Benchmarks in internal communication – check if you’re doing it right
Imagine this – you call up your friend, the head of communications at another company, and ask: “Hey, how many of your employees check the intranet daily? And what’s your newsletter open rate?”
Sounds awkward? No surprise. By definition, internal communication is… internal. Very few companies share these details publicly, and even at industry conferences, it’s rare to hear concrete numbers.
And here comes the big question: how do we know if our efforts are effective? Is a 45% open rate something to be proud of, or should it be a red flag?
Why is it so hard to compare?
Every company is different. We differ in industry, size, team distribution, proportion of frontline employees, organizational culture, and management style. When looking at benchmarks in internal communication, results can vary dramatically depending on the context. Communication looks completely different in a company where most people work in the field or shifts than in an office where everyone sits at their desk from 9 to 5.
An internal communication result can be excellent in one context and mediocre in another. A 45% open rate at a large retail chain is often something to celebrate – employees have limited computer access, and most information reaches them via mobile apps or in-person meetings. Meanwhile, in an IT company where employees practically live in their inboxes and chat apps, that same result might signal a serious need for improvement.
That’s why looking at raw numbers without context is like judging a book by its cover — it might tell you something, but rarely the full story.
Why do we need benchmarks?
Benchmarks in internal communication are our signposts, helping us understand where we truly stand compared to other organizations. They allow us to evaluate whether our communication activities are actually effective or just appear to be because we have no point of reference.
There are several sources we can use:
- Industry reports, like Gallagher’s State of the Sector, which collect data from hundreds of organizations worldwide.,
- Our own historical data comparing campaigns year over year, across departments, or through different channels.,
- Analyses from independent research firms (Forrester, Deloitte), which show trends and standards in various industries.
Benchmarks in internal communication help us look at results in context instead of analyzing them in isolation. They’re not meant to point out mistakes or judge, but to understand what works well and where there’s still room for improvement. They help draw accurate conclusions, inspire further development, and highlight which initiatives are worth strengthening, which already deliver great results, and which areas still hold untapped potential. Sometimes, a result that seemed average is actually above market standards. Or the opposite – something that looked fine turns out to show there’s plenty of room for bolder action and higher employee engagement.
How can AI help?
AI doesn’t create benchmarks in internal communication out of thin air, but excels at analyzing them and comparing them with our data. Thanks to AI, we gain a much faster and more objective view of communication effectiveness. For example, AI can:
- Compare our results to values from industry reports (if we provide them as input data or links).
- Prepare channel rankings to show which ones are most effective across different departments, locations, or job groups.
- Automatically highlight areas where we’re above or below market averages, based on the data and external benchmarks provided.
- Analyze our historical data and suggest trends, whether we’re heading in the right direction or if there’s a need to change strategy in some area.
Thanks to this, we no longer have to dig through endless spreadsheets or manually compile reports. AI can do it in minutes and immediately suggest possible hypotheses or recommendations.
What tools and how to use them?
- AI language models (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) – ideal for quickly interpreting CSV files, generating summaries, and creating easy-to-understand recommendations.
- BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) – perfect for creating interactive visualizations you can easily present to executives or teams.
- Communication systems with built-in analytics (e.g., Workai) – these allow you to monitor campaign performance in real time, automatically segment audiences, analyze engagement, and generate personalized action recommendations.
During our webinar “Analytics & AI in Internal Communication,” we used Google’s Gemini tool in deep research mode. We uploaded a CSV file containing (anonymized, of course) data from our internal campaign. We then used the following prompt:
„Compare the results of our internal campaign (from the CSV file: engagement rate, conversion rate, CTR, bounce rate) with current market benchmarks for internal communication in companies:
- In the retail industry or organizations with a high number of frontline employees.
- In the Europe region (PL, DE, FR, CZ).
- Across channels: email newsletter, intranet, mobile app, Teams, digital signage.
For each channel, provide:
- Average market benchmark values.
- How our results compare to the market (better, worse, similar).
- Possible reasons for lower performance (if applicable).
Add sources and benchmark dates at the end to ensure data is up-to-date.”
The analysis took only a few minutes, and as a result, we received a comprehensive report based on dozens of sources. Manually analyzing such a volume of data would have taken our team at least several days, if not weeks, and still wouldn’t be as accurate or as broad. Thanks to AI, we quickly obtained a full picture of our campaign effectiveness and immediately identified areas for improvement using benchmarks in internal communication as a reference point.
If you want to see how these analyses looked in practice and what else AI can do for internal communication, be sure to watch our full webinar “Analytics & AI in Internal Communication”.
We also invite you to follow our Linkedin profile, where we share updates from the AI world, campaign insights, behind-the-scenes stories from our projects, and upcoming webinar announcements. This way, you’ll always stay up to date, never miss an inspiration or practical tips.
If you’re curious how AI can completely transform internal communication, check out the AI module – Workai Intelligence. This game-changing solution helps you analyze data in real time, automate content creation, and deliver hyper-personalized communication at scale, all with minimal effort. It’s a powerful way to unlock new levels of efficiency and engagement in your organization.