Internal communications is at a turning point. The world of work has become more complex, digital tools and AI increasingly shape everyday work, and hybrid models are now firmly established. At the same time, employees’ need for orientation is growing. Traditional information formats are reaching their limits.
In this conversation, Martin Weinhardt, Head of Employee Experience at Campana & Schott, discusses how internal communications is currently evolving and why orientation plays a central role in this transformation.
CS: Martin, when you look back at internal communications over recent years, especially in 2025, what has fundamentally changed and what has become particularly visible?
Martin Weinhardt: For a long time, internal communications primarily functioned as a broadcast channel. Information was provided, news was published, employees were informed. That understanding has been outdated for quite some time. The working environment has changed significantly over the past years. Hybrid work models, a growing number of digital tools, and new technologies such as AI have made the work environment considerably more complex. For employees, this means more channels and systems, but not necessarily more orientation.
As a result, the role of internal communications has shifted. Today, the focus is less on producing ever more content and more on providing orientation. Internal communications is increasingly taking on a strategic role. It is responsible not only for content, but also for structures and for contextualizing information within employees’ day-to-day work.
This shift is particularly evident in the evolution of the intranet. Many organizations are moving away from purely information-driven or social approaches toward so-called portal ecosystems, where information, applications, and processes are brought together. The goal is greater transparency, consistency, and clarity in everyday work. Put simply, employees today need orientation above all – not more content.
CS: One of the drivers of this development is AI. What role did it play in internal communications in 2025?
Martin Weinhardt: In 2025, AI became a tangible part of internal communications. On the one hand, it supports employees in their daily work. AI is used to find information more quickly, to structure and prepare content, and to enable faster action. It helps increase individual productivity regardless of role or function.
On the other hand, AI has established itself as an important tool for communicators and business functions alike. It supports the preparation of topics, the derivation of content for different target groups and channels, and the development of headlines and content variants. While AI does not replace communicative responsibility, it significantly increases both speed and quality.
In addition, a new interaction channel emerged in 2025. Employees increasingly interact directly with AI chatbots or AI agents, for example in HR or IT contexts, or through specialized AI assistants for communication.
As a result, AI has evolved from a pure tool into a digital assistant in everyday work. Not as a future vision, but as concrete support that is already being actively used today.
Insight: Studies on AI in Internal Communications
The Internal Communications Trend Monitor 2026 shows that 85 percent of communicators already use AI, primarily for content creation, automation, and personalization. AI is no longer a future topic, but part of everyday work. The Social Collaboration Study 2025 by Campana & Schott further highlights that 41 percent of organizations have already invested in generative AI, while another 36 percent are planning further expansion.
CS: When you look at today’s digital work environment, what role do intranets and portals play for internal communications and employees’ daily work?
Martin Weinhardt: The intranet is currently undergoing a significant transformation. It is evolving from a pure information hub into an active work environment where information, communication, and processes converge. These modern intranet and portal approaches are closely integrated with workplace platforms. They serve as central workspaces where content, applications, and processes are bundled.
The key difference compared to earlier approaches is that portals no longer merely link to processes, but integrate them directly. By connecting HR, IT, or ERP systems, many everyday tasks can be completed directly within the portal interface, such as time tracking, vacation requests, or access to payroll information. This reduces system switching, saves time, and creates clarity.
It is important to note that portals do not replace core business systems. Employees who work extensively in ERP or specialized systems will continue to use them. The portal ecosystem complements the digital workplace by simplifying entry points, providing orientation, and bundling processes.
For internal communications, this represents a consistent evolution. It operates not only in content, but also where employees actually work and take action. This is a key lever for reducing complexity and enabling a better employee experience in everyday digital work.
Where do you currently see the biggest challenges in designing digital work environments for employees?
Martin Weinhardt: One of the biggest challenges lies in the diversity of work situations. Employees work under very different conditions – at desktops, on mobile devices, in field service, in production environments, or in retail. This diversity cannot be addressed with a single standard interface.
Many digital work environments have historically been designed for traditional office workplaces. While information, processes, and applications exist, they do not reach all target groups equally. This is where what is often referred to as the “last mile” becomes apparent. The decisive factor is not whether systems, portals, or AI exist, but whether they actually reach and support employees in their daily work. When access points do not match specific work situations, disorientation arises.
Ultimately, it is this last mile that determines whether digital work environments provide orientation or create additional complexity. As such, it is a central lever for a functioning employee experience.
CS: If we consider AI, portals, and integrated processes together, how do you see central work interfaces for employees evolving?
Martin Weinhardt: We currently see many developments converging. Portals bundle information and processes, AI supports searching, contextualizing, and acting. At the same time, the complexity of digital work environments continues to increase. This raises the question of where these interactions will be consolidated in the future.
We observe that more and more organizations are moving toward a shared work interface – a central entry point through which employees organize their daily tasks and receive support. This is not about introducing a new tool, but about creating an overarching user interface that provides orientation and brings different functions together.
In this context, we refer to what we call an Employee UI. This is a place where information, communication, processes, and AI support converge. What this Employee UI will look like in detail is still open. What is clear, however, is that employees need a central place where they can organize their work, contextualize information, and receive support – and thereby reduce the need to switch between multiple interfaces.
It is crucial that this work interface functions for all employees, regardless of where they work. The Employee UI thus becomes an important building block for creating orientation and reaching different target groups.
CS: Looking ahead to the coming years, what are the key challenges facing internal communications?
Martin Weinhardt: In many organizations, several developments are currently converging. The digital work environment has become significantly more complex, while employees’ expectations for orientation, clarity, and a shared entry point into their working day continue to rise.
Internal communications therefore faces the core task of providing orientation in an environment shaped by hybrid work models, diverse target groups, and a growing number of digital tools. The focus is less on individual channels or tools and more on orchestrating the overall user experience.
At the same time, the shift toward dialogue-oriented communication continues. Employees no longer want to be merely informed, but actively involved. Personalization is becoming increasingly important, supported by AI. Hybrid and mobile formats are well established, while topics such as purpose, values, and emotional connection are gaining relevance.
Internal communications is thus evolving further into a strategic driver of culture, change, and engagement within organizations. Its success will increasingly be measured by whether it provides orientation, reduces complexity, and helps employees navigate their digital work environment with confidence.
This conversation shows:
Today, internal communications must above all provide orientation in a working world that has become more complex and continues to evolve.
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