10 internal communication challenges preventing team alignment

Despite the digital age ushering in highly efficient internal communication channels, many businesses continue to face significant barriers to internal communication.

• Why it matters: 45% of C-suite leaders shared that they often have to become more involved in projects than necessary due to poor internal communication. As a result, they waste a lot of time and resources that could otherwise be directed to better issues.

An effective communication strategy will have the opposite effect. When communication flows smoothly, it fosters trust, boosts employee morale, and aligns everyone toward common business goals.

The impact of ineffective internal communications

If not addressed, the repercussions of ineffective internal communication will extend far beyond day-to-day inconveniences and into every aspect of an organization.

First, ineffective internal comms will result in the loss of time and money. Our calculations show that an organization could lose up to 507 hours and $54,860 per employee annually.

Besides time and money, other negative implications include:

• Low employee engagement: Employees may feel disconnected and undervalued, leading to decreased engagement and lower morale.
• Lack of alignment: You might end up with different departments or individuals pursuing conflicting objectives. This will derail projects, ultimately preventing the company from reaching its strategic goals.
• Poor employee well-being: Poor communication leaves employees feeling unsupported or uncertain about their key roles. Over time, this frustrates them and impacts their overall well-being, leading to burnout and absenteeism.
• High employee turnover rates: Employees who feel left out of the loop will get fed up and seek opportunities elsewhere. 41% of leaders agree that high turnover rates are a huge effect of ineffective communication.

Luckily, these issues are reversible. Read on to learn how.

10 common internal communication challenges

Here are ten examples of internal communication barriers that can destabilize your business.

1. Information overload

27% of leaders admit that breaking through information overload is among their top communication challenges in the workplace. 

On average, professionals have more than 200 emails in their inboxes and receive around 120 new ones daily. That’s quite a hefty inbox to manage! Now add phone calls, messages, group chats, and meetings to that. You will have employees burning out and quitting right, left, and center.

To avoid overwhelming your employees:

• Be brief: Keep your communication brief and digestible to reduce the volume of information employees need to process. Use our Smart Brevity Guidance to create clear and easily scannable content that cuts the fluff and highlights what matters most.
• Use clear communication channels: Give each channel a unique identity so employees know where to find specific information. This will also help you manage the number of communication platforms.
• Implement no-meetings days: Designate "no-meeting" days to allow employees uninterrupted time to focus on their core tasks.
• Identify strategic sending times: Avoid sending all your internal communication at the same time. Identify the ideal times for different messages and channels.

Our research internal emails sent on Sundays between 3 pm and 6 pm EST get the best results. Early morning on weekdays also works perfectly. Some messages don’t need to be communicated daily. You can compile information that is not urgent into a company newsletter, which can be shared at regular intervals.

2. Use of wrong communication channels

81% of leaders think teams have an easy and accessible way to share feedback about internal communications, but only 44% of employees agree.

This misalignment will cause critical information gaps, missed updates, and a slow communication process. Teams will struggle to share ideas, coordinate tasks, and work together effectively, which will impact productivity and innovation.

To avoid investing in the wrong communication channels:

• Conduct surveys: Regularly survey employees to understand their preferred communication channels. Then, use the feedback to adjust your communication strategies.
• Implement a multichannel communication strategy: Use a mix of communication channels to cater to different communication preferences and needs. For example, use instant messaging for time-sensitive updates but also include video conference calls to reach and include remote teams.
• Offer training: Provide regular training to ensure every employee can comfortably use each communication tool.

The perfect mix of channels for your company will keep changing due to factors like technological advancement, company growth, and new work models. Regularly monitor and optimize your communication channels to align with changing needs.

3. Resistance to change

Nearly 59% of leaders struggle to evolve their internal communication strategy for growing teams and hybrid work. While some workplaces might not resist change directly, slow adoption rates can result in serious communication gaps and productivity drops.

Resistance to change will also manifest in more rigid hierarchical structures, like the top-down communication model. This model hinders open dialogue and innovation since most lower-level employees fear being honest with senior management teams.

Avoid missing out on great employee feedback, innovative ideas, and overall organizational efficiency by adopting:

• A culture of adaptability: Employees are more likely to embrace change if you’ve fostered a company culture of adaptability.
• Open communication: Encourage an open communication culture through regular team meetings, cross-departmental projects, and open-door policies.
• Gradual change: Implement changes in phases to avoid overwhelming your employees with too much change at once.
• Employee involvement: Your teams won’t fight what they helped choose. So, employees should be involved when selecting new tools and strategies.

Change is not always good for your organization. Regularly measure your changes' impact on employees through metrics like adoption and engagement rates to ensure they are right for your company.

4. Outdated goals and metrics

Outdated goals and metrics are one of the key internal barriers to communication. Since they no longer align with your current organizational priorities and strategies, they lead to poor decision-making and ineffective performance.

So, how do you resolve the issue of outdated goals and metrics in your organization?

• Continuous alignment: Regularly review and update your goals and metrics to ensure they remain aligned with your business objectives and market conditions.
• Use the SMART criteria: Always apply the Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) criteria to set clear and actionable goals.
• Leverage data analytics: Use modern analytics tools to gather real-time data and insights that will help you set relevant goals and metrics.

The Axios HQ dashboard offers competitive benchmarks that help you track your internal communications performance and how your analytics compare to industry benchmarks.

5. Inadequate communication tools and resources

Inadequate tools and resources will virtually cripple your workplace interactions, making them critical internal barriers of communication.

