Workplace communication is evolving fast. If you’re an HR, internal communication, or IT leader within your company, your job hinges heavily on staying updated on the latest developments and best practices.
But knowing where to look for unique ideas and advice is another matter. It's not always easy to identify who to turn to for the best insights.
The good news? We've done the research for you. We have been following and learning from many thought leaders over the years. And with this post, we’ll share the list of our favourite internal communication influencers with you. Let’s begin.
Best internal communication influencers to follow in 2022
Jenni Field, Redefining Communications
Jenni Field is a communications strategist with more than 20 years of experience spread over several industries, including the public sector, travel, hospitality, and defence. And she has served in a director-level role at many global companies, such as the pharmaceutical giant Perrigo.
Besides that, she has been quoted by numerous renowned publications like The Times and Raconteur, and she is one of the Inspiring Workplaces’ Top 101 Global Employee Engagement and Experience Influencers.
You should follow her especially for her insights and research into deskless workers, workplace culture, leadership, hybrid working, boundaries, and productivity. Apart from running a consulting firm, Jenni speaks often at industry events and organizations, along with hosting an award-winning podcast.
How to learn from Jenni:
- Read her book — Influential Internal Communication.
- Listen to her podcast — Redefining Communications.
- Follow the Redefining Communications blog.
Steve & Cindy Crescenzo (Crescenzo Comms)
Steve and Cindy Crescenzo have been in the communications space for over 20 years each, and have worked with thousands of communicators.
Steve started as a journalist for trade publications like The Ragan Report and Communication World. And it has been 15 years since he started Crescenzo Communications to help organizations through speaking at conferences, workshops, and consulting. The same goes for Cindy Crescendo.
The duo focuses on simplifying internal communication processes and providing the tools to streamline and extract performance data from these processes. So their expertise also covers conducting surveys, executive interviews, and focus groups.
How to learn from Steve & Cindy Crescenzo:
- Follow the Crescenzo Communications blog.
Priya Bates, Inner Strength Communication Inc.
Priya Bates is an award-winning communicator with a strong emphasis on performance. As the owner of Inner Strength Communication, she takes charge of internal communication and transformational change that connects business goals and employee behavior.
In a career that spans over 20+ years, Priya has managed communications for companies like Compaq, Loblaw Companies Limited, and HP in Canada. And all of these companies have been recognized as top workplaces from time to time.
Priya is an Accredited Business Communicator (ABC), was awarded the Master Communicator (MC) designation in 2010, and IABC fellowship in 2016, which are among the highest global honors for a communications professional.
How to learn from Priya Bates:
- Connect with her on LinkedIn.
- Follow her on Twitter.
Rachel Miller, All Things IC
The founder and principal consultant at All Things IC, Rachel Miller is a globally recognized expert on internal communications.
She helps communication professionals and organizations via training, consulting, and mentoring. And companies like ARM, Lego, BBC, NHS, and British Red Cross have been her clients.
As an experienced and award-winning professional, she has also been teaching Masterclasses since 2014, training hundreds of comms professionals. And her articles and podcast episodes are jam-packed with actionable internal communication strategies.
How to learn from Rachel Miller:
- Check out her blog and podcast.
Advita Patel, Comms Rebel
Advita Patel is an experienced speaker and the director of Comms Rebel, helping executives and organizations with solutions that improve internal communication and workplace diversity.
She has been working in internal communications and change management fields for over 17 years, and has helped companies in multiple business verticals including education, transport, healthcare, and energy. Her client list consists of businesses like Royal Mail, Puma, Amazon, and Magnox.
How to learn from Advita Patel:
- Connect with her on LinkedIn.
- Follow her on Twitter.
- Listen to the Calm Edged Rebels podcast.
Liam FitzPatrick, Donhead Consultants
Liam spent several years as a PR professional, eventually discovering his passion for change communication. Since then, he has helped many well-known companies in retail, fashion, pharma, transport, and other sectors with this specialization.
From safety improvement to strategic reviews, and from crises to quality improvements, he has worked on almost every kind of transformation.
He also lectures at many universities and has authored two books on best practices of internal communication.
How to learn from Liam FitzPatrick:
- Connect with Liam on LinkedIn.
- Follow him on Twitter.
- Read his book — Successful Employee Communication.
Paul Barton, PBC
Paul Barton has spent years helping senior leaders and managers connect with their workforce and customer base. And his advice has been featured on several podcasts, blogs, and magazines.
His career spans over 20 years and six large organizations, after which he started a consulting firm. Through this company, he provides strategic guidance, workshops, coaching, as well as hands-on support. And his clients include a wide range of businesses such as CBRE, Banner Health, Swire Coca-Cola, and more.
Apart from that, he is also the author of the book Maximizing Internal Communication, a designated member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), and a sought-after speaker.
How to learn from Paul Barton:
- Follow him on Twitter.
- Connect with him on LinkedIn.
- Read his book — Maximizing Internal Communication.
Harriet Small, Comms Over Coffee
Harriet Small is the founder of Comms Over Coffee and a communications expert with over 12 years of experience in a wide range of business sectors. She has worked with companies such as Hackney Council, Transport for London, the European Union, NHS, and more.
In 2019, she won the IoIC rising star award, and she was recently shortlisted in the internal communication category for The UK and Europe Employee Engagement award. She has also been in charge of communication and employee engagement in the Strategic Insights Team at Sky.
Her insights come from a keen visual awareness and observations on how social media, podcasting, videos, and other digital technologies can aid in corporate communications.
How to learn from Harriet Small:
- Connect with her on Twitter.
- Follow her on LinkedIn.
- Listen to her podcast — Have you got 5 minutes?
Tony Stewart, freelance consultant
Tony Stewart uses his expertise in technology, communication, and collaboration to form digital employee engagement solutions for big brands around the world. From social media platforms to chatbots, he deeply understands both the medium and the message.
Before he freelanced with Scarlett Abbott in 2016, Tony worked on launching a digital workplace platform for a global media company. And he has demonstrated the application of digital communication in various sectors including financial and administrative services.
How to learn from Tony Stewart:
- Connect with Tony on LinkedIn.
- Follow Tony on Twitter.
Andrea Greenhous, Vision2Voice
Andrea is a globally recognized expert in internal communications with 25 years of experience. Plus, she is the founder of Vision2Voice, an internal communications consultancy in Canada. She has led internal communications and business transformation projects at several large corporations.
As a certified change management professional, published author, and speaker, she helps companies improve employee communication by following a people-first approach.
How to learn from Andrea Greenhous:
- Follow her on Twitter.
- Connect with her on LinkedIn.
- Follow her blog.
Wrapping up: top 10 internal communication influencers to follow
Investing in internal communication is a must to differentiate yourself in today’s competitive landscape. But the right investment will require due diligence and awareness of what works and what doesn’t.
That’s where the above list of internal communication influencers can provide tremendous value. These are the people who were once in your shoes and know the challenges of being a communications leader inside and out.
These great minds bring unique and proven insights to the table based on their years of experience — insights that you can implement with confidence in your own company. So take advantage of their wealth of knowledge and connect with them on your favorite social platform today!
