Purposeful communications aren’t only about channels or tactics, argues 44’s Bryan Jones. They’re about helping people see why moments matter, and where they fit into them.
‘Communications with purpose’. It’s one of those lovely phrases. Sounds great. But what does it really mean? Well, all sorts of things I guess, depending on who’s saying it.
For some, it’s a funky-sounding strapline. For others – and we know this from experience – it’s a well‑intentioned aim that gets slightly lost once deadlines and channels take over.
For us at 44, we’re committed to making it more practical than that. That’s why you see it when you first get to our website.
It’s about communications that move the dial, that are aligned to a business’ values and behaviours, and that can demonstrate they are making a difference.
Why it matters
And we’ve seen it come to life during major events we’ve been central to supporting. Genuine milestones. The kind of moments people have been working towards for months – sometimes years.
It’s easy in those situations to focus on the headline – the big achievement, the impressive stat, the breathtaking photo, the awesome video. Of course, as an internal comms professional, you do that. But it’s only part of the story.
What really matters is helping people understand why the moment matters, and where they fit into it.
That’s not always easy, especially when you’re talking to people working on massive, complex, expensive projects.
Meeting people where they are
You might have thousands of people involved, doing very different jobs, often working for different organisations. Some will be office‑based, some out on site, some on shifts that don’t line up neatly with inboxes, digi screens and intranets.
Only 21% of UK frontline colleagues are satisfied with the quality of the internal communications they receive. That’s a big issue we’re always trying to solve.
Not everyone sees the same messages at the same time. Some might not see the big message at all. So, when we focus on ‘communications with purpose’, we start by accepting that reality, rather than fighting it.
We recognise the importance of thinking deeply about how people access information, and choosing channels accordingly. Sometimes that will be digital. Sometimes it won’t. The point isn’t to be clever or fashionable – it’s to make sure the message genuinely reaches the people it’s meant for.
Recognising every contribution
It also means remembering that milestones don’t happen on their own.
Behind every big moment are hundreds of individual contributions – people solving problems, learning from earlier attempts, and working together under pressure. Purposeful communications make space for those stories. They recognise effort, celebrate progress, and help build a sense of shared pride.
None of this happens by accident. It takes planning, time on the ground, and a clear idea of what you want people to feel once they’ve read, watched or picked something up.
When communications work like this, they stop being background noise. They become something people recognise themselves in. And that’s when you know you’ve got the purpose bit right.
