” component is all about measuring how your message influences emotions like trust, pride, or motivation. 

Some examples of “Feel” objectives:

• Employees feel inspired by leadership’s vision.
• Employees feel recognized and valued for their work.
• Employees trust leadership to make the right decisions.

To measure “Feel,” you can:

• Run sentiment analysis on feedback or survey responses.
• Track engagement with emotionally resonant content, like team success stories or leadership messages.
• Look for behavioral signals, such as increased participation in voluntary initiatives.

“The emotional connection is critical,” Daren explains. “When employees trust leadership or feel inspired by their work, they’re more likely to engage and stay committed to the organization.”

3. Do: drive action and behavior change

The “Do” component focuses on employees' actions after receiving your message. For instance, if you want employees to adopt a digital safety form, the ‘Do’ would be for them to follow it.

Some examples of “Do” objectives:

• Employees complete mandatory training.
• Employees adopt a new tool or process.
• Employees participate in an initiative or campaign.

To measure measure “Do,” you can:

• Track completion rates (e.g., training modules or survey participation).
• Monitor behavior changes (e.g., tool adoption rates).
• Measure long-term outcomes, like increased efficiency or reduced incidents.

“If your campaign is about adopting a digital form for safety reporting, the ‘Do’ is clear- you want employees to use the form,” Daren explains. “Tracking adoption rates and reductions in incident response times tells you whether the campaign worked.”

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s examine an application of the "Think, Feel, Do" framework for better clarity.

A case example of "Think, Feel, Do"

Let’s suppose you send out a CEO Video Update. In the context of "Think, Feel, Do", this video could aim at the following: 

• Think: Clarify the company’s strategic goals for the year.
• Feel: Build trust and connection by showing transparency.
• Do: Encourage employees to align their work with these priorities.

To measure it, you can:

• Run a post-video poll to check what employees learned.
• Gather feedback to gauge sentiment and trust in leadership.
• Track related behaviors, like participation in strategic projects.

Wondering how to implement it? Let’s go over some practical tips

Follow these 3 practical tips for implementing "Think, Feel, Do" in your comms strategy

1. Set clear objectives: Before launching a campaign, decide what you want employees to think, feel, or do. This will set the tone for the right direction.
2. Choose targeted metrics: Align your KPIs with the objectives you’ve set out, whether that’s retention, sentiment, or behavior change. Measure these KPIs.
3. Refine as you go: As Jennings says, “Metrics are a loop, not a line.” So, treat metrics as a feedback loop. Use the insights from one campaign to improve the next. 

Free webinar recording: Measuring internal comms the right way

This exclusive webinar recording with myself and Daren Jennings dives deep into the strategies and tools you need to effectively measure the success of your internal communications and link them to meaningful outcomes. Check it out!

Final thoughts

“Internal communications isn’t just about sending messages,” Daren concludes. “It’s about connecting with employees and driving change. That’s the real measure of success.”

Using The “Think, Feel, Do” framework for IC measurement can help you ensure you have a clear picture about your comms and ensure your campaigns drive outcomes that truly matter. By focusing on what employees think, feel, and do, you can craft communications that inform and inspire meaningful action.

Want a deep dive into measuring internal communication effectiveness?  Download this free whitepaper and learn how to make data-driven decisions for the future.