What sets global giants like McDonald’s and Google apart in managing deskless workers and hybrid teams seamlessly while keeping their employees engaged and aligned? These two companies, despite operating in vastly different industries, provide outstanding internal communication examples.
Their internal communication strategies are no longer restricted to keeping employees informed. They are designed to nurture collaboration among team members and ensure that every team member feels valued, regardless of their workplace.
Google’s innovative use of digital tools for hybrid teams and McDonald’s focus on keeping its frontline staff engaged are some of the biggest examples of efficient internal communication strategies that offer powerful lessons for aspiring business owners. If you’re striving to scale your business organization, these strategies can help you overcome the communication challenges of modern workplaces.
Let’s explore the innovative approaches these businesses take to close communication gaps and improve their corporate culture.
Instant messaging platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams are great for quick, real-time communication. They help teams stay connected and eliminate the delays that often come with email. To make the most of them:
Email remains a staple for formal or detailed communication. It’s particularly effective for:
Tip: Avoid long-winded emails. Use bullet points, bold text for key takeaways, and clear subject lines like “Team Offsite Agenda: What You Need to Know.”
Whether it’s a quarterly update or a team brainstorming session, presentations are invaluable for delivering information in an engaging way. To make your presentations memorable:
Meetings are essential for fostering collaboration, but they can also be time-drainers if not managed well. Here’s how to run effective meetings:
Training sessions are not just for onboarding new hires—they’re also an opportunity to upskill your team. Ideas to make them engaging:
When you need to discuss something sensitive or complicated, nothing beats a face-to-face conversation. These interactions are ideal for:
Pro tip: Adopt an open-door policy to make yourself approachable for in-person discussions.
Sometimes, a quick phone call can cut through the clutter of text-based communication. They’re especially useful for:
Conference calls are the go-to solution for team discussions when everyone can’t be in the same room. To make them effective:
Performance reviews are a critical form of internal communication. They’re an opportunity to align on goals, provide feedback, and plan for growth. Best practices include:
Think of internal marketing as branding for your team. Use it to:
Visual aids can be a powerful way to grab attention and communicate effectively. Use graphics for:
Videos are versatile and engaging, making them a fantastic communication tool. Examples include:
A centralized repository of information is invaluable for employees seeking answers. Common inclusions are:
Tip: Make the library searchable to save employees time and effort.
Want honest feedback from your team? Surveys are the way to go. Use them for:
If you want continuous feedback, comment boxes (physical or digital) are a great addition. To make them effective:
Shared calendars keep everyone aligned on schedules and priorities. Features to consider:
When disputes arise, how you handle them sets the tone for your workplace. Effective conflict management involves:
Newsletters are a great way to keep everyone informed about company updates. Ideas for content:
A private company blog can serve as a hub for sharing ideas and updates. Potential topics:
Private social media accounts can foster a sense of community. Use them for:
An intranet is your organization’s internal network for communication and collaboration. Features to include:
Interviews aren’t just for hiring—they’re also a chance to improve internal communication. Examples:
Memos are still relevant for short, professional updates. Tips for crafting effective memos:
Internal podcasts are a unique and modern way to communicate with your team.
Town halls are perfect for aligning the entire company around goals and strategies.
Turn communication and collaboration into a game to boost engagement.
Nobody could have imagined that McDonald’s, which began as a modest drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940, would grow into the major force in fast food that it is today.
The McDonald brothers, Richard and Maurice, founded the company. But, it wasn’t until Ray Kroc partnered with them in the 1950s that they transformed their kitchen model into a scalable franchise structure.
Today, McDonald’s operates in over 100 countries, with millions of deskless employees working in restaurants, kitchens, and drive-thrus. Its dedication to communication is the key to its success. McDonald’s ensures that every team member feels connected and empowered.
AccessMcD, which was introduced in 2001, served as McDonald’s internal hub and a one-stop location for staff members to obtain critical information. It was created to facilitate communication and make company updates easily accessible. To put it briefly, this intranet was the mainstay of internal communications for a long time.
A few years ago, AccessMcD underwent a significant transformation. It evolved from a static information distribution tool into a dynamic platform for better internal communication across the company. The goal of this makeover was to give McDonald’s employees around the world a more convenient work environment.
McDonald’s internal communications team supported its business transformation initiatives by using emotional connections. Emily Nichols, the Manager of Internal Communications at McDonald’s USA, spearheaded an impressive effort to maintain the motivation and engagement of 2,000 franchise owners who run more than 14,000 locations in the United States throughout a three-year strategic plan.
Keeping a pulse on audience sentiment played a key role in this effort. By truly understanding the emotional journeys of franchise owners, the internal communications team was able to craft content that ignited optimism.
This emotionally charged strategy resulted in a more driven, cohesive network of franchisees and positive growth.
McDonald’s success depends on upholding a uniform standard throughout its extensive global network of establishments. To maintain these standards, the company offers a variety of tools, resources, training, and other resources to support its extensive network of franchisees, hybrid, and deskless workers, in addition to its own sites.
A key example of this is the company’s commitment to creating a safe and respectful workplace. In 2021, McDonald’s introduced a global eLearning module, “Building a Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplace,” which complements its existing workplace training programs. This module, available in multiple languages, was designed to help prevent harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
McDonald’s has also adopted a feedback-driven approach to its Global Brand Standards roll-out, which began in 2021. By actively gathering input from franchisees, the company guarantees that its resources and training programs are clear and tailored to real-world scenarios.
As a result, McDonald’s has continuously enhanced its technology, reporting systems, training modules, and worker communication strategies, making it easier for franchisees to implement and comply with the company’s high standards.
