Rethinking internal communications: when culture becomes a performance lever, Gaëlle Toussaint, corporate communications expert, looks on.

1. In France, employee commitment is no longer an option

In 2024, according to the Gallup survey, 62% of French employees say they are disengaged or not very engaged. A worrying figure, which illustrates a persistent paradox: while companies are investing massively in digital transformation, cybersecurity and CSR, internal communication is still too often perceived as a cost center, rather than a lever for value creation.

This lack of attention to employees is expressed in well-known symptoms:

• over-solicitation of unread emails,
• dispersion of HR tools,
• loss of meaning around corporate projects,
• saturation of communication channels.

And yet, in an environment where organizational agility and talent retention are becoming key, reconnecting employees to useful information, at the right time and via the right channel, is a necessity.

👉 At we advocacy, we're convinced that internal communication isn't just a distribution function. It's a strategic building block in the pact of trust between a company and its teams. But you have to prove it.

2. Gaëlle Toussaint: from the field at Tereos to rethinking communications strategies for major groups

Gaëlle Toussaint 's career illustrates this reversal of perspective. Having worked for Fnac, PwC, Mondelez International and then Tereos, Gaëlle now helps companies position their communications strategy.

After meeting the teams and carrying out an in-depth analysis of tools and strategy, she seeks to develop or introduce an approach to building a lasting corporate culture. She does not seek to "communicate".

To achieve this, his "mojo" is to install a methodical rigor, certainly derived from his experience in complex environments.

At Tereos, she had already experienced the value of tangible proof in a context of unstable governance where stated values were undermined by reality on the ground. Her response? Reverse the top-down logic in favor of a business and people-centered approach.

In concrete terms, this meant :

• The installation of screens in the plants, broadcasting short, subtitled business videos by the employees themselves every two weeks.
• An overhaul of the newsletter: long articles give way to structured news briefs (trade, business, corporate), which are better read, more targeted, and in tune with concerns in the field.
• Intelligent coordination of channels: cross-recycling of content on screens, internal communications and e-mail signatures.
• The use of event-driven mobile applications to animate internal forums, while respecting employee privacy (limited notifications, systematic opt-in).

Result:

• The screens become a reference point; employees spontaneously report faults.
• The newsletter, often decried, is eagerly awaited.
• Communication becomes a link again.

But the real change lies elsewhere: it's becoming measurable. Rather than promising an unprovable ROI, Gaëlle adopts an ROO - Return on Objectives- logic. In other words, she defines a few key indicators upstream (opening rates, participation, manager verbatims), measures them at regular intervals, and correlates them with business indicators: security, recruitment, internal NPS.

This approach is now inspiring the project she is currently piloting. In a company of experts where the managerial culture is based on orality and relationships, the formalization of a communication strategy becomes a lever for cohesion. Here again, the priority is not "technology", but the ability to create simple rituals, supported by managers:

• a monthly kit,
• a 10-minute explanation per team,
• gradual involvement of internal relays.

In the background, a logic of internal recognition is taking shape. Each employee becomes a vector of meaning, carrying the corporate culture into his or her daily life.

These are not gadgets, but weak signals which, when combined, reinforce commitment:

A phrase repeated by a manager, information understood, vision aligned and understood, content relayed... This is how trust is rebuilt, and how communication becomes a concrete support for performance.

3. What it says about our role

What we've learned from this trajectory is that it's not about tools for tools' sake. It's about putting technology at the service of a clear intention: to reconnect, to embody, to prove.

At We Advocacy, that's exactly what we offer: 👉 Simple, multi-channel, participative and measurable internal communication.

An approach that encourages employees to take ownership, through :

• ✍️ Targeted, interactive content that's easy to create and distribute;
• 📨 Smart distribution via popups, emails, SMS, mobile ;
• 🧩 Engaging experiences: quizzes, challenges, enriched signatures ;
• 🌐 Smooth integration into existing work environments (M365, intranet, etc.);
• 📊 Data-driven steering, to monitor impact and continuously adjust it.

But beyond the platform, it' s our human accompaniment that makes the difference. Because we know that the success of an internal communications project depends not on the tool, but on the company's ability to embody its message.

We don't pretend to transform your corporate culture in six weeks. But we do know from experience that targeted "quick wins" - making messages clearer, spreading them more effectively, getting managers involved - can set off a virtuous circle.

What Gaëlle Toussaint shows us is that internal communication is a performance project in its own right. And that, if it's done well, it can make all the difference to your business.

Conclusion: a strategic function, if you take it seriously

Gaëlle's case reminds us that in internal communications, actions count more than slogans. Employees don't want to be told what to think. They want to see, understand and participate.

👉 Internal communication is not a luxury. It's a factor in collective efficiency.

She asks:

• method,
• listening,
• the right tools,
• and above all, a conviction:

that the human bond is a strategic asset, not a soul supplement.

In France, as the pace of change accelerates and organizations seek a new lease of life, it's time to put internal communications back at the heart of the corporate project.