Newsroom New research reveals “credibility gap” in internal comms: 94% say it’s respected, but only 30% can prove business impact Last updated: May 8, 2026 Calculating… 94% say internal comms is respected Only 30% can clearly measure internal communications impact 60% lack visibility into whether communications are reaching or influencing employees 66% say employees face information overload 56% say poor communication wastes 1–2 hours per employee per week 86% report use of unofficial “shadow channels” like WhatsApp New research from award-winning best intranet Oak Engage reveals a growing “credibility gap” in internal communications, with 94% of HR and comms professionals saying the function is respected, yet just 30% able to effectively measure its business impact. The findings highlight a critical opportunity for organisations to rethink how they measure internal communications, moving beyond traditional metrics like clicks and views towards outcomes that matter — including retention, productivity and cost savings. The study, based on a survey of 250 HR and internal communications professionals across the UK, highlights the urgent need for better measurement, stronger alignment with business goals and smarter use of tools like the employee engagement platforms to drive performance. How to measure internal comms effectively in your business Employee engagement experts Oak Engage, Nick Hollis, Head of Engagement at Burger King UK and Jennifer Sproul, CEO at the Institute of Internal Communication share practical tips on how HR and internal comms professionals can close the gap and measure effectively. Start with business problems HR and IC teams should begin by identifying where the business is losing time, money or performance – then show how communication can help solve it. Jennifer Sproul, CEO of the Institute of Internal Communication advises: “Find out what the business is dealing with and show that your work contributes towards that wider outcome for an organisation. Go and meet your stakeholders and find out what pain points they’re dealing with and what are the big issues that the business needs to solve. Be somebody that really understands the pulse of the organisation day to day. I would also make sure that your business acumen is up. Read about what’s going on, read around those trends and have that credible, insightful knowledge.” Translate insight into business language Leadership doesn’t care about click rates and views. They care about cost savings, efficiency, risk and performance. Using data to guide decision making will build credibility with leaders. Nick Hollis, Head of Engagement at Burger King UK said: “Measure how something was before, whether that’s how much time something took, and then what does that mean in money terms or hours, and then re-measure it at the end and see what the difference is. Then you’re able to give a quantifiable answer – we’ve saved 3000 hours because of X, Y, and Z. Go down the route of money and time.” Become the organisation’s insight engine Comms should not simply distribute messages. It should diagnose issues, surface employee insight and advise the business before problems escalate. Jennifer adds: “We are respected and we are truly influential, but we need to close that gap in how we demonstrate our role and our strategic capability and how we build intelligence, evidence and provide a continuous support mechanism across functions and across stakeholders.” Start small and test what works Teams don’t need a complex measurement framework to start with. They can start with one business challenge, one communication barrier and one measurable outcome. Jennifer comments: “Don’t be afraid to experiment and pick something really small. Take an issue that one of your stakeholders has given you and think about what would be the communication barrier to that. Ask yourself what new type of data collection and insight could I trial to show if that works? Try a different approach to find some evidence that helps you to find a way of showing you have solved or improved that issue.” Use the right technology to prove impact The right technology can help HR and internal communications teams clearly demonstrate impact – especially when it connects communication directly to measurable business results. Nick transformed the digital employee experience using the BK Hub, powered by Oak Engage. They have been able to reduce employee turnover from 98% to 50% and reduce employee turnover by 40%. Nick said: “We can now tie communication directly to retention, time saved and cost. That’s what made the difference.” Products like Oak Engage’s intranet enable organisations to reach every employee, reduce inefficiencies caused by poor communication, improve onboarding and retention and measure internal comms impact in terms leaders understand. For more detailed insight and the rest of the findings from the survey, download Oak Engage’s report from their website. ENDS Note to Editors Methodologies The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 250 professionals working in HR and Internal Comms (18+) across multiple industries (Education, Wholesale/Retail, Healthcare, Hospitality and Manufacturing). The data was collected between 18/02/26 – 25/02/26. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council. For more information contact: Emma Williamson | Head of Brand and Comms | 07548831780 | emma.williamson@oak.com About Oak Engage Oak is an award-winning employee app and intranet software solution. Oak makes it easy to connect and engage desk-based employees with frontline workers, wherever they are. Oak launched in 2017 and are trusted by the world’s biggest brands to connect teams, engage their people and work better together through their mobile app and SaaS (Software as a Service) platform on the cloud. Oak Engage’s key achievements to date: Best Intranet at the IC Brilliance Awards 2026 with GDST Best Intranet at the Gallagher Awards 2025 with ZIGUP Best Intranet at the IoIC Awards 2025 with Burger King UK Winner of Digital Employee Experience at Step Two Awards with Burger King UK Leading product and ClearBox Intranet Choice winner two years in a row Winner at the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards 2024 in three categories with Sevita The Nation’s Best Intranet 2022 with NatWest Group at the IoIC Awards Continually recognised as a High Performer by G2 Committed to data security with ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations Goes above and beyond for customers with 100% satisfaction rate Trusted by the world’s biggest brands including Aldi, Burger King, Five Guys, ITV and NatWest Group
