In this week’s episode, Jesse sat down with Frank van de Koppel of Hotwire Global, and expert in internal and external communications. This conversation explored the evolving landscape of internal communications, touching on strategy, engagement, technology, AI, and the human side of keeping employees informed, connected, and valued. Here are the five key takeaways:
1. Strategy is more than a plan: it builds accountability and connection
Frank emphasized that communication strategy goes beyond creating a plan, and rather, is about connecting the dots between the organization, the message, and the audience. It creates accountability by asking the uncomfortable but important questions and guiding communication efforts to optimize engagement and belonging. Even small actions, such as recognizing hard-working teams, can have a significant impact. Strategy ensures that communications are intentional, rather than assumed, and helps prevent messages from being lost in the noise.
2. Creating a sense of belonging is central to internal comms
Internal communications are most effective when it fosters genuine connection and belonging. Frank shared examples, such as Hotwire’s Eurovision-inspired live stream, where creative approaches made corporate updates engaging and impactful. The key is to make employees feel involved in the story, encouraging two-way feedback, and continuously adapting messages to meet audience needs. Repetition, creative formats, and personalized communication all contribute to helping employees feel valued and heard.
3. Technology is only effective with proper implementation and governance
While tools like Teams or AI are often touted as solutions for communication challenges, Frank highlighted that overhyped technology without proper setup can fail. Successful adoption requires clear governance, change management, and integration into workflows. Tools cannot fix company culture: skills, processes, and shared ways of working are what shape organizational culture. Technology should support human connection and efficiency, not replace strategy or empathy.
4. AI has transformative potential, but human judgement remains critical
The conversation explored AI’s growing role in internal communications, from improving knowledge sharing to dynamically generating content or providing TLDRs summaries. AI can enhance relevance, making meetings more digestible through transcription, and help communicators provide proactive insights. However, Frank stressed that AI is not a replacement for thoughtful strategy: humans must still focus on relevance, clarity, and minimizing information overload. Future tools may blur the line between colleague and AI, but kindness and consideration remain essential.
5. Kindness, safe spaces, and continuous learning underpin effective communication
Beyond strategy and technology, Frank repeatedly highlighted the importance of empathy, kindness, and creating safe spaces for teams. This allows employees to contribute creatively without fear of immediate judgement, and supports professional growth. He also addressed the widening technology skills gap, accelerated by AI, underscoring the necessity for continuous learning and adaptation. Successful communicators must balance complexity with simplicity, consider audience needs, and foster environments where people feel recognized, capable, and safe to innovate.
If you’re an internal comms, digital workplace, or knowledge management expert and have something to share, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch.