Internal Communication Research Hub (ICRH) Europe

2026 Summer Webinar Series

Showcasing and discussing contemporary research. Learn how to apply academic research to practice.

A copy of the recently published 5th edition of Exploring Internal Communication will be offered to five people, drawn at random, from those registering for each webinar.

Perspectives and Challenges of Internal Communication, Insights from Senior Management

This European Internal Communication Research Hub (ICRH) webinar focused on senior leader perspectives of internal communication. Find the recording below.

Internal Communication Professionalisation: How History Can Help Us

This webinar is focused on learning from the history of internal communication to understand more about professionalisation. Find the recording below.

REPORT: Valuing Internal Communication

The Internal Communication Research Hub (ICRH) “Valuing Internal Communication” report summarises a wealth of academic and industry reports to determine the primary benefits that will help practitioners to build a strong business case for greater investment in what they do.

The report is free to download.

A series of four webinars explored the findings of the report and can be viewed below.

The full report is available on this link:

Get the report

Report summary on PR Academy Insights

Internal Communication Professionalisation: How History Can Help Us

This webinar is focused on learning from the history of internal communication to understand more about professionalisation.

Professor Michael Heller will summarise some of the key frameworks that he has developed from his extensive research into the history of internal communication in the UK. This includes an evolution from in-house journalism (known as industrial editing) to a more strategic and planned approach to practice.

Internal and Change Communication Specialist, Martin Flegg, will then summarise some key points from his chapter titled “The Internal Communication Role and Professionalisation” in the recently published 5th edition of Exploring Internal Communication (which Martin and Dr Kevin Ruck co-authored). This will include what we mean by “professional credibility”.

https://vimeo.com/1211321688?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Perspectives and Challenges of Internal Communication, Insights from Senior Management

This webinar is focused on senior leader perspectives of internal communication.

https://vimeo.com/1202044030?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Transforming internal communication with internal social media and AI

This webinar explored how internal social media and AI are transforming practice.

Joining Kevin Ruck are:

  • Vibeke Thøis Madsen, Senior Associate Professor in strategic communication at DMJX, Danish School of Media and Journalism
  • Jonas Bladt Hansen, Co-founder & Facilitator of Next Level IC

https://vimeo.com/1159242487

Valuing Internal Communication - report findings

Watch the first webinar in the series hosted by authors Dr Kevin Ruck and Jenni Field. Find out more about future sessions and register to attend above.

https://vimeo.com/1134528678?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Developing an Appreciative Working Climate

This webinar explores research into what kinds of appreciation employees expect from managers and the impact this has on organisational commitment.

https://vimeo.com/1141063372?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

Informal Internal Communication

This webinar explores academic research on what we mean by informal internal communication and the implications this has for practice. Informal communication is an important topic that is rarely discussed. This session includes insights into how employees use informal internal communication and the ways that it is sometimes associated with formal internal communication.

Dr Kevin Ruck is joined by:

  • Nicole Bearne, Former Head of Internal Comms at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. Now, Founder and Director of The Comms Exchange and non-exec Director at Motorsport UK.
  • Nora Denner, Research Associate, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.

https://vimeo.com/1145271842?fl=pl&fe=sh

About the group

The Internal Communication Research Hub (ICRH) Europe is led by Dr Kevin Ruck. It was formed in December 2024 and is part of the global hub that is housed within the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, led by Public Relations Professor Linjuan Rita Men.

It is a voluntary group for academics and practitioners to share research and experiences that help to generate evidence-based, effective, and ethical internal communication practice.

The group consists of 17 academics and practitioners in Europe, who give their time voluntarily to support the broad objectives for the group, which are to:

  • Share knowledge about academic internal communication research being conducted in Europe
  • Provide opportunities for European academics and practitioners to collaborate on research that addresses topical challenges
  • Promote the benefits of adopting a research-informed, employee-centric, approach to practice

It has a dedicated LinkedIn group for anyone interested in finding out more about internal communication research.

ICRH Europe Research Programme

In the summer of 2025, the group itself embarked on a four-stage research programme focused on exploring the ways that internal communication is valued by organisations, employees and society:

  1. A review of recent books, journal articles and industry reports to set out the core ways that internal communication is seen to provide value.
  2. Research with internal communication practitioners to understand how they perceive the value of their work.
  3. Research with senior leaders to understand how they perceive the value of internal communication.
  4. Research with employees to understand how they value internal communication.

The programme is being conducted over a 12-month period, with free to download reports provided at each stage.

Books published on internal communication in 2025.

Accessible Communications: Create Impact, Avoid Missteps and Build Trust. By Lisa Riemers and Matisse Hamel-Nelis.

Discover the book

Employees and Internal Social Media: The Voice of Coworkers in an Organization. By Vibeke Thøis Madsen.

Discover the book

Internal Communication in Times of Crisis: How to secure employee trust, support and advocacy in crisis situations. By Alison Arnot.

Discover the book

People-Centric Internal Communication: Improving Engagement and Retention in the Workforce. By Lee Smith and Emma Bridger.

Discover the book

The Routledge Handbook of Employee Communication and Organizational Processes. Edited By Soojin Kim, Patrice M. Buzzanell, Alessandra Mazzei, Jeong-Nam Kim.

Discover the book

 

 

Journal articles and industry reports published on internal communication in 2025

The starred papers are open source and can be read in full or are free to download in the case of industry reports.

Denner, N., Koch, T., Viererbl, B. and Ernst, A. (2025), “Feeling connected and informed through informal communication: a quantitative survey on the perceived functions of informal communication in organizations”, Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 71-93.

Discover more

*Gallagher. (2025), “Employee Communications Report. Featuring findings and insights from the State of the Sector 2024-25 survey”. Global Edition.

Get the report

*Ipsos Karian and Box and IoIC. (2025). IC Index 2025: Leading with care and connection.

Get the report

Stranzl, J. and Ruppel, C. (2025), “Co-creating an appreciative working climate: discussing reasons for appreciation, forms and roles from a communication perspective”, Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 274-296.

Discover more

*Svingstedt, A. and Heide, M. (2025), “Service logic – the key to strategic listening: introducing the framework of strategic listening for value creation”, Journal of Communication Management, Vol. 29 No. 5, pp. 18-38.

Get the article

*Tkalac Verčič, A.and Verčič, D. (2025), “The internal communication paradox: Balancing digital convenience with face-to-face satisfaction”, Public Relations Review, Vol. 51, Issue 3, 102587.

Get the article

Tkalac Verčič, A., Einwiller, S., Tench, R. and Verčič, D. 2025. “Developing the Digital Communication Acceptance Scale (DICAS) for Measuring Employee Acceptance of Digital Communication Technologies in the Workplace”, International Journal of Business Communication, 0(0).

Discover more

* Tkalac Verčič, A., Verčič, D. and Gerdina, S. 2025. Situational dependence of internal communication channels, Public Relations Review, 51(4).

Get the article