La evolución de la comunicación interna en contextos de cambio: un estudio longitudinal desde el liderazgo organizacional

Purpose. Internal communication (IC) is increasinglyrecognised as a strategic tool for aligning teams,strengthening corporate culture, and managing changein dynamic environments. This study explores IC from theperspective of senior management, aiming to: (1) identifyits main contributions and the scenarios where it is mostsignificant, (2) examine the elements perceived as mostrelevant for achieving strategic goals, and (3) analyse keychallenges IC will face in the coming years. Methodology.A longitudinal qualitative design was applied, based on24 semi-structured interviews with senior executives fromorganisations based in Spain, conducted in two waves(2022 and 2024). This approach enabled the identificationof changes in strategic narratives within a post-pandemiccontext marked by digitalisation, cultural transformation,and the advancement of artificial intelligence. Findingsand conclusions. The findings show a shift towards moredigitised, bidirectional and empathetic IC, valued for itscontribution to cohesion, change management, talentengagement and employee wellbeing. Senior leadershighlight transparency, active listening, inclusive leadership,and the professionalisation of communication toolsand channels as key enablers of effective IC. Emergingchallenges include the construction of organisationalpride, message segmentation, and the integration ofvalues such as sustainability, inclusion and purpose intointernal discourse. Original contribution. This study providesempirical evidence on how IC is perceived and strategicallyconfigured at senior management level. It offers insightsinto the evolution of IC in complex organisational settingsand contributes to academic research and professionalpractice by highlighting its role in strategic alignment,change adaptation and leadership legitimisation.