How Targeting the Right Employees Boosts Engagement and Retention

Sending the right message to the right people at the right time has never been more important. When employees receive communications that are relevant to their roles and needs, engagement increases. Conversely, sending irrelevant messages may lead to what communication experts call “message fatigue.” Message fatigue may lead to important updates getting lost in the noise.

The Power of Tailored Internal Communications

Do you remember the days of the company-wide email blasts that applied to only a fraction of recipients? This is no longer the case. Today’s internal communications (link to Creating a Year-Round Communications Strategy article) require precision and personalization to be effective.

According to a recent Gallup study, employees who receive relevant, targeted communications are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged at work. This translates directly to business outcomes – organizations with highly engaged teams report 21% higher profitability and 41% lower absenteeism.

It’s simple – when employees receive information that matters to their specific role, they feel valued and included in the company’s mission.

Step 1: Identifying Your Internal Audience Segments

To target your audience effectively, you must first understand the composition of your overall employee universe.

Start by mapping your organization into logical segments:

• Department-based groups (marketing, IT, operations, etc.)
• Role-based categories (managers, individual contributors, executives)
• Location-based divisions (remote workers, headquarters staff, regional offices)
• Project teams or cross-functional groups
• Tenure-based segments (new hires, veterans, mid-career professionals)

Beyond these structural divisions, consider developing employee personas that reflect different information needs and communication preferences. Research by Deloitte found that organizations using detailed employee personas in their communications strategy reported 33% higher employee satisfaction scores.

For example, a frontline retail employee needs operational updates and customer service information while your IT security team requires more detailed technical bulletins. Understanding these distinct needs prevents information overload and ensures critical messages reach their intended audience.

Step 2: Crafting Messages That Resonate

Now that you’ve identified your audience segments, create content that speaks directly to each group’s unique needs.

Start with the fundamentals:

• Use language and terminology that resonates with the specific audience
• Frame content in terms of its relevance to their daily work
• Highlight the call to action required for each group
• Address the “what’s in it for me” question upfront

A Harvard Business Review study found that communications crafted with specific audience segments in mind achieved 23% higher comprehension rates and 27% better action response rates than generic messages.

Step 3: Choosing the Right Channels for Each Audience

In addition to tailoring messages to different employee groups, how these different groups prefer to receive their messages is also important. Different employee groups prefer to receive messages via different channels.

A comprehensive internal communications strategy (link to Creating a Year-Round Communications Strategy article) should leverage multiple platforms:

• Email for detailed, documented communications
• Intranet for searchable reference materials
• Mobile apps for on-the-go field staff
• Digital signage for high-visibility announcements
• Team messaging platforms for collaborative discussions
• Video for complex or emotionally resonant topics

Research from Workforce Institute shows that 75% of employees prefer different communication channels based on their role and work environment. For instance, desk-based knowledge workers typically prefer email and intranet resources, while frontline retail staff respond better to mobile notifications and in-person briefings.

Creating a channel strategy that matches specific types of communications to the most effective delivery methods is essential.

Step 4: Measuring the Impact of Targeted Communications

Refining your targeting approach over time is essential. To do this, you need measurement systems to track how different audience segments engage with your communications.

Key metrics to monitor include:

• Open and click-through rates for digital communications
• Survey-based comprehension scores
• Completed calls to action
• Channel preference data
• Feedback on message relevance and usefulness

Organizations that regularly measure their internal communications effectiveness (link to Purposeful Communications article) report 29% higher overall employee satisfaction scores, according to research from the International Association of Business Communicators.

Targeted internal communications ensure employees only receive information relevant to their roles and responsibilities. By targeting communications. Organizations can dramatically improve employee engagement, reduce information overload and build a more connected workplace. Your employees will thank you with their attention, engagement, and loyalty – the true measures of internal communications success.

Have a question? Schedule time with Edward Sanchez, Director – Customer Adoption & Engagement, by clicking here.