Internal Megaphoning

Every day, employees talk – about what’s going well and what’s not. These internal conversations, often informal and spontaneous, are examples of „internal megaphoning“. Wether positive or negative, this kind of communication can strenghten or weaken team spirit, individual motivation, and the working athmosphere.

The article „Internal Megaphoning – What echoes through the corridors?“ explores how managers and employees engage in internal megaphoning and investigates which factors of strategic internal communication can promote positive or reduce negative megaphoning. Based on these insights, if offers practical recommendations for communication departments on how to effectively address and manage internal megaphoning.

Internal Conversations have an Impact

Internal megaphoning describes the way employees share their experiences about their workplace – positively or negatively. While enthusiasm can strengthen culture and belonging, criticism offers valuable feedback that should not be ignored. Modern internal communication is no longer just top-down. It thrives on dialogue and employee perspectives. This research explores how organizations can foster positive megaphoning and address concerns early to build stronger, more engaged teams.

Internal Megaphoning refers to the voluntary disclosure of information about the company’s strengths (positive megaphoning) or weaknesses (negative megaphoning) by its staff to other staff, such as employees to their managers or colleagues (Lee, 2020b; see also Kim & Rhee, 2011).

Research shows that almost all employees engage in internal megaphoning, with positive and negative expressions occurring at nearly the same frequency. Managers with staff responsibilities are particularly active, often voicing both supportive and critical perspectives.

Four distinct types of internal megaphoners can be identified. Their internal communication behavior closely aligns with how they speak about the company externally. Employees who emphasize negative aspects internally are also more likely to do so outside the organization. The same applies to positive megaphoning.

The findings underline the significant role of internal communication—especially strategic communication—as a driver of positive dialogue within and beyond the company.

Key Drivers of Positive Internal Megaphoning

Strategic internal communication significantly influences how employees talk about their organization. Four main dimensions shape positive internal megaphoning:

1. Quality: Well-designed formats such as intranets, magazines, or corporate TV – when perceived as clear, engaging, and satisfying – encourage employees to speak positively about their company.
2. Task: Internal communication strengthens positive megaphoning when it fosters identification with the company, supports integration, and motivates contribution to organizational goals. Purely task-related information, however, shows little effect.
3. Style: An encouraging, objective, and employee-oriented communication style promotes positive megaphoning. A determining or overly controlling style, by contrast, has no positive impact.
4. Channels: Multiple channels contribute to positive megaphoning -ranging from company-wide newsletters to personal emails and team meetings. Face-to-face communication proves especially powerful: the more frequently it occurs, the stronger the positive internal megaphoning.

Strategic Internal Communications is limited in preventing negative Internal Megaphoning

Strategic internal communication is effective in fostering positive megaphoning but has little impact on preventing negative megaphoning, which often stems from unresolved problems or dissatisfaction. Communication efforts should therefore focus on amplifying positive voices – through empathetic, clear, and engaging formats – while also addressing employee concerns via active feedback and meaningful dialogue. This dual approach strengthens internal culture and supports positive external communication.

Outlook

Internal megaphoning offers companies both an opportunity to strengthen employee engagement and a signal for areas requiring improvement. Future research should explore what triggers positive and negative megaphoning, which topics employees most often address, and how these dynamics influence identification, commitment, motivation, and engagement.

About the study

The research findings on internal megaphoning were presented as part of the larger study “Effect and Use of Internal Communication”. The project team from the University of Münster includes Professor Volker Gehrau, Julia Lührmann, M. A., Professor Ulrike Röttger and Professor Helena Stehle. The project was partly funded by the Academic Society for Management & Communication.

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