The Future of Internal Communication
by Institute of Internal Communication
The Future of Internal Communication podcast is hosted by The Institute of Internal Communication – the only professional body solely dedicated to internal communication. This podcast hosts a range of subject matter experts from within and outside internal communication, each sharing their insights on the future of internal communication. These thought-provoking discussions address the critical role of communication as a driver of workplace trust, connection, community, collaboration, innovation, engagement, culture, change, resilience and performance. Organisations today face a rising tide of challenges, causing widespread disruption and demanding wholesale business transformation. How colleagues communicate both on- and off-line is the glue that holds organisations together. Communication cultivates goodwill and drives alignment around a shared purpose. In a rapidly evolving world, Jennifer Sproul, Dominic Walters and Cat Barnard explore opportunity for internal communicators. As
Episodes
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Finding meaning at work with Professor Amy Wrzesniewski
Just when organisations most need to harness the collective intelligence of colleagues and coworkers, increasing numbers report feeling disengaged and demotivated. This shows up in socio-cultural sub-trends that include quiet, loud and revenge quitting, bare-minimum Mondays, shift-sulking,...
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Defining the future of internal communication with Chris Coburn
As the pace of business accelerates and the wider operating environment becomes ever-more complex, organisations are struggling to maintain cohesion and focus. Endless cycles of change, continuous restructuring and a lack of clarity cause engagement and goodwill to flatline. Now more than ever,...
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Internal communication in an age of polycrisis with Ellen Griley
Gallup’s 2026 research shows global engagement has flatlined at 20%. Stress, anxiety and burnout are rife. This has a hugely detrimental effect on business performance, at precisely the time organisations need motivated colleagues to deliver innovation and transformation outcomes. This episode,...
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Expiry date never: age is the new superpower with Victoria Tomlinson
One area where AI is failing to deliver impact is recruitment and hiring. If anything, AI has made already inadequate processes worse. Algorithmic bias is rife and only cookie-cutter candidates seem to make it to the shortlist. This is leading to age discrimination, with people in their forties…
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Hope is a strategy with Ian Pettigrew
Having completed an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, leadership development coach Ian Pettigrew wanted to share his findings. His studies have identified hope as an essential feature of any leadership communication endeavour and a linchpin of successful and lasting...
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The vital importance of access to good work with Anna Ambrose
Good quality, meaningful work is vital for mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. This is even more important for young people entering the labour market for the first time. US research shows university graduates entering the workforce during a recession experience lower earnings for at least...
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Using internal communication to inspire young people at work with Antoinette Gyan
Given the range of global forces disrupting the way work gets done, do we need new ways of leading? What role does communication play in motivating and inspiring young people at work? Through this lens, internal communication has a critical role to play. This episode, Jen, Dom and Cat meet with...
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How to have difficult conversations at work with Neil Hopkins
In 2026, across the board, organisations are struggling to maintain team cohesion. With so many societal issues in need of resolution, and an inflammatory media whose success depends on sensationalist headlines that blame and shame, there’s no shortage of things to disagree on. This has profound...
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How to simplify internal communication with Chris Lovett
Organisations face unprecedented levels of challenge. New technologies, economic and geopolitical instability and more create complexity on a scale most organisations are ill-equipped to address. Confusion reigns and most people at work struggle to know what to address first. But how much of our...
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AI and the future of the intranet with Suzie Robinson
As new generative and agentic AI’s become commercially available, the way colleagues access and consume information and knowledge at work is set to transform. Rather than browse an intranet, soon colleagues will interact with AI agents that cross-reference, interpret, summarise proprietary...
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AI and the future of internal communication with Frank Dias
AI continues to dominate boardroom conversations. As organisations race to achieve efficiency gains, a key question for all professions is the extent to which these new technologies will transform core responsibilities. While certain elements of internal communication are, and should always…
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Bridging generations: the power of mentoring and early careers support with Mercy Abel
The world of work has been in continuous flux since 2020. Every week another crisis emerges to further complicate the delivery of strategic objectives. This is stressful across the board. But what is it like for those who started work for the first time after COVID? What impact do continuously...
