Internal podcasts

for companies
The ultimate guide

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What is an internal
podcast?

An internal podcast is a podcast that is aimed exclusively at the

employees of a company. This distinguishes it from public podcasts,
such as those found on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Internal podcasts are designed to share knowledge and information

that is intended to stay within the company.

Therefore, different platforms and tools are used, such as audvice, to

ensure that only employees of the company can listen.

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Podcasts for
companies?
The larger the organisation, the greater the challenge of reaching
employees with knowledge and information. Internal podcasts offer the
opportunity to reach employees at all levels and in all departments, even in
complex organisations.

The popularity of the medium speaks for itself: the number of podcast
listeners has increased by 69% since 2019 and now stands at 465 million
users.

74% listen to podcasts to learn something new

60% listen to stay up to date

Reaching employees with information and learning content is a

challenge for many organisations. Establishing an internal podcast
is an effective way to address this problem.

One of the biggest advantages that come with podcasts, is the

amount of time employees can spend on them. Listening to
information can easily be integrated into their (work)day, as
opposed to reading or watching videos. Podcasts allow them to use
unproductive time better, instead of sacrificing productive time.

Podcasts can be listened to while brushing teeth, on the way to

work, in the car, at the desk, during lunch break, while doing sports,
cooking, or doing laundry.
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What are the
benefits of internal
podcasts?
People have more time to listen to podcasts, and they prefer the
intimate atmosphere of the medium audio. But those are not the
only factors in favor of internal podcasting. Several scientific studies
show that internal podcasts measurably improve communication
and knowledge sharing within the organisation. In particular, they
help companies achieve the following goals:

#1 - Strengthen employee loyalty

Employees who listen to internal podcasts feel a stronger sense of
belonging to the company.
-"A Study of Podcasting in the Corporate
Environment: An Exploratory Study" by J.D. Bowers

The use of internal podcasts strengthens employee loyalty and

helps to reduce employee turnover.
-"Podcasts in the Workplace: An Exploration of the Impact of
Podcasts on Employee Attitudes and Behaviors"" by K. A. Murphy

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#2
Reach
employees better
Employees feel better informed about news and
changes in the company and gain important
insights into the company's strategy through internal
podcasts.

-"A Study of Podcasting in the Corporate

Environment: An Exploratory Study" by J.D. Bowers

#3
Effectively onboard
new employees
New employees who receive internal podcasts for
their onboarding have a better understanding of the
organization and its goals.
-"Podcasting in Higher Education: A Case Study of Using
Podcasts in an Onboarding Program" by B. P. Williams

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#4
Increase participation
in training programs
Internal podcasts can increase employee
participation in training programs by up to 23%.
-"The Use of Podcasting in Corporate Training and
Development" by J.A. Smith

Podcasts improve learning performance and

satisfaction when used as a support for onboarding.

-"Podcasting in Higher Education: A Case Study of Using

Podcasts in an Onboarding Program" by B. P. Williams

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Which
companies
use internal
podcasts?
Internal podcasts are used by companies of all sizes and in all
industries. It enables them to reach both office and deskless workers
in different markets, with knowledge and information.

Industries such as retail, logistics, automotive, pharmaceuticals,

or sales in general, employ a large proportion of deskless workers.
These frontline employees are often cut off from internal learning
and communication tools.

They have limited or no access to a computer, sometimes no access

to internal tools, or simply no time to use them during the working
day. Not only do internal podcasts help companies to share
important information with their deskless workforce, but they can
also provide them with authentic and easily accessible training
materials.

