Technological advances have dramatically increased the amount and frequency of communication in the pharmaceutical and medical device workplace - in particular Internal Communication. However, the diversity of communication tools, sources, and platforms makes it difficult to ascertain the preferred and most effective Internal Communication tactics and strategies within these industries. Best Practices, LLC conducted this research to identify the most effective Internal Communication tools and how employees within the pharmaceutical and medical device industry best utilize various communication formats to achieve organizational objectives.

1. Internal Communication Success:
Best Practices within the Pharmaceutical and Medical
Device Industries to Ensure Organizational Effectiveness
Best Practices, LLC Benchmarking Report

2. Project Methodology and Study Objectives
Over the years, the communication process evolved due to technological advances and
changes. This research study seeks to identify the most effective communication strategies
and tactics for reaching internal executivesto achieve organizational success/efficiency.
Research Objectives:
 Identify types of internal communication mostly used by executives.
 Identify preferred medium for internal communication.
 Measure internal communication effectiveness.
Field Research & Insight Development Primary Objective
 Research based on survey tool designed and
implemented by Best Practices®, LLC. Explore the most effective
INFORM
INFORM
 Tool used to gather insights from 183 leaders and preferred
at 162 companies. communication strategies
 Leaders are from different industry segments for reaching internal
across 6 continents. executives.
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3. Definitions Used in the Research
Communication is a process where information is shared between two or more people or
organizations. Field researchers used the following definitions to differentiate
communication types.
Internal Communication: Any kind of
interaction between people in the same
or various departments within an
organization in order to ensure clarity of
information is termed as Internal
Communication.
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4. List of Participating Companies
Best Practices®, LLC gathered insights a total of 63 leaders at many pharmaceutical and
medical device companies.
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5. Internal Communications Highlights
 Task Updates are Most Important: Respondents were most interested in company
project/task updates, followed by general announcements within the company.
 “How am I doing?”: Most respondents were interested in receiving information around
coaching and feedback, as well as shared success stories and insights.
 Email is King: Over 90% of respondents reported utilizing emails to communicate with
colleagues. Alternatively, pharmaceutical respondents depend much more heavily on blogs
for internal information than non-pharmaceutical respondents, who depend more heavily on
company newsletters.
 But Email is Time-Consuming: Nearly 1 in 4 respondents stated that they spend more
than 16 hours per week checking emails. Almost have say they spend more than 11 hours
checking emails per week.
 PowerPoint Dominates Communication within the Company: PowerPoint dominates as
the mode of communication, but respondents are much more likely to use memos and
reports for subordinates than they are for superiors.
 Effectively Tackle Internal Communication Using Type: Organizing emails by type
(action required vs. informative) is the most effective method. However, Pharmaceutical
respondents then considers (1) the sender and (2) the content while non-Pharmaceutical
respondents utilize technology to consider importance.
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6. Interest in Types of Information Received –
Pharmaceutical Segment
The majority of the Pharmaceutical segment reported being interested in receiving
industry information, performance data and success stories.
What types of information are you interested in receiving?
Industry information 76%
Performance data 74%
Benchmarking information/ Departmental /
71%
Functional Benchmarks
Success stories/Best Practices 76%
N=34
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7. Most & Least Commonly Used Medium for Internal
Communication – Pharmaceutical Segment
The majority of the Pharmaceutical segment reported using emails to communicate
internally followed by face-to-face discussion and telephone usage.
What are the main mediums through which you receive information? Rate in order of 1-9 the most
commonly used mediums, 1 being the most commonly used and 9 being least commonly used.
Individual Voicemail 20% N=30
emails/corporate 82%
emails N=33
Weekly/branch
10% N=31
newsletters
Face-to-face
58%
discussions N=33
Blogs 7% N=30
Telephone 48% N=33 Podcasts 6% N=31
Most Commonly Used Least Commonly Used
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8. Use of Mobile for Internal Communication –
Pharmaceutical Segment
Almost all of the Pharmaceutical segment reported using their mobile devices to check
and forward emails over all other alternatives.
Which of the following work-related external communications do you check and forward (to colleagues
at work) daily using your Mobile device?
