Internal communication underpins organisational effectiveness since it contributes to positive
internal relationships by enabling communication between senior managers and
employees. Paradoxically, internal communication can also pose a threat to organisational
relationships, as poor communication can be counter-productive. The potential benefits of
internal communication rely on appropriate messages reaching employees in formats useful
and acceptable to them. Consequently, insight into employee preferences for mediated
internal communication is required. The paper investigates employee views on the format
of internal publications, contrasting acceptable attributes with elements which attract criticism.
The single-case study contributes consideration of fresh data on an under-researched
topic. It adopts a stakeholder approach with an employee-centric emphasis on employee
preferences, in contrast to much previous research which focuses on manager perceptions
of internal communication. Contributions include consideration of practical implications
of the findings together with suggestions for avenues of further research.