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The business value of sustainability communication with Daniel Cope
The UK's net zero sector is now growing three times faster than the broader economy. In summer 2025, the UK Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed that achieving net zero costs far less than inaction and renewable energy has become significantly cheaper faster than previously forecast. Yet…
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The way we talk around here with Gill Ereaut
Highly commended in the 2025 Business Book Awards, The Way We Talk Around Here offers a treasure trove for internal communicators. It examines the intricate interplay between culture and language, showcasing how the forensic analysis of language and discourse can accelerate organisational...
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From crisis communication to resilience communication; the reality of geopolitical conflict with Ada Borucka
With no shortage of external crises to worry about, most forward-thinking organisations by now have devised a crisis communication plan, to assist and reassure colleagues in case of emergency. But what happens when crisis turns from temporary to sustained? How do people working under the threat…
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The impact of financial confidence on organisational wellbeing with Heidi Allan
This episode, Cat, Jen and Dom chat with Heidi Allan who heads up Employee Financial Wellbeing at pensions and investment advisory firm LCP. LCP’s research into financial wellbeing provides illuminating data points that link financial worries to poor engagement, in turn impacting wider...
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2026: a year of internal communication impact with Colin Archer FIIC
Global economic uncertainty shows no sign of abate and most organisations face a challenging 2026. Headcount and budgets are under intense scrutiny and internal communication carries the additional threat of, in some quarters, GenerativeAI offering a plausible and more cost-efficient alternative…
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Exploring the polymorphic organisation with Perry Timms
Whether its geopolitical turmoil, AI, climate chaos, stakeholder activism or intergenerational differences, there’s no shortage of issues inhibiting organisational progress. But this is hardly surprising when we consider so many of the operating frameworks still in use today are now decades old....
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Exploring 2026 labour market dynamics with Neil Carberry OBE
As economic instability continues to confound politicians across the spectrum, the UK labour market remains fragile. With more young people than ever before not in education, employment or training (NEET) and the ever-present threat of AI-induced job losses, internal communicators must find novel...
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S14, Bonus Episode: Exploring the future of internal communication whitepaper, with Joe Salmon
This year, the IoIC published a new whitepaper to explore the future of internal communication. As the only professional body dedicated to internal communication, it is invested in understanding how workplace communication will change and what this means for its members. It strives to understand...
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Using conversation to navigate uncertainty with Margaret Heffernan
Award-winning author and business executive Margaret Heffernan has written extensively about uncertainty. Her book Uncharted: How to map the future became an instant bestseller and featured on Bloomberg’s Best Books of 2021 list. Her most recent book Embracing Uncertainty: How writers, musicians...
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Rethinking leadership for the future of work with Louise Mowbray
The range of challenges confronting businesses today are constant, complex and deeply entangled. There is no rule book for this level of ambiguity and business leaders must grapple with the unknown on a daily basis. This requires an entirely different mindset and the ability to make sense of and...
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Nurturing inclusive work cultures with Amraze Khan
As economic, societal and environmental conditions deteriorate, social tensions are escalating. Some politicians use fear to fuel their own extreme agendas and it’s increasingly popular to blame others for the ills of the world. Nationalism and discrimination are at their worst in decades. This…
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Knowledge sharing in the age of AI with Zoe Colosimo
With a significant proportion of the UK already struggling to access basic online tools and services, digital accessibility is a key issue too few business or political leaders are addressing. Without urgent attention to educate and inform, already disadvantaged and vulnerable people and...
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Exploring the future of leadership communication with Professor John Amaechi OBE
As multiple factors converge to create accelerating operating complexity and ambiguity for most organisations, leadership is under the microscope like never before. For his latest book, organisational psychologist and founder of APS Intelligence John Amaechi OBE explored a range of leadership...