Two key factors make a communication tool or resource inadequate:

• Being outdated
• Incompatibility with your teams or existing systems

Either way, inadequate tools will lead to miscommunication, reduced productivity, and information silos that cause duplicated efforts or missed opportunities.

Make sure your internal communication tools and resources are adequate for your organization by:

• Investing in modern communication platforms: Choose modern, user-friendly platforms that facilitate easy information sharing. Our communication platform, Axios HQ, has helped 92% of our clients streamline internal communication processes by reducing newsletter production times and boosting employee engagement.
• Evaluating your team's needs: Conduct regular assessments to understand your company's different communication needs. Determine if the current tools and resources can handle these needs.
• Conducting regular updates: Ensure you regularly upgrade communication tools to ensure they meet the latest standards and facilitate effective communication.

Where necessary, implement custom solutions or integrations to address unique communication challenges.

6. Unclear or ambiguous communications

While 83% of leaders think their internal communications are clear and engaging, only 47% of employees agree. This disconnect proves that most organizations are missing the mark.

Sending ambiguous messages will lead to misunderstandings that frustrate employees, lowering productivity. Here’s how to keep your communications clear:

• Use simple language: Avoid jargon and use simple language that every employee can understand.
• Encourage two-way communication: Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable asking questions and seeking clarification.
• Create templates and guidelines: Develop templates and guidelines to ensure necessary information is included and presented clearly. We offer communication templates and custom style guides to help you easily create yours.
• Include visuals: 2 out of 3 employees perform tasks better when communicated to with visuals vs. without. So, use visuals like charts, graphs, and diagrams to complement written communication. 

Clear, concise, and well-structured messages foster better understanding, improve decision-making, and increase employee engagement and productivity.

7. Inconsistent communications

Inconsistent communication will cause employees to lose trust in their leadership and the organization, increasing turnover rates. And while 81% of leaders claim their communications are timely and consistent, only 42% of employees agree.

To avoid this:

• Develop a plan: Create an internal communication plan that outlines how information will be disseminated. Include the frequency, communication style and tone, and ideal channels for various types of messages. 
• Use automation: Implement automated updates for routine communications, such as company policy reminders or project status reports.

Consistency is also about sending messages at the right time. So, use analytics and A/B testing to find the ideal times and content types to engage your employees.

8. Lack of transparency

Transparency, like consistency, builds trust. Employees are also increasingly expecting leaders to engage in difficult topics like employment, racial inequality, accessible healthcare, and global politics.  

Ensure transparency in your organization through:

• Regular updates: Provide regular updates on company performance, strategic decisions, crucial changes, and progress reports in internal newsletters, town hall meetings, or intranet posts.

• Open forums: Foster a culture of transparency by holding open forums where employees can ask questions and receive honest answers.
• Include employees: Involve employees in decision-making processes, where possible, through focus groups or brainstorming sessions.

Remember, without transparent communication, employees rely on rumors or informal networks. This can lead to the spread of misinformation, creating uncertainty and fear that affects employee retention.

9. Poor feedback loops

Fast and regular feedback can boost employee engagement by nearly four times. While companies have gotten this part right, most have failed to create platforms that help their employees efficiently offer feedback. 

36% of employees either don’t have a feedback program or aren’t aware of one at their company.

Communication issues can go unidentified or unresolved without proper feedback loops, hurting organizational growth and employee morale.

To avoid this:

• Implement regular feedback sessions and anonymous surveys to gather employee input. 74% of employees are more inclined to share honest feedback if it’s truly anonymous, according to All Voices.
• Act on feedback promptly to show employees that their opinions are valued.
• Encourage a culture of continuous feedback that starts with your leaders. When leaders openly share, receive, and action feedback, they set the tone for the entire organization.

Review and refine your feedback processes regularly to ensure they remain effective and relevant.

10. Measuring the impact of internal communication

We discovered that 4% of leaders do not track the impact of their internal communications. This is a major internal communication barrier because how else would you be able to demonstrate the ROI of your communication initiatives?

The key metrics for measuring the impact of your internal communications are:

• Message reach: How many employees access or receive your messages?
• Employee satisfaction rates: Are your employees happy with the quality, relevance, and frequency of your communications?
• Engagement rates: How many employees open, respond to, interact with, or share your internal content?
• Outcomes: Has your messaging influenced employee behavior, attitudes, or performance?

You can track these metrics through software analytics, employee surveys, and polls. Here are some ways leaders say they track the impact of their internal communications.

• 41% say employee survey feedback
• 39% say unsolicited feedback from employees
• 39% say overall business performance
• 35% say time spent working vs. in meetings
• 30% say email open rates
• 29% say time spent reading key communications
• 29% say email click-through rate
• 28% say unsolicited feedback from leaders
• 22% say emoji reactions or comments
• 4% say they do not track internal comms

Set the metrics for each communication channel and message while defining the goals to get conclusive and accurate results.

The bottom line

Effective internal communication will remain an unachievable goal if you can’t overcome the various internal communication barriers you will encounter. Ultimately, overcoming each example of internal communication barriers we’ve shared will lead to a more cohesive, motivated, loyal, and high-performing workforce.

Go Deeper: Discover the best internal communication practices in 2024

Internal communication barriers FAQs

1. What is internal communication barriers?

Internal communication barriers are obstacles that hinder the effective exchange of information within an organization.

2. What are the challenges to internal communications?

The challenges to internal communications include the lack of active listening, hierarchical structures, inadequate tools, and information overload.