Internal Communications: A Growing Type of Public Relations

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According to SEO-PR, public relations is believed to have been around for almost 100 years.

This means that for 100 years companies, organizations, individuals and groups have been practicing the professional skill of maintaining a positive image in the eye of the public.

Shortly after public relations came to fruition, something called employee communication surfaced on the desks in professional working environments.

How do we engage employees? How do we keep them informed about how their work makes an impact? How do we effectively communicate to participants in our organization?

The questions above were the questions organizations were asking themselves in the mid-1950s.

Internal communications is defined as the transmission of information between organizational members or parts of the organization. It takes place across all levels and organizational units of a company.

This is public relations — just a form that happens internally.

This practice is important to young professionals because they will be entering the field soon and want to be employed by companies that focus on their employees wants and needs. Some companies call internal communication “corporate communications” and this field is perfect for students studying public relations.

Not only is internal communication centered around what PRSSA members are learning in school, through their membership and during internships but it is also a field that is rapidly growing. This is a field that companies are placing a higher priority in today’s society.

For example, Google, an innovation leader in the world of providing information, provides its employees with weekly all hands meetings coordinated by Google’s internal communication team. These give employees the opportunity to have their voices heard and are in a town-hall style where employees from all areas and levels are in attendance.

Examples of internal communication tactics include employee e-newsletters, company intranet websites and interactive social media pages for employees.

This is a practice that will continue to grow and evolve throughout the ages, making it important for us to learn about. Knowing the details of what internal communication includes can make young professionals more marketable, as well as more knowledgeable in the workplace. Start your research today!


Evan is a junior at Bethany College studying integrated media and marketing with a minor in nonprofit management. Evan is the President of the Student Activities Council at Bethany, which is the largest event programming body on campus. He also serves as vice president of his PRSSA Chapter, and is an executive member of his fraternity and other campus organizations. Evan has worked as a conference intern for Beta Theta Pi, as well as a mayoral candidate. He interned at Rogers Corporation over summer in their Corporate Communications department. Evan is looking to get his footing into the fields of marketing and/or sales. To connect with Evan, check out his LinkedIn or email him.

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