Why Internal Comms Still Needs a Human Touch

In a world buzzing with WhatsApp messages, intranet updates, and corporate town halls on Zoom, it’s easy to assume communication is happening all the time, everywhere. But research reveals a surprising gap. A recent Workplace survey by Axios HQ found that 64% of employees feel overwhelmed by digital communications alone. These statistics make one thing clear: in the race to go digital, we have left some crucial tools and people behind.

Internal communication today is more than just pushing messages through digital channels; it’s about ensuring those messages land, are understood, and inspire action. That’s where non-digital methods including notice boards, team huddles, even simple face-to-face chats play a quietly powerful role. Particularly for organisations with distributed, deskless, or frontline employees, these traditional formats can bridge the gap where tech cannot always reach.

Let’s take a closer look at why leaders must rethink their internal comms playbook to include offline channels not as a nostalgic nod to the past, but as a strategic necessity.

Beyond the Clicks: The Human Touch

Digital tools are great at disseminating information. They are fast, measurable, and scalable. But they often fail at one critical thing: making people feel. That’s where offline communication excels. A one-on-one conversation, a morning huddle, or a handwritten thank-you note speaks volumes. It humanises the message and strengthens trust, especially for employees who spend their days on the shop floor, on the road, or at customer-facing counters far from the shiny screens of HQ.

Also, not everyone is glued to a laptop. A warehouse worker or a field technician isn’t refreshing the company intranet between tasks. For them, a well-placed poster in the breakroom or a five-minute team briefing at the start of a shift isn’t “old-school”, it’s relevant and practical.

Internal Comms Can’t Rely on Wi-Fi Alone

Let’s face it: relying solely on digital tools to reach every employee is like assuming everyone in your family reads the group WhatsApp.

Physical channels remain critical for environments where connectivity is patchy, screens are scarce, or time is tight. Sometimes, making something visible physically makes it real.

Moreover, in-person formats create space for nuance and feedback, a luxury that emails and videos often lack. When employees can ask questions, share concerns, and see their leaders speak without a mute button involved, they are more likely to feel seen and heard.

Humans Are Wired for Connection

Imagine a CEO standing in front of a plant-floor team, armed with slides, stats, and a script. Five minutes in, someone from the back shouts, “Boss, we just want to know if we are getting new uniforms this month.” Welcome to the real world.

Face-to-face communication reveals what matters to employees. It helps leaders adjust messaging on the fly, respond in real time, and build credibility through authenticity — no filter, no lag, no buffering.

The bonus? It keeps communication teams grounded. It reminds us that while digital dashboards can track open rates, they can’t track eye rolls and sometimes, that’s the more honest feedback.

Balance Is the New Best Practice

To be clear, this isn’t a call to abandon digital tools. They are vital. But they need to be part of a larger ecosystem, one that includes physical touchpoints, verbal updates, and real-world storytelling.

Internal communications leaders must audit their current approach and ask: Are we accessible to everyone? Or just the digitally inclined? The answer often reveals untapped potential in good old-fashioned offline formats.

Final Word

Inclusion in communication isn’t just about tone and language, it’s about access. And access isn’t always digital. A smart internal communications strategy is one that blends high-tech with high-touch, reaching people where they are, not just where we want them to be.

Because sometimes, the most powerful message isn’t sent. It’s spoken and felt.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Minal Chaterjjee

Minal Chaterjjee holds over two decades of experience. She has tackled communication challenges, made teams more agile and delivered outstanding results for top organisations worldwide including Unilever, Amazon, Medtronic, UltraTech and more.

Problem-solving for leaders is her superpower, and communication is her strategic tool of choice. As a student of human behavior, she brings deep understanding of people into solutions, crafting communication that inspires action.