La comunicación interna de las empresas españolas en clave estratégica

Abstract

El presente artículo se centra en conocer cuáles son los objetivos, las herramientas y los ejes estratégicos que plantean las empresas españolas en sus planes de comunicación interna (CI). Asimismo, se pretende conocer el contexto empresarial en el que se desenvuelven los departamentos encargados de la CI. Todo ello se analiza profundizando en la posible existencia de similitudes y/o diferencias entre las empresas según las características estructurales de los departamentos y empresas, y también a partir del grado de efectividad autopercibida por los profesionales participantes. Para ello se realiza un estudio cuantitativo sobre una muestra de 118 responsables de CI agrupados en la Asociación de Directivos de Comunicación (Dircom). Los principales resultados muestran que los departamentos de CI de las empresas en España suelen contar con el apoyo de la alta dirección. Sin embargo, pese a la importancia que le atribuyen a la estrategia, los departamentos invierten la mayor parte de sus recursos en aspectos tácticos y técnicos. Finalmente, también se advierte la falta de integración de la comunicación interna y externa, así como de la escasez de presupuesto destinado a CI.

The function of internal communication during the COVID-19 health crisis: Transformation or transubstantiation?

“…When a function is young and in full evolutionary phase, finding a unanimous purpose is never simple, and such is the case with internal communica-tion (Cuenca and Verazzi, 2018;Tkalac, Verčič and Sriramesh, 2012). This confusion is consistent with the fact that even in companies of considerable size it is a function that does not have a large number of people dedicated exclusively to it, nor a large budget (ASCAI and FEIEA, 2018;Dialenga, 2021;Gallagher, 2022); furthermore it is scattered across communication, human resources and marketing; and it is even subordinated to the dominant coalition (Aced-Toledano and Miquel-Segarra, 2021;Aced, Arocas and Miquel, 2021;Cuenca and Verazzi, 2018;Dialenga, 2021;Gallagher, 2022;Tkalac et al, 2012). Yet all academics and practitioners agree that IC is a function focused on internal audiences that is one of the fastest growing specialisations of public relations as an essential element in the preservation of corporate culture and change management, and always aligned with the corporate objectives of the organisation (Berceruelo, 2020;Cuenca and Verazzi, 2018;Hume and Leonard, 2014;Meng and Berger, 2012;Mishra, Boynton and Mishra, 2014;Theaker, 2022;Tkalac et al, 2012;Yaxley and Ruck, 2015).…”

“…The original IC function was to promote and develop a fluent relationship between people, and to facilitate the circulation and exchange of information concerning the organisational mission (Frank and Brownell, 1989). Now, however, IC is becoming a highly professionalised two-way strategic praxis in organisations and in the field of consultancy services and specialised agencies (Aced-Toledano and Miquel-Segarra, 2021;Cowan, 2017;Verazzi, 2018, 2020;Dahlman and Heide, 2021;FitzPatrick and Valskov, 2014;Karanges et al, 2015;Men and Bowen, 2016;Men and Yue, 2017;Aced, 2018, 2019;Verčič, Ćorić and Vokić, 2021;Zerfass and Viertmann, 2016). In brief, it has evolved into a fundamental activity to cement and maintain a psychological contract based on trust and employee engagement (Castro-Martínez and Díaz-Morilla, 2020;Qin and Men, 2022;Ruck, 2020;Ruck and Men, 2021;Santoso, Sulistyaningtyas and Pratama, 2022;Yeomans and Carthew, 2014;Xifra, 2020;Zerfass et al, 2017Zerfass et al, , 2019Zerfass et al, , 2021.…”

“…It helps achieve organisational differentiation, efficiency and innovation, and address reputational challenges (Berceruelo, 2020). What is more, it is a tool for building community, for creating and maintaining a desired and useful level of satisfaction and performance (Sinčić, Pološki and Tkalac, 2020;Tkalac and Spoljarič, 2020;Berceruelo, 2020), and for influencing and relating to these internal publics (Aced-Toledano and Miquel-Segarra, 2021;Cutlip, Center and Broom, 2006;Tkalac, Sinčić and Pološki, 2021;Theaker, 2022).…”

“…There was total unanimity (100%) regarding the fact that during the period studied no structural changes took place. Instead, pressure on the role of IC can be observed in terms of the demand for greater contact with staff; the need to circulate information and advice to deal with and reduce any concerns or sense of isolation; digital training; and fostering dialogue, transparency and trust in performance (Verazzi et al, 2022;Aced-Toledano and Miquel-Segarra, 2021;Theaker, 2022).…”