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Creating safer communication at work with Shaun Keep and Paul Adams
As late-stage capitalism continues to prioritise profit over people and planet, we are never far from a breaking news event about corporate corruption, greed or misconduct causing turmoil for those impacted. But more often than not, internal wrongdoing will have taken place for months and years...
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The power of imagination for achieving coliberation with Dr. Christopher Owen
Since the start of 2025, DEI initiatives across the board have been deprioritised. This has left many people, most acutely those in already vulnerable groups, feeling marginalised and anxious. This level of anxiety undermines organisational performance and fuels the already spiralling mental…
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Making the case for spaciousness with Megan Reitz and John Higgins
As time hurtles by at lighting pace, there is scarcely a second to take stock and breathe. Across the world, work seems increasingly harried and fraught and it’s taking its toll on engagement and organisational performance. In this episode, Dom, Jen and Cat talk with Megan Reitz and John Higgins...
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Prioritising heart and soul in business with Shetal Joshi
Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace research reveals a drop in global engagement for only the second time in twelve years. In particular, it shows a sharp drop in manager engagement. This is particularly concerning at a time when all organisations need unity, cohesion and goodwill to…
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Exploring money basics with Peter Komolafe
As economic conditions deteriorate, fears of redundancy and anxiety regarding the cost of living once again grip the UK. Financial wellbeing is a key pillar of wider health and wellbeing. Sadly, it’s often overlooked by employers striving to tick the box of colleague wellbeing in the most…
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How to build community at work with Adele McIntosh
Workplaces across the board are increasingly challenged by complex problems that demand an overhaul of the way work itself is undertaken. AI, geopolitical tensions, shifting attitudes to work, intergenerational differences, the climate crisis and more can easily create internal rifts and tensions...
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Let’s talk about cancer with Alyssa Burkus
Cancer is a word that instils dread into all of us. Long regarded as a disease with no cure, today, one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lifetime. This means we will all know someone who has to deal with the implications of this illness, whether for themselves or…
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Exploring the last human job and the role of connective labour with Allison Pugh
Since the public launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, scarcely a day goes by without a news headline forewarning of mass redundancies caused by technological efficiency. But aren’t there some jobs or vocations where, no matter how sophisticated technology becomes, it simply won’t be able to replicate...
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Internal communication as a vital enabler of colleague engagement with Dr. Sarah Pass
Since the MacLeod report was first published in 2009, Engage for Success (EFS) has become a flourishing all-volunteer collective for those passionate about colleague engagement. A senior lecturer at Nottingham Business School, Dr. Sarah Pass is a practice-oriented academic who concentrates on...
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Harnessing inclusion for a better society with Ryan Curtis-Johnson
In 2025, workplace inclusion remains a key issue for the UK labour market. In summer 2024, the ONS reported the highest number of economically inactive people since 2012. While this label includes students and the retired, it more worryingly includes those who are unable to access the labour…
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The rise and rise of workplace activism and the power of speak up cultures with Megan Reitz and John Higgins
With so many pressing environmental and social challenges to address, workplace activism is on the rise. Concerned citizens are increasingly using whatever means they have – whether as consumers, shareholders, or increasingly now, workers – to raise awareness and effect change for the issues that...
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Beating burnout with Tracey Hewett
According to Mental Health UK, 90% of adults experienced high or extreme levels of stress in 2023, a figure that was consistent across all ages. The same research found 20% of people of working age needed to take time off due to poor mental health. In 2025, there are all manner of reasons why...
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Exploring the IoIC’s AI ethics Charter with Joe McMann and Adele McIntosh
In February 2025, the IoIC launched its AI ethics Charter for internal communication. As GenerativeAI adoption goes mainstream, there are many moral and ethical considerations that require contemplation and resolution. Its implementation requires human care, stewardship and oversight. The goal of...
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Learning how to learn, unlearn and relearn with Beth Salyers
AI and associated technologies are changing the work people do and the way business gets done. As work becomes increasingly digital, scant few of us can remain complacent with our current skills and expertise – we must all upskill to remain relevant and future-ready. This raises interesting...
