Internal comms teams are looking to shake up the channels they use to communicate within their organisations in 2026, supported by a positive trend towards confidence in their ability to reach employees effectively, according to new research from software company Workshop.
In its Internal Comms Trends 2026 report, more than 70 per cent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with (40 per cent) or were neutral on (32 per cent) the statement: “Our internal comms channels effectively reach all employees”. A further 27 per cent, though, say they’re “still falling short”.
Almost 70 per cent either agreed with (24 per cent), strongly agreed with (20 per cent) or were neutral on (27 per cent) the statement “I have the tools I need to reach every employee in my organisation”. A further 32 per cent say they’re “still missing something essential”.
In 2025, the report found email to be overwhelmingly the most effective channel for internal comms teams (81 per cent), followed by in-person events (35 per cent) and company intranets (31 per cent).
As we head into 2026, however, communicators rate the intranet as their top priority. More than half of respondents (52 per cent) say they want to invest more time or resources into it in 2026, followed by less than a third saying email (32 per cent) or video (27 per cent). In-person events drops down to only just over a quarter (26 per cent) for 2026.
Despite an eagerness to prioritise intranet communications, this particular channel was reported as being the most challenging to use by 29 per cent of comms teams. The authors claimed that it “rarely shows up as a top performer” and “often carries more frustration than impact”. Many respondents cited outdated platforms, hard-to-find information and internal ownership that is “unclear or constantly shifting”.
The report advises comms teams to use a “balanced mix” of channels and tools for 2026. It claims the most “savvy” teams are pairing stronger channels like email and text messaging with intranets or internal hubs, to “create a system where employees can get the information they need in the moment”.