How Internal Communication Turns “Fun” into Revenue

How Internal Communication Turns “Fun” into Revenue

By Lucy Luc

Work can be fun and powerful 💫🎉. On National Fun at Work Day, we celebrate the fact that a joyful workplace is beyond just ping-pong tables or “Pizza Fridays.” It’s about a strategic internal communication (IC) framework that transforms everyday moments into engagement, innovation, and stronger teams.

Many leaders view “fun” as a distraction, but in the world of PR and business strategy, high employee engagement is actual business dynamite. When employees are happy and well-informed, they become brand ambassadors who drive revenue and retention.

What is Internal Communication (IC)?

At its core, Internal Communication is the strategic practice of facilitating the flow of information, values, and culture within an organization. It is the system that connects the C-suite to the front lines, ensuring every employee understands the “why” behind their work.

In the field of PR, IC is often referred to as “Internal PR.” Just as external PR manages a brand’s reputation with the public, IC manages a brand’s reputation with its most important stakeholders: its people.

In Canada, the importance of IC has never been more visible. Recent data from the 2024-2025 landscape highlights why Canadian businesses are doubling down on this field:

• The Engagement Gap: According to ADP Canada, only 18 per cent of Canadian employees report being fully engaged at work—a figure that has dropped recently. This disengagement is a leading indicator of turnover.
• The Retention Connection: Research indicates that 61 per cent of employees considering a job change cite poor internal communication as a key factor. In contrast, those satisfied with company comms are 46 per cent happier at work.
• Revenue Impact: Organizations that increase their investment in communication are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers. In fact, companies with highly effective IC see a 63 per cent increase in productivity and a significant boost in new business revenue.

Case Study: Southwest Airlines – The “LUV” Model of Revenue

Southwest Airlines is the gold standard for proving that internal “fun” is a revenue driver. Their PR and Internal Comms teams don’t just send memos; they cultivate a culture of personality.

The Practice: Southwest encourages flight attendants to infuse humour into safety briefings and gate agents to host “dance-offs” or games during delays.

The Result: By prioritizing internal joy through constant communication and recognition, Southwest consistently ranks at the top of customer satisfaction and profitability. Their internal comms team uses storytelling to highlight these “fun” moments across the company, reinforcing the idea that happy employees lead to happy customers, which leads to a healthy bottom line.

How to Gamify Internal Communication for Growth

To turn fun into revenue, you need more than just a party; you need a strategy. Gamification—applying game-design elements like points, badges, and leaderboards to the workplace—is a proven way to boost engagement. In fact, research suggests that gamified training can increase employee motivation by up to 60 per cent.

Here are five powerful IC strategies to gamify your workplace for maximum growth:

1. Milestone Quests and “Achievement Unlocked”

Rather than a static onboarding manual, turn the first 90 days into a “Quest.” New hires earn points for completing specific milestones—such as coffee chats with different department heads or finishing their first solo project.

• Revenue Impact: Effective onboarding reduces turnover (which can cost 1.5–2x an employee’s salary) and gets talent to “full productivity” faster.
• PR Practice: Use digital badges (e.g., “Culture Champion” or “Logic Leader”) that appear on internal profiles, creating a visual resume of their contributions.

2. The Innovation “Dragon’s Den”

Borrowing from the popular TV show, invite employees to pitch revenue-generating ideas or cost-saving measures to leadership.

• The Strategy: Allow employees to form cross-departmental teams. The “game” involves a series of levels: the Initial Pitch, the Bootcamp (where they refine the business case), and the Final Presentation.
• Case Study: Deloitte Canada used a gamified leadership program that utilized challenges and simulations. This resulted in a 47 per cent increase in engagement compared to traditional classroom-style training.

3. Employee Advocacy Leaderboards

Turn your staff into your biggest PR asset by gamifying social media sharing.

• The Strategy: Use a platform where employees earn points for sharing company news, job openings, or industry insights on LinkedIn.
• The Reward: Create a “Social Media Star” leaderboard. Top performers don’t just win prizes; they gain professional visibility and are featured in the company newsletter.
• Fact: In Canada, employees are often viewed as more credible sources than CEOs. Gamifying advocacy builds authentic brand trust at a fraction of the cost of paid advertising.

4. Interactive Knowledge Sprints

Instead of long, boring emails about new policy changes or product launches, use Microlearning quizzes.

• The Strategy: Release a weekly 2-minute “Sprint” quiz. Correct answers earn points toward a monthly prize.
• The PR Benefit: This ensures that your “Gatekeepers” (your staff) actually understand the core message before they communicate it to clients. It eliminates the “broken telephone” effect that often leads to costly errors.

5. Peer-to-Peer “Kudos” Markets

Create a digital economy where employees are given a “budget” of points each month to award to colleagues who go above and beyond.

• The Strategy: These points can then be redeemed in a “Company Store” for tangible rewards, such as a “CEO for a Day” experience, extra time off, or a donation to a charity of their choice.
• Why it Works: It shifts the focus from top-down management to horizontal recognition, fostering a collaborative culture that is essential for high-performing, revenue-generating teams.

The Internal PR Ripple Effect

When you invest in Internal Communication, you are essentially “marketing” to your own people. This creates a unified voice. If your team is excited about the mission, they will communicate that excitement to clients, partners, and the public.

In the field of PR practice, your internal audience is your most important stakeholder. If they don’t believe in the fun, the outside world won’t believe in the brand.

Lucy Luc is the current president of the Student Steering Committee and a CPRS Toronto ACE Award–winning student in her final year of Humber Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Public Relations program, where she is completing her thesis.