Advertising research measures awareness, comprehension and recall of messages under the assumption that these are necessary conditions for behavior change.

This same rationale applies to internal communications measurement. Motivating employees through key messages is similar to motivating consumers through advertising.

Key employee communications metrics include:

• Awareness: Are employees familiar with key business issues, value statements and strategic intent?
• Comprehension: Is there a real understanding of the key messages? Do employees understand how they can perform their jobs to help the company meet its objectives?
• Commitment: Are employees committed to the strategic objectives of the corporation/business unit? Do they agree that the objectives are important and necessary?
• Perceived action: Have employees changed their performance, or seen changes in co-workers, that relate to the strategic messages?