Harnessing Data to Elevate Internal Communications

How data helps with decision-making

While instinct and experience are valuable qualities in today’s competitive business landscape, they alone are no longer sufficient. What internal communicators need is data.

For internal communicators, data is more than just numbers—it’s insight, influence, and impact. With the right data, you can move beyond simply delivering messages to truly understanding how employees engage with them. More importantly, data empowers you to back your decisions with evidence, tailor your strategies to different audiences, and prove the value of your work to leadership. It turns communication into a strategic function—not just a support role.

Data-driven companies are nearly three times more likely to report significant improvements in their decision-making than those that don’t, according to research from professional services firm PwC.

A report from consulting firm McKinsey arrives at a similar conclusion: Organizations that rely on customer analytics are 23 times more successful at acquiring new customers than rivals that don’t. They’re also 19 times more likely to achieve above-average profitability.

Whether it’s website traffic, email performance metrics, or employee engagement surveys, professional communicators must validate their intuition with statistics. Combining creative ideas and gut feelings with empirical evidence is key to establishing an effective internal communications strategy.

What is data-driven communication?

Below are three ways internal communicators can use data-driven business decisions to both bolster their career and get ahead of the competition.

1. Expose weaknesses and uncover opportunities

Seeing a number that’s much higher or lower than you expected can be a sobering experience. Yet discovery is the first step to recovery – and beyond.

By harnessing data-driven insights into what’s working and what’s not, internal communicators can turn points of weakness into opportunities for improvement.

When it comes to email analytics, a great place to start is PoliteMail’s 2025 Internal Communications Benchmark Report, which examined 4.8 billion internal emails sent to more than 12 million employees around the globe. The report looks at 10 S&P industry sectors across 7 distribution sizes, meaning there are relevant metrics for every comms professional wanting to know how their email read times and click-through rates stack up compared to other organizations.

2. Track progress and make adjustments

More than just getting you started, data can also keep you on track.

Measurement tools for internal communication will reveal if your plan is taking your team in the right direction or not. Experiment and examine the results constantly, making adjustments as needed.

The trick here, of course, is to take an always-on approach. Limiting your data collection to one annual survey or a small window of time isn’t nearly enough information to see trends and identify patterns.

Monitor as much as you can to understand why your department is either meeting or missing its key performance indicators (KPIs).

3. Get a seat at the leadership table

If you can’t quantify how internal communications benefits your company, neither can your leadership team. That’s why the best way to get executive buy-in is through hard data. Linking your metrics to the financial results members of the C-suite care about is bound to get you a seat at the leadership table.

One method of keeping leadership in the loop is through an executive dashboard. This real-time visual tool should display an overview of KPIs that matter to the person accessing it. Keep it concise and jargon-free, so that executives can open the platform and quickly gather the information they need to make a data-backed decision. The goal is to inform, not overwhelm.

Use PoliteMail to improve business outcomes

Most email tools only give you the basics: opens, clicks, maybe bounce rates. But internal communications are far more nuanced. Internal communicators need to understand who is engaging, how they’re engaging, and what types of content are most effective across departments and roles.

You need more than surface-level stats—you need real insights into what’s working (and what’s not) so you can reach people in meaningful ways.

With unmatched data depth and a platform designed specifically for communicators, PoliteMail helps you move from sending emails to shaping strategy.

PoliteMail isn’t just another email tool. It’s built specifically for internal communications teams who need solid data to back up their strategy. Here’s what you can expect:

1. Advanced engagement metrics:

Beyond opens and clicks, PoliteMail measures attention time, read time, and which employee segments are most engaged.

2. Audience segmentation:

Break down data by location, department, business unit, or custom groups to understand exactly where your communications are landing—or missing the mark.

3. Benchmarking & trend analysis:

Measure your performance against industry benchmarks and identify long-term engagement trends.

4. Content optimization:

See what content performs best and refine your messaging for maximum impact.

Transforming Communicators into Strategic Advisors

When you use PoliteMail, you’re not just sending messages – you’re gathering intelligence. Armed with robust data, internal communicators can:

1. Advise leadership with confidence, using real data to inform communication strategy.

2. Improve message effectiveness by identifying what works and eliminating what doesn’t.

3. Demonstrate ROI for internal communication efforts, proving their value to the broader business.

This shift—from content creators to strategic advisors—gives internal comms a seat at the table and positions teams to drive meaningful organizational change.

Overall, PoliteMail goes beyond basic email open rates with a range of nuanced metrics that benefit internal communicators of all backgrounds, regardless of their industry or company size.

For internal communicators looking to embrace the power of data but not sure where to start, PoliteMail offers a free course through its Employee Communication Academy. Here, you can learn how to turn data analytics into action by sourcing information, selecting the appropriate KPIs, and presenting your findings to the leadership team.

Once a niche advantage for a select few, data analytics has become an essential part of modern-day business. By building a strong foundation today, internal communicators will be better prepared to unleash strategies that drive success into the future.