With over 182,502 full-time employees worldwide, Google’s internal communication strategies play a crucial role in keeping teams aligned and motivated. As a tech giant known for its innovation, Google continuously refines its approach to encourage teamwork and transparency. These internal communication examples show how Google modifies its strategies to accommodate the various demands of its employees.
Just like McDonald’s, it only makes sense that a tech giant like Google would have a robust Intranet in place to connect its diverse workforce, which spans deskless and hybrid workforce. Google’s internal communication examples show how the company utilizes its intranet for collaboration and keeping everyone aligned.
Google’s Intranet serves as a powerful, centralized hub where employees can access critical resources, share ideas, and stay connected across departments, teams, and geographies. It’s an environment designed to improve productivity and cooperation at scale so that both in-office and remote employees can work together seamlessly.
Following are some of the best features of the Google Intranet:
One of the standout features of the Google Intranet is its search functionality, powered by Google’s search technology. Employees can quickly find relevant information and documents or even connect with people within the organization. Thus, employee productivity rises sharply as a result of spending less time searching for information.
Additionally, the company intranet enables collaboration by allowing employees to create and share content, participate in discussions, and collaborate on projects via integrated chat and forum features.
Google Intranet is efficiently integrated with Google’s productivity tools. This feature allows all employees to better utilize the whole Google ecosystem.
Tool | Purpose | |
Google Docs | Document creation and editing | For real-time collaboration and easy sharing of files. |
Google Drive | File storage and organization | Centralizes document access and simplifies file sharing among teams. |
Google Calendar | Meeting scheduling and coordination | Helps with schedule alignment and team productivity. |
Google Chat | Instant messaging and group communication | Facilitates quick and effective communication within and across teams. |
Google Hangouts | Video conferencing | Enhances remote collaboration and keeps hybrid teams connected. |
Google Sheets | Data analysis and spreadsheet creation | Supports teamwork on data-heavy projects through shared access. |
Google Slides | Presentation creation and collaboration | Encourages group input for dynamic and professional presentations. |
Google Sites | Website creation without coding skills | Simplifies the creation of internal tools and resources. |
The Google Intranet simplifies several administrative duties and serves as an employee communication tool. Employees have access to essential services such as benefit information, IT help, employee directories, HR portals, and more. Because of internal applications’ easy accessibility, it is easy for employees to manage their workplace and focus on key tasks.
Even the most well-designed internal communication systems face challenges—it’s part of the game. In fact, even powerhouses like Google and McDonald’s deal with hurdles in keeping their teams aligned and engaged. Here are some common roadblocks and practical strategies to overcome them.
With a constant stream of updates, emails, and announcements, employees can feel buried under a mountain of information. This leads to disengagement and missed critical updates.
How to Tackle It:
When employees see the intranet or other platforms as a passive information dump, they’re unlikely to interact. Without engagement, communication tools lose their impact.
How to Tackle It:
Not everyone embraces new tools right away, especially in hybrid or deskless work environments. Resistance or confusion can lead to low adoption rates.
How to Tackle It:
For global teams, language barriers and cultural differences can create inconsistencies in communication, leading to confusion or feelings of exclusion.
How to Tackle It:
Let’s explore some examples that can help you foster connection and clarity within your organization.
If your team starts the day with blank stares and muted microphones, it’s time to rethink the daily stand-up. A quick 10–15 minute huddle is a great way to align priorities and share updates, but adding a little energy can make a big difference. For example:
Trust me, these tweaks can turn the usual snooze-fest into something everyone actually looks forward to.
Let’s be real—email can feel like a black hole sometimes. That’s where tools like Slack (or similar platforms) shine. Create channels for different purposes to keep communication focused and engaging. A few ideas:
These channels add a personal touch to professional spaces, making communication feel more human.
Words are great, but sometimes you need to see it to believe it. Instead of relying on lengthy email updates, why not use a visual dashboard? Tools like Trello, Asana, or even a simple Google Sheet can make tracking progress crystal clear. For example:
A picture really is worth a thousand words—especially when you’re juggling multiple projects.
Here’s a truth bomb: Written updates from leadership often lack the personal touch. Instead, try recording short video messages. A 2-minute clip from your CEO sharing big news or gratitude for the team can resonate way more than a formal email. Bonus points if they add a personal anecdote or some humor—it makes them relatable and approachable.
Want to know how your team feels about something? Ask them—but make it quick and interactive. Tools like Mentimeter or Google Forms let you collect instant feedback in a way that feels fresh, not tedious. For example:
It’s a win-win: you get valuable insights, and your team feels heard.
Traditional town halls can feel one-sided—leadership talks, everyone else listens. Why not flip the script? Encourage employees to submit questions ahead of time or in real-time via a chat tool. Even better, add a segment for team stories where employees share their experiences or innovative ideas. It’s a great way to keep things engaging and interactive.
Any company hoping to succeed in the fast-paced, hybrid workplace of today may learn a lot from Google’s and McDonald’s internal communication strategies. The key takeaway? Tailor your communication strategies to fit your deskless and hybrid workforce.
theEMPLOYEEapp bridges the gap for hybrid, remote, and deskless teams with an all-in-one solution. Our user-friendly company intranet and unlimited employee texting empower your workforce with instant access to the tools, documents, and information they need to thrive.
Schedule a demo to learn more!
1. How can businesses make their intranet more engaging?
To keep employees engaged, focus on user-friendly design, interactive features like forums, and personalized content with visuals and videos.
2. What features are essential for hybrid and deskless team communication?
Mobile access, real-time updates, chat, video calls, file sharing, and multilingual support are must-haves.
3. How do emotional connections improve internal communication?
They build trust and boost morale. Thus, businesses must tailor messages to employee needs, use storytelling, and celebrate successes to nurture stronger connections.