Internal communication and territories

The center-periphery dynamic impacting internal communication is the topic of the CERC Dialogue between Sabine Einwiller, University of Vienna, and Fabrizia de Vita, Edison.

An exchange of views from two perspectives, academic and professional, about a topic of great relevance to internal communication, given the geographical distribution of employees.

The opinion of Sabine Einwiller, Professor of Public Relations Research and Head of CCom Research Group, University of Vienna

Larger organisations are typically spread across several locations: regionally, nationally, and in the case of MNEs, also internationally. This often produces a core–periphery dynamic: headquarters embodies decision-making power and the production of corporate culture, while peripheral sites, such as regional offices and production plants, remain at a distance, both geographically and discursively. Differences in workplace practices and professional cultures can intensify this divide, for example, office-based knowledge work at headquarters versus production work in peripheral units.

Such configurations are prone to internal communication asymmetries. Employees at headquarters enjoy privileged access to strategic information, informal communication flows, and leadership, while those in peripheral units rely more heavily on mediated communication and may encounter delays, filters, or distortions in information exchange. As staff across sites make sense of organizational goals, identity, and values through the quality and frequency of communication they receive, these asymmetries can result in fragmented understandings of the organization and divergent senses of belonging. They may also raise questions of inclusion and fairness: whose voices are heard, and whose perspectives are represented in the official corporate culture?

This issue is highly relevant for internal communication, which plays a central role in fostering identification with the organization, maintaining cohesion across spatial and cultural boundaries, aligning employees with strategic goals and values, and reducing the risk of marginalization in peripheral units. In geographically dispersed organizations, communication must therefore recognize and deliberately address the center–periphery dynamic. This involves ensuring equitable access to information, transparent and consistent communication across all sites, and active integration of feedback from peripheral locations. It also means acknowledging the diverse work realities of employees in offices versus production plants. By promoting inclusion and visibility for all employees, internal communication strengthens belonging, trust, and cohesion across spatial boundaries.

The opinion of Fabrizia de Vita, Head of Internal Communication, Edison

Looking at the issue from the viewpoint of companies with a nationwide presence, managing offices, stores, and production facilities across the territory, internal communication can play a crucial role. In fact, it is about making internal communication consistent so that it truly reaches everyone.

There are many differences and peculiarities between those who work at headquarters and those in peripheral locations:

• Type of work: very often, people in peripheral offices have more operational roles
• Gender distribution: in peripheral locations, the workforce is often predominantly male
• Interests and needs: those living in large cities and those in small towns tend to have different interests and needs
• Information channels: the tools people use to stay informed do not always coincide
• Content and language: they are not necessarily the same
• Use of time: daily routines differ greatly between those working in an office and those in plants or moving around for various services
• Manager-employee relationships: these can be different, with hierarchies perceived and experienced in particular ways in certain workplaces compared to others

Therefore, plurality is necessary in language, channels, content, tone of voice and ways of getting involved.
Internal communication in organizations with a geographically dispersed workforce seeks to address the need for inclusion, engagement, and alignment across different locations.
Examples of activities and tools useful in this scenario include:

• Cross-location exchange initiatives: programs that enable employees to visit sites other than their usual workplace, encouraging the exchange of experiences and ideas, exposure to new perspectives, and helping to foster a unified corporate culture.
• Video storytelling: key initiatives and major achievements are communicated through video content, with employees directly involved as storytellers, offering an alternative to traditional intranet articles or newsletters.
• Podcasts: an accessible and flexible communication format, particularly suitable for employees who do not work at office desks.
• Mobile applications: tools that allow employees to access internal communication content directly from their smartphones, regardless of location.
• Local community networks (Voices from territories): initiatives designed to maintain continuous dialogue with employees in different territories, share updates from local sites, and ensure that information readily available to office-based staff also reaches colleagues working in the field.