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"During my shift, I have to be ready in case customers
come in. I can't just disappear into the back office and
start an interactive learning course."
- Caroline, Retail Pharmacist

"I am constantly on the road. When I get back to the office after my
customer meetings, I want to maintain my CRM and send out
proposals. I don't have time for video training."
- Jacob, Automotive Sales Representative

"The only time I get insights from our management

is at the annual Christmas party."
- Trevor, Warehouse Operator

"We receive company updates by email, but I only skim them

because they are too long. I prefer to hear about them from my
colleagues.
- Anabell, Insurance Broker
Other than companies with a large amount of deskless workers, a lot
of global companies with multiple locations across the world are
making use of internal podcasts. For inspiration, here are some
examples of well-known companies that host internal podcasts:

The Coca-Cola Company

The internal podcast, Coke Studio, features interviews with executives
and thought leaders, as well as discussions about the company's
history and culture. The podcast is designed to give employees a
behind-the-scenes look at the company and what it does. Episodes
cover a variety of topics, from sustainability initiatives to marketing
campaigns, and feature guests from various departments and
regions.

Google
Google's internal podcast covers a wide range of topics related to the
company's products, policies and culture. The podcast is hosted by
Google's global communications and public affairs team and features
interviews with product managers, engineers and executives. Episodes
cover topics such as artificial intelligence, privacy and innovation.

Microsoft
The internal podcast Microsoft Stories features interviews with
employees and executives, as well as discussions about the
company's products and culture. The podcast is led by Microsoft's
chief storyteller and covers everything from the company's AI
initiatives to the history of Windows. Episodes also include stories from
employees and partners about how they use Microsoft technology.

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What are the use
cases for internal
podcasts?
Onboarding
Internal podcasts are used to onboard new employees faster and
better. Examples are:

Welcome messages from executives

Introductions to company culture
Company goals
Interviews with existing employees
Trainings and guides for internal processes and tools
Tips and tricks to help new employees get up to speed quickly

Internal podcasts speed up the integration into the company

culture, and allow new joiners to work through their onboarding tasks
and the information that comes with them at their own pace. It can
also help new employees feel welcome and well-informed.

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Training
Internal podcasts are used to increase participation in training
programs and provide a more flexible and mobile learning
environment for employees who cannot always attend in-person
training sessions. Examples of training podcasts include:

Industry-specific expertise
Product training
Soft skills training
Remote work training
Compliance training
Sales training
Company-specific expertise
Expert interviews
Case studies and practical examples
Q&A sessions
Language training

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Company updates
Another way companies can use internal podcasts is to provide
company updates. These podcasts can include:

Updates from senior management on important company

developments and achievements
Interviews with department heads about their departments and
projects
News and updates about the company's products and services
Information about upcoming company events and activities
Discussions and debates about important issues and challenges
within the company

These podcasts help employees to stay up-to-date with important

company news and updates. They also increase the sense of
belonging perceived by employees, which in turn leads to an
alignment of their personal goals with overarching company goals.

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Knowledge Exchange
If the organizational structure and culture allow
it, and the right tool is being used, internal
podcasts can also enhance daily knowledge
exchange across and between departments.

Collaborative podcasting tools allow all

employees to record and share podcasts and
can be used to document knowledge.

The reason why a lot of valuable internal

knowledge is lost is because employees do not
document it, or at least not in a universally
understandable manner. Most of the time, the
format that is chosen to document knowledge
is text, which often lacks the necessary context
to enable that understanding. This is especially
true when it comes to tacit knowledge, which
turns out to be one of the most important
factors of competitive advantage in today's
highly complex and global business world.

With a collaborative internal podcasting

solution, the documentation of knowledge can
be improved significantly, as it is easier and
faster for employees to speak than to write. The
right internal podcasting solution can be used
for team-specific training and onboarding, as
well as for holiday handovers and offboarding.

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How do I start an
internal podcast?
Step 1: Define goals
Before starting an internal podcast, it is important to be clear about
the goals one wants to achieve with it. Goals can vary depending on
the company, industry or department. Here are a few examples:

Reach employees with new company information

Improve communication about company strategy and goals

Increase participation in training

Training employees on new products more quickly

Improve the onboarding experience for new employees

Increase sense of belonging to the organisation

Increase employee motivation

Increase employee productivity

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Step 2: Content planning
Once the goals are clear, it's time to plan the
content. Topics for podcast episodes should
be planned for the time span of the next 6 or
12 months. We recommend a minimum of
one new episode per week.

One also needs to decide on the content

format for each episode: will it be a solo
podcast, a co-hosted podcast, or an
interview podcast?

