
The US retail chain Sears was the first organization to link employee engagement with superior financial performance. Since then, consistent surveying by Willis Towers Watson has proved time and again that companies with more engaged employees are more profitable. In fact, they can outperform their industry peers by a factor of 3.5.
So if engagement is such a prized goal, how can HR departments implement an internal communications strategy most effectively to increase employee engagement? Poppulo guest writer and communications expert Andy Blacknell has identified three areas that provide opportunities for an HR strategy to contribute to driving engagement.
This guide also includes case studies from organizations who have implemented engagement strategies, including Pernod Ricard, edf energy, Avery Dennison and Aviva.

Internal communication is under real pressure. IC teams are expected to support leaders, shape culture, and deliver relevant, personalized communication to an increasingly diverse audience—all while operating at greater speed and scale than ever before. AI arrives at the right moment. It doesn’t replace communicators; it elevates them. Applied well, AI sharpens the fundamentals of effective communication: diagnosing issues, shaping the narrative, guiding leaders, and delivering messages that connect people to purpose and progress. At its best, AI accelerates drafting, adapts content for different formats, improves accessibility, and surfaces insights about what’s landing. Without governance, though, it can create noise or risk. The opportunity for IC teams is to bring AI in thoughtfully, with governance and human judgment at the center. This guide shows how to do exactly that. Inside, you’ll find practical guidance on when to use AI, where humans remain essential, how to establish guardrails, how to prompt effectively, and how to scale AI responsibly across channels and teams.

Clear answers on security, data protection, integrations, deployment, AI governance, and enterprise scalability.

When communication is clear, consistent, and grounded in purpose, HR becomes one of the most powerful drivers of culture and performance. But that only happens when people understand what’s being asked of them—and feel connected to why it matters. This guide is for HR professionals who want to align their communication strategy with the things that matter most: engagement, retention, wellbeing, and trust. It brings together practical thinking, real-world insight, and clear guidance on how to measure what’s working—and where to adjust. From AI and analytics to channel strategy and message design, we explore how to build a communication approach that supports your people and delivers real impact. Inside the Guide How leadership, HR, and internal comms can align to shape culture The impact of AI on HR communication and KPI strategy Why multichannel messaging matters—and how to do it well The KPIs that help HR teams track progress, improve clarity, and build trust A practical framework for building a people-first comms strategy How analytics can help you learn what’s landing and where to improve Smart communication means making every message count. This guide shows you how to do it.