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S12, E2 - Anticipating 2025 - Shifts, Shocks and Background Noise with Rohit Talwar
As we enter another year of instability and uncertainty, it behoves all organisations to keep one eye on the future for successful innovation and evolution. But shifting out of survival mode to examine the long game remains a challenge for many. Horizon scanning and scenario planning to mitigate...
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Exploring a blueprint for better business with Sarah Gillard
Have we shifted from polycrisis to permacrisis? As geopolitical tensions, extreme weather events and societal discord show no sign of abate, the pressure builds for organisations to end unsustainable business practices and reduce carbon emissions. In addition to regulatory demands, a rising tide…
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What to expect from the Future of Internal Communication Podcast in 2025
In this first episode of 2025, Jen, Dom and Cat review their favourite conversations of 2024. They also discuss the topics, trends and themes they most want to explore in 2025, as shaped by what IoIC members have said they want to learn more about. This episode explores some of the primary risks...
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How to build a movement with Deborah Hale MBE
Deborah Hale MBE has spent her career developing high profile global campaigns. She knows the importance of building brands, navigating complex stakeholders and making change happen by creating enhanced audience engagement. As employers across the board struggle to resume pre-pandemic levels of...
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Bringing sustainability data to life through storytelling with Debra Sobel
As the climate crisis worsens and social inequality escalates, legislation to monitor the sustainability efforts of organisations abounds. But mandatory reporting is often undertaken by executives who don’t socialise their data in a way that helps internal stakeholders feel their employer is…
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Exploring techno-stress and digital overload with Elizabeth Marsh
The volume of digital tools and platforms available to improve how we work expands by the day. But how effectively are we, as users of those products, integrating them into our daily work habits? What provision is made by organisations to make sure their internal stakeholders are skilled to...
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Exploring the social brain with Tracey Camilleri
Tracey Camilleri is the co-founder of the leadership and organisational development consultancy Thompson Harrison. In 2023, her book The Social Brain, co-authored with Samantha Rockey and Robin Dunbar was published to widespread acclaim. In this episode we hear from Tracey as she shares what…
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Mastering professional storytelling with Beatrice N. Kabutakapua
Beatrice Ngalula Kabutakapua is a business storytelling coach who uses the power of story to help organisations and their leaders improve their communication styles. In a commercial world that is increasingly data-driven and preoccupied by measurement, how do we create emotional connection that...
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Helping People Change with Ellen Van Oosten
Ellen Van Oosten is Professor of Organization Behavior at Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio. She’s also the co-author of one of the best books we’ve read about human behaviour. Helping People Change, written by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith and Ellen…
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Designing workplaces for human connectivity with Peter Mandeno
Peter Mandeno is an expert in the science of human connection. His work goes beyond simply explaining why connections matter to show organisations how to improve connectivity outcomes by design – for employee engagement, wellbeing, creativity and performance. As many countries in the Global North...
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Using communication to build trust with James Ball
James Ball is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author. He is a fellow of the think-tank Demos and the political editor of The New European. He is also the current chair of the UK committee of the Ethical Journalism Network. Having been part of the Pulitzer prize-winning journalism…
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About this show
The Future of Internal Communication podcast is hosted by The Institute of Internal Communication – the only professional body solely dedicated to internal communication. This podcast hosts a range of subject matter experts from within and outside internal communication, each sharing their insights on the future of internal communication. These thought-provoking discussions address the critical role of communication as a driver of workplace trust, connection, community, collaboration, innovation, engagement, culture, change, resilience and performance. Organisations today face a rising tide of challenges, causing widespread disruption and demanding wholesale business transformation. How colleagues communicate both on- and off-line is the glue that holds organisations together. Communication cultivates goodwill and drives alignment around a shared purpose. In a rapidly evolving world, Jennifer Sproul, Dominic Walters and Cat Barnard explore opportunity for internal communicators. As
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Institute of Internal Communication
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