A study of internal communications practices in New Zealand organisations has found that the communicators rely on anecdotal evidence rather than scientifically gathered data to show the value of their work.

Under these circumstances, the study's authors say," it is difficult to prove that the communications activities are making any real contribution to organisational goals."

The findings of the study by Massey University communications students Kate McDavitt and Bruce Faull were presented to communicators in Wellington last night.

Three quarters of the 78 communications professionals who completed the online survey were from central and local government.

"The most widely used method used for measuring internal communication activities was anecdotal evidence. "This included informal verbal and written feedback from staff, for example chatting over a coffee. Most who used this form of measurement thought this was an effective means of measuring internal communication activities," McDavitt and Faull say.

The findings were "strikingly similar" to other international studies." Communication professionals globally appear to rely on informal measurement methods and not those methods that can most effectively measure outcomes.

The New Zealand chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators commissioned the study, in partnership with Massey University, as part of a wider programme of 'home-grown' research on communications issues.

Published in the National Business Review of 27 February 2009