There is no need to record each episode from

scratch. With the right tool, existing text and
video content can easily be converted into
podcasts, which reach a wider audience and
get more attention.

Examples of this use case would be content

from the employee handbook, policies, and
guides, training videos, webinar recordings,
etc. It is a good idea to stock the platform
with a selection of these materials before the
initial launch, so employees already have
some material to browse through.

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 Step 3: Execution
Do I need a podcast studio or professional
equipment to get started?

The answer is: No.

A smartphone is enough. Today’s smartphones

provide an audio quality, that is completely
sufficient to record a great podcast.

As long as the recording takes place in a quiet

room with no echo, no further equipment is
necessary. Simply try it out beforehand. Press
play and record for a while, and listen to it with
headphones afterward.

However, those who still have higher audio

quality standards and value perfect sound can
simply get a microphone that can be plugged
into a smartphone or laptop.

This is a lot of information, but we promise: It’s

not that hard, so don’t overthink it. Internal
podcasts are not rocket science and do not
need to be scripted, but should remain
authentic in order to inspire the audience.

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What tool
should I use?
Various tools can be used for recording, editing, and hosting an
internal podcast. A suitable tool, that ensures high satisfaction for a
long time, should be able to execute all three steps. This saves costs,
works efficiently, and allows one to focus on the content and
continuity of the internal podcast, rather than the technical aspects.

When choosing the right tool, there are some important aspects to
consider:

#1: Usability
#2: Data privacy & governance
#3: Easy content creation

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#1
Usability

The internal podcast will only be successful and fulfill its

purpose if employees actually listen to it.

Many companies share their podcasts on available

internal platforms such as learning management
systems, MS Teams, Sharepoint, or as an audio file in a
folder structure.

The result is sobering: maybe 2% of employees listen to

the podcast. But this is not because the podcast is not
good or interesting to anyone, but simply because
these platforms make it extremely difficult for
employees to comfortably listen to it. Here are some
reasons why:

Tools are not optimized for mobile use

You always have to log in again (maybe even with
2-factor authentication)
The podcast is hidden in a folder structure or has
already been lost in a chat
The podcast stops as soon as you activate the
screen lock

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Therefore, before investing time and energy in
producing podcasts, it is important to select an intuitive
tool that provides your employees with easy, and
barrier-free access. They should be able to listen to
your podcast when being on the go, away from their
desk or computer screen.

Internal podcast platforms like audvice are perfectly

tailored to mobile use via a mobile app, allow for quick
login and staying logged in, play podcasts even when
the screen is locked, and are also optimized for the use
of Bluetooth pairing in the car, with headphones, or
speakers.

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#2
Data privacy & governance

An internal podcast platform must meet the highest IT

security and data protection standards to ensure that
the shared information does not fall into the hands of
third parties or the public. The following criteria should
be met:

Secure authentication for employees by email address

or integration of Single-Sign-On

Hosting on European servers

Audio files and personal data are encrypted f.e. with

Bring-Your-Own-Key technology

Groups can be created for different target groups

within the company

Podcasts cannot be downloaded as files and be further

distributed

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#3
Easy content creation

The content shared within the internal podcasting platform is what

really matters. Continuity is important for the success of an
internal podcast. To successfully integrate the internal podcast
into the everyday life of employees, we recommend sharing a new
episode once a week.

To do this in a resource-efficient way, choose an internal podcast

platform that offers an integrated and easy way to create content.
This eliminates the cost of implementing additional tools for
recording and post-production, and the time needed to train staff.

The right tool should allow the involvement of all employees as

content creators, so company experts can get behind the
microphone.

Internal podcast tools, such as audvice, offer several options for

creating internal podcasts: an integrated recording function with
the possibility to re-record or edit sections directly, the creation of
podcast episodes from text using AI voices, the import of podcast
episodes from audio and video files, as well as ready-made
content on topics such as leadership, communication skills, project
and time management, and soft skills.

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 Are you ready to create your
own internal podcast?
Get started for free with audvice!

Book a consulting session

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