Exploring Internal Comms

Our April issue highlights an always-popular topic: internal communications.

For insights, we turned to PRSA’s Employee Communications Section members, including its chair, Ally Bunin. Leading off in a roundtable discussion, we hear about opportunities and challenges for the sector.

There will be more discussion on this topic during their Connect23 Conference — titled “Blurred Lines: Embracing the New Demands of ‘Mixternal’ Communications” — on May 1-3 in Orlando, Fla. 

I asked the participants more about this “mixternal” concept.

“‘Mixternal’ communication is the idea that both internal and external audiences should be considered — if not included — in all communications campaigns. For too long, these two audiences have been addressed in silos. It’s time to consider how external messages might also impact employees,” said Amy Jenkins, director of client strategy and success, theEMPLOYEEapp. “Anything communicated internally could become external, just as anything shared externally can affect employees, too. It’s time for these teams to collaborate on strategies and goals.”

You read the full Q&A at this link.

Elsewhere in our feature section, Media Oakes, APR, discusses how to help line-level supervisors better communicate with their teams, while Debora Volansky provides tips to improve your next virtual meeting.

Elsewhere, Leah Gladu offers ways to maintain and demonstrate a brand’s commitment to trust, authenticity and care when making difficult decisions around reducing a workforce. She writes: “It isn’t an easy task, acknowledging the discomfort and taking responsibility for the moment is critical for leaders and their organizations.”

Highlighting Accreditation 

April is Accreditation Month at PRSA, an opportune time to learn how becoming Accredited in Public Relations can help advance your communications career.

In this issue, Crystal M. Brown, APR, discusses the career journey that saw her transition from marketing to internal communications. “Becoming Accredited was one of the best investments I made for myself, my profession and my customers,” she writes.

In our Profiles in PR feature this month, Managing Editor Amy Jacques talks with Tara L. Smith, M.S., APR, director of the M.A. in Strategic Communication at the University of Delaware and an instructor in the Department of Communication. 

She also serves as president of PRSA’s Delaware Chapter. Smith, who earned her APR in 2017, is a major proponent of Accreditation, which she discusses in the interview on Page 19.

You can find more insights from Accredited PRSA members on our blog, PRsay, and on our social media platforms in April. Members can also sign up for The Pinnacle. This monthly newsletter offers a roundup of programs and insights designed for communications professionals who may be interested in pursuing their APR. 

Hosting S&T Live in April

Melissa Vela-Williamson, APR, who has written our “Cultural Strategy” column since January 2021, will be my guest on the next Strategies & Tactics Live. Join us on LinkedIn on April 27 at 1 p.m. ET.

She recently published her first book, “Smart Talk: Public Relations Essentials All Pros Should Know,” which will undoubtedly be among the topics of our conversation.