• Face-to-face communication is of enormous importance especially in complex, critical and emotional situations. It usually complements other communication formats.
• The targets of face-to face communication are building trust, creating opportunities for feedback, achieving credibility and authenticity, mutual understanding, target group participation - especially among employees, and loyalty to the company.
• To avoid overstraining the potential and resources of face-to-face communication, it should be integrated into existing communication channels. As far as possible it should be supported by technology (e.g. video transmission of events).
• It is clear that face-to-face communication does not have an effect per se but must be adapted to the expectations of the targets groups.

Application

• Most formats of face-to-face communication are aimed at internal target groups, especially executives.
• However, face-to-face communication also offers great potential to reach out to external stakeholder groups, such as journalists and politicians.
• Many formats of face-to-face communication are not real dialogues, but are communication channels with a dialogic character. However, this could change in the wake of digital and social media communication.

Formats

• Formats of face-to-face communication can be distinguished according to whether they are aimed at a smaller group or a large plenum - for example at all employees of a large global company or only at selected executives.
• Many formats of face-to-face communication are more likely to address small groups in order to build trust or improve networking. Many formats are aimed specifically at company executives - for example strategy dialogues, management conferences and workshops as well as information events of the executive board.

• Target groups of face-to-face formats prefer a small circle of participants, exchange on equal terms and open discussions instead of lectures.
• The employees consider the mutual exchange on relevant topics particularly helpful. They want to have a discussion that is open and tries to reach a common goal.
• Employees and executives also expect openness, transparency and credibility.
• It is challenging to balance the expectations of the target groups and what is actually feasible in terms of resources.
• The management board should express themselves clearly and base communication on the facts. The views of the target groups should be taken into account and should be valued.

Methodology

• Firstly, we analyzed existing communication research papers on this topic.
• Then we conducted telephone interviews with 17 decision-makers from corporate communications departments of the top 500 companies as well as from one medium-sized company in Germany. We asked them about the importance and goals of face-to-face communication, their reasons for using it, about how they plan and implement it as well as what kind of expectations their target groups might have.
• In the last step we asked 670 managers of German companies with at least 1,000 employees about their views on face-to-face communication and what they expect to gain from it.

Scientific background

• Channels or media: in communication science research has traditionally focused on mass media communication as opposed to interpersonal exchange.
• Actors: face-to-face communication refers to the exchange between two individuals. In line with the mass media's focus, PR has long concentrated on the exchange of a single actor, e.g. a company with diverse target groups.
• Characteristics and forms: above all, the idea of dialogue is repeatedly linked to face-to-face communication.