Designing Meaningful Measurement: Aligning Internal Comms to Outcomes That Matter

How do internal communicators demonstrate they’re making a meaningful difference - not just generating clicks or impressions, but genuinely shifting understanding, behaviour, and business performance?

That question shaped our session on Wednesday 11th March, Designing Meaningful Measurement: Aligning Internal Comms to Outcomes That Matter.

We decided to change the format this time and this session was virtual with expert contributions from Catherine Edwards, Senior Comms Consultant, Pinsent Masons and Nicola Fleming, Head of Colleague Communications at Kingfisher.

Our focus was on how internal comms can move beyond clicks and hits to demonstrate real impact.

Why Measurement Matters More Than Ever

With over one hundred reviews and measurement activities under our belt at HarknessKennett, including as an Expert Reviewer for the Cabinet Office, James Harkness introduced the session and welcomed speakers and participants. Being strategic is the holy grail for every communicator and measurement is a critical enabler to achieving that. Nikki Fleming said in her experience, leaders increasingly expect evidence of adoption, behaviour change, trust, and performance.

The shift she said, starts with one simple question: “How would you know this communication worked?”

Leaders rarely answer with “open rates.” Instead, they point to compliance, customer satisfaction, error reduction, delivery milestones, or cultural shifts. Aligning to these business outcomes helps comms teams integrate measurement from the start and position themselves as strategic partners.

Keep It Simple: One Primary Outcome

A key theme from Catherine and Nikki was simplification. Choose one primary outcome for each campaign - one thing you want to influence. Then add one or two secondary indicators if needed. This keeps reporting sharp and focused.

They suggested meaningful outcome categories include:

  • Awareness (targeted reach, understanding)

  • Engagement & Sentiment (participation, tone, pulse checks)

  • Trust & ENPS (confidence in leadership, advocacy)

  • Behaviour & Actions (system use, policy completion, process adoption)

  • Performance Outcomes (customer metrics, operational KPIs, safety, quality)

The most compelling insight:

Numbers show the scale; stories explain the why. Use both, to drive decisions.

Case Study: Global Pharmaceuticals CRM Transformation

Catherine shared a three-year CRM adoption programme at this global pharma company involving around 50,000 users and a ten-person global comms team. With multiple go-live checkpoints, it was an environment where measurement wasn’t optional - it was essential.

What worked well:

  • Time-bound structure created discipline

  • Regional differences informed tailored comms approaches

  • Blend of digital and human channels (dashboards + drop-in sessions)

  • Weekly sponsor check-ins ensured rapid pivots

One standout example: targeted drop-in sessions revealed adoption barriers in specific regions, allowing the team to intervene quickly and boost confidence. It reinforced the value of human insight alongside dashboards - especially in complex global programmes.

Practical Frameworks

Catherine and Nikki shared some measurement processes that they’ve found useful:

  • OASIS (Objectives, Audience, Strategy, Implementation, Scoring)

  • Know–Think–Feel–Do for audience-focused planning

  • CARL (Context, Action, Result, Learning) for reporting

  • Quick inputs: Teams polls, pulse checks, anecdotal interviews

  • At scale: sentiment tools like EY change insights

One overall recommendation: Schedule a monthly measurement meeting. A simple ritual builds shared language, creates accountability, and surfaces the “so what” that drives action.

Common Challenges - and How to Overcome Them

Both Catherine and Nikki addressed some of the common challenges that Comms pros face when undertaking measurement.

Jumping straight to tactics. Pause. Clarify the outcome first. As Nikki said, a basic comms plan aligns stakeholders and prevents rework.

Over-reliance on channel metrics. Opens and clicks matter year-over-year, but they’re not proof of impact. Link measurement to the business reasons behind communications.

The “post-box mentality.” Catherine shared how creating an internal narrative - clarifying organisational priorities and key messages - helped reframe content requests and encourage contributors to articulate purpose.

They shared key questions to consider

  • How would our leaders know if a communication actually worked?

  • Which outcomes - awareness, behaviour, performance - matter most?

  • What anecdotes could help explain the why behind our numbers?

  • Are we reviewing measurement regularly enough to act on it?

Final Takeaway

Measurement isn’t about dashboards - it’s about discipline. Start with outcomes, combine numbers with stories, and build regular rhythms that turn insight into action. That’s how internal comms demonstrates its value and strengthens its strategic influence.

With over a hundred measurement activities under our belt, we’d welcome a conversation about any measurement challenges you may have and how measurement can be integrated into your communication activity.

Our next session will be in person in London on 10 June at 9:00am, with guest speaker Paul Middleton (Senior Comms Contractor at Flutter) discussing 'How to Communicate AI to the Business. More information to follow - contact Tanya McClelland to pre-register.

Events, Insight & Opiniontanya mcclellandComment