94% say internal comms is respected Only 30% can clearly measure internal communications impact 60% lack visibility into whether communications are reaching or influencing employees 66% say employees face information overload 56% say poor communication wastes 1–2 hours per employee per week 86% report use of unofficial “shadow channels” like WhatsApp New research from award-winning best intranet Oak Engage reveals a growing “credibility gap” in internal communications, with 94% of HR and comms professionals saying the function is respected, yet just 30% able to effectively measure its business impact. The findings highlight a critical opportunity for organisations to rethink how they measure internal communications, moving beyond traditional metrics like clicks and views towards outcomes that matter — including retention, productivity and cost savings. The study, based on a survey of 250 HR and internal communications professionals across the UK, highlights the urgent need for better measurement, stronger alignment with business goals and smarter use of tools like the employee engagement platforms to drive performance. How to measure internal comms effectively in your business Employee engagement experts Oak Engage, Nick Hollis, Head of Engagement at Burger King UK and Jennifer Sproul, CEO at the Institute of Internal Communication share practical tips on how HR and internal comms professionals can close the gap and measure effectively. Start with business problems HR and IC teams should begin by identifying where the business is losing time, money or performance – then show how communication can help solve it. Jennifer Sproul, CEO of the Institute of Internal Communication advises: “Find out what the business is dealing with and show that your work contributes towards that wider outcome for an organisation. Go and meet your stakeholders and find out what pain points they’re dealing with and what are the big issues that the business needs to solve. Be somebody that really understands the pulse of the organisation day to day. I would also make sure that your business acumen is up. Read about what’s going on, read around those trends and have that credible, insightful knowledge.” Translate insight into business language Leadership doesn’t care about click rates and views. They care about cost savings, efficiency, risk and performance. Using data to guide decision making will build credibility with leaders. Nick Hollis, Head of Engagement at Burger King UK said: “Measure how something was before, whether that’s how much time something took, and then what does that mean in money terms or hours, and then re-measure it at the end and see what the difference is. Then you’re able to give a quantifiable answer – we’ve saved 3000 hours because of X, Y, and Z. Go down the route of money and time.” Become the organisation’s insight engine Comms should not simply distribute messages. It should diagnose issues, surface employee insight and advise the business before problems escalate. Jennifer adds: “We are respected and we are truly influential, but we need to close that gap in how we demonstrate our role and our strategic capability and how we build intelligence, evidence and provide a continuous support mechanism across functions and across stakeholders.” Start small and test what works Teams don’t need a complex measurement framework to start with. They can start with one business challenge, one communication barrier and one measurable outcome. Jennifer comments: “Don’t be afraid to experiment and pick something really small. Take an issue that one of your stakeholders has given you and think about what would be the communication barrier to that. Ask yourself what new type of data collection and insight could I trial to show if that works? Try a different approach to find some evidence that helps you to find a way of showing you have solved or improved that issue.” Use the right technology to prove impact The right technology can help HR and internal communications teams clearly demonstrate impact – especially when it connects communication directly to measurable business results. Nick transformed the digital employee experience using the BK Hub, powered by Oak Engage. They have been able to reduce employee turnover from 98% to 50% and reduce employee turnover by 40%. Nick said: “We can now tie communication directly to retention, time saved and cost. That’s what made the difference.” Products like Oak Engage’s intranet enable organisations to reach every employee, reduce inefficiencies caused by poor communication, improve onboarding and retention and measure internal comms impact in terms leaders understand. For more detailed insight and the rest of the findings from the survey, download Oak Engage’s report from their website. ENDS Note to Editors Methodologies The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 250 professionals working in HR and Internal Comms (18+) across multiple industries (Education, Wholesale/Retail, Healthcare, Hospitality and Manufacturing). The data was collected between 18/02/26 – 25/02/26. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council. For more information contact: Emma Williamson | Head of Brand and Comms | 07548831780 | emma.williamson@oak.com About Oak Engage Oak is an award-winning employee app and intranet software solution. Oak makes it easy to connect and engage desk-based employees with frontline workers, wherever they are. Oak launched in 2017 and are trusted by the world’s biggest brands to connect teams, engage their people and work better together through their mobile app and SaaS (Software as a Service) platform on the cloud. Oak Engage’s key achievements to date: Best Intranet at the IC Brilliance Awards 2026 with GDST Best Intranet at the Gallagher Awards 2025 with ZIGUP Best Intranet at the IoIC Awards 2025 with Burger King UK Winner of Digital Employee Experience at Step Two Awards with Burger King UK Leading product and ClearBox Intranet Choice winner two years in a row Winner at the Internal Communications and Engagement Awards 2024 in three categories with Sevita The Nation’s Best Intranet 2022 with NatWest Group at the IoIC Awards Continually recognised as a High Performer by G2 Committed to data security with ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations Goes above and beyond for customers with 100% satisfaction rate Trusted by the world’s biggest brands including Aldi, Burger King, Five Guys, ITV and NatWest Group