Check daily using mobile Forward daily using mobile
96%
86%
39%
25% 21% 18%
7% 11%
4% 0% 4% 0%
Voicemail
Blogs
Company
Weekly/branch
Podcasts
emails/corporate
intranet
newsletters
Individual
emails
N=28
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9. Preference vs. Effectiveness: Internal
Communication Using Mobile – Pharmaceutical
Almost all of the Pharmaceutical segment reported that they highly preferred using email
to interact with their colleagues on their mobile device. Compared to the overall
benchmark class, the pharmaceutical segment is more likely to utilize blogs, and less
likely to utilize newsletters.
Please indicate preference and effectiveness of the following types of internal communication you used
to interact with your colleagues through your Mobile.
94% Highly preferred Highly effective
78%
44%
38% 38%
31%
25% 25%
9% 9%
0% 3%
Individual Company Voicemail Weekly/branch Podcasts Blogs
emails/corporate intranet newsletters
emails
N=32
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10. Effective Tools for Vendor Communications –
Overall and Pharmaceutical Segment
Both the Pharmaceutical and general benchmark classes reported that they find face-to-
face meeting to be the most effective way to share vendor communications internally.
Webinars, voicemail, blogs, and newsletters are considered ineffective.
For the following types of content that could be communicated to you from internal parties, please
choose the most effective tools.
Overall Pharmaceutical Segment
77%
63%
49% 47%
35%
30%
7% 9%
2% 3% 3% 5% 7% 6% 7% 3%
News Blogs/ Voice mail Webinars Intranet Phone Emails Face to
letters Social face
Media meeting
N Overall=93 N Pharma=30
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11. Effective Tools for Best Practices – Overall and
Pharmaceutical Segment
Both the Pharmaceutical and general benchmark classes reported that they find email to
be the most effective way to share best practices internally followed by the Internet and
face-to-face meetings.
For the following types of content that could be communicated to you from internal parties, please
choose the most effective tools.
Overall Pharmaceutical Segment
57%
50% 50%
43% 43%
42% 40%
35%
24%
20%
13%13%
5% 7%
1% 0%
Voice mail Phone Blogs/ News Webinars Face to Intranet Emails
Social letters face
Media meeting
N Overall=93 N Pharma=30
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12. Effective Tools for Benchmarking Information –
Overall and Pharmaceutical Segment
Both the Pharmaceutical and general benchmark classes reported that they find email to
be the most effective way to share benchmarking information internally.
For the following types of content that could be communicated to you from internal parties, please
choose the most effective tools.
Overall Pharmaceutical Segment
66%
63%
47%
42%
30%
24% 23% 24%27% 25%
11%
7%
2% 3% 3% 3%
Voice mail Phone Blogs/ Face to Webinars News Intranet Emails
Social face letters
Media meeting
N Overall=93 N Pharma=30
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13. Sharing Benchmarking Information with Superiors,
Peers & Subordinates– Pharmaceutical Segment
The Pharmaceutical segment reported that they prefer Power Point format from all of their
colleagues when sharing benchmarking information.
Which of the following templates do you prefer to use for internal communication with your peers,
Superiors and Subordinates?
Superior Peer Subordinate
76%
73%
69%
37% 37%
31% 28%
24% 24% 24%
20%
17% 17% 17% 17%
13% 13%
7%
PowerPoint Excelsheet Word Briefingnotes Memos Webinars
presentation documents/
Reports
(Written)
NSup=29 NPeer=30 NSub=29
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14. Effective Tactic to Prioritize Communications –
Pharmaceutical Segment
More than half of the Pharmaceutical segment reported that organizing information by
type is the most effective way to prioritize communications followed by organizing by
technology that indicates priority.
Please rate the most effective way to prioritize communications received.
Highly Effective Somewhat effective Neutral
6% 12% 16%
30% 38%
42% 38% 52%
25%
64%
42% 47%
29%
22%
By type By type of content By level of sender By technology Size of the
ofcommunication that indicates communication
(Informative priority
vs.action
required)
N=33 N=32 N=33 N=32 N=31
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15. Voices From the Field
“I don't want to miss something important because I was offended by the manipulative
introductory sentence.”
Based on your experience, what are ways of using/modifying external and internal communication
communications to improve productivity?
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16. About Best Practices, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work
based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a
course to superior economic performance by studying the best business
practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class
companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-403-0251
best@best-in-class.com
www.best-in-class.com
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