THEMES THAT WILL FEATURE FOR BUSINESS IN 2024
The best performing companies understand that success begins with the internal audience and are willing to invest, writes Sharon Murphy, chief executive of Wilson Hartnell
Greater Focus on Internal Communication
On 11 March 2024 it will be four years since the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 a pandemic. While many businesses and people have adjusted well to the new world order of work, evaluating performance across the spectrum from employee needs through to the achievement of business outcomes remains in constant focus.
Hybrid working has increased the need for a greater focus on internal communication to enable and sustain a happy equilibrium between what employees want now and into the future, whilst also ensuring that companies realise outcomes to satisfy the expectations of all stakeholders. Internal communications oils the wheels of an organisation so that it can achieve its objectives. The best performing companies understand that success begins with the internal audience and are willing to invest.
Employee Advocacy
Internal communications is not just about providing information, its ultimate goal should be to drive advocacy. A new Ogilvy Red Paper delves into six transformative influence trends that will shape and define 2024, and reveals that internal voices will increasingly drive external impact. Nearly nine in ten (89%) of C-suite marketers recognise the benefits of employee advocacy on platforms such as LinkedIn, but 2024 will usher in more B2C brands capitalising on their employees’ influence. Employees quickly win over consumers’ trust thanks to their uniquely informed insights and authentic advocacy of a business.
AI Influence Goes Hyper-Personal
The Ogilvy Red Paper also outlines that Artificial Intelligence will tighten its grip on Influencer marketing as Meta rolls out its AI personas in the new year. Virtual twins of household names such as Kendall Jenner – named Billie – will shift influence from passive spectatorship to hyperpersonalised interactions in ways fans once thought was impossible.
The Human Touch
Human skills will provide a counter balance to the rise of AI. While AI will play a role in solving some of the biggest challenges of our time, the power of human skills shouldn’t be underestimated. Defining the relationship and prioritising tasks between the two will be key to success.
Ethics as a Strong Guiding Force
The best organisations are the ones that create a culture where good ethical values can flourish, where there is freedom to challenge the status quo and question if the ethical principles and practices adopted and applied are still fit for purpose for today and tomorrow. Oftentimes, ethics are not given due respect or consideration. It takes their absence to fully appreciate their true power and it is only then that their significance is most keenly felt – by which time the damage has already been done.
We must learn from past failings where ethical considerations were not considered enough, or in some cases, not at all. Recognising the powerful effect that strong ethical standards play in driving trust ensures that ethics are hard wired into an organisation. Driving excellence in ethics is akin to providing oxygen to breathe, thereby providing businesses with the confidence to make sustainable progress.
New Gears on Sustainability
With 2025 signposting the halfway point to 2030, next year should see companies closely review and evaluate progress on their sustainability commitments. Businesses should not fear publicising their progress when they can substantiate their actions. There is no opting out, and taking meaningful action and communicating progress provides a blueprint for others to follow. Employees and customers will be expecting them because humanity is dependent on business delivering on our collective sustainability mission.