September 15, 2026
Internal Communication and Endomarketing: Strategic Challenges for Strengthening the Bond in a Credit Cooperative
Leandro Kato Deltrejo; José Eduardo Vilas Bôas
DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602253
Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.
Abstract
Internal communication in credit cooperatives is vital for cultural alignment; however, unstructured flows can compromise its strategic role. The research aimed to understand how internal communication channels, from an endomarketing perspective, provide strategic support to strengthen the bond between employee and institution in a credit cooperative. The methodology adopted a mixed, descriptive-exploratory approach, using a case study with a survey (83.3% employee participation) and interviews with four managers from different hierarchical levels. Although communication is functional, it operated predominantly operationally and reactively, being effective for ritualistic information but insufficient for consolidating a planned strategic bond. The “satisfaction trap” was evidenced, where high approval rates mask a communication entropy where channel overlap and message duplication generate noise tolerated by the sample, but which drains productivity. The observed strengthening of the bond stemmed more from the individual adaptability of highly educated professionals than from a structured endomarketing architecture. The strategic advancement of communication in the organization depends less on technology and more on the standardization of flows and the integrated action of leadership.
Keywords: Informational Alignment; Institutional Channels; Organizational Culture; Engagement; Flow Management.
1. Introduction
Credit cooperativism represents an institutional model that harmonizes financial objectives with a deep social commitment, playing a fundamental role in the development of communities. According to Bialoskorski Neto (2007), these institutions transcend the mere pursuit of profit, prioritizing participation and cooperation. They differ from the traditional banking model by emphasizing democratic participation and local development, making internal communication a pillar for cohesion, informational clarity, and process efficiency, essential for competitiveness and organizational alignment (Pereira and Silva, 2024).
In the context of these cooperatives, internal communication is vital for team alignment, the dissemination of strategic information, and the maintenance of cooperative principles. This is done through various channels, such as intranet, applications, newsletters, and meetings. However, the mere existence of multiple tools does not always guarantee effectiveness, potentially generating noise, message duplication, and reach failures, which highlights the need for greater integration, clarity, and channel management (Claro et al., 2018).
Communication disorganization compromises the coherent delivery of the institution’s value proposition. Within the scope of internal marketing, the employee is the first to internalize and replicate institutional values, identity, and positioning. Bekin (2003) defines internal marketing as a set of strategic actions aimed at the integration and engagement of the internal audience, seeking to align attitudes, behaviors, and discourses with the organization’s marketing proposal.
When information circulates in a fragmented, redundant manner, or through inadequate channels, a breakdown in alignment occurs, compromising the understanding of strategies, products, and priorities. In this regard, Kunsch (2016) highlights that integrated organizational communication is essential to ensure coherence between the internal, institutional, and marketing dimensions, guaranteeing that the brand’s identity is experienced by employees and perceived consistently externally.
This communicational fragility directly impacts service delivery, affecting the quality of care, message uniformity, and the cooperative member’s experience. Consequently, it compromises the cooperative’s credibility, relationship, loyalty, competitiveness, and economic performance. In light of this, the research addresses internal communication from the perspective of endomarketing, whose practices are focused on employee engagement and alignment. Its application in cooperatives strengthens culture, values human capital, and consolidates the institutional image (Claro et al., 2018), being crucial for understanding how channel management can enhance engagement, productivity, and service quality.
Recent studies reinforce the relevance of the topic, indicating that failures in internal communication are associated with a drop in productivity, loss of talent, and fragility in relationships (Gonçalves and Gonçalves, 2021). On the other hand, internal marketing strategies promote more motivating and collaborative environments. Complementarily, Silva et al. (2024) show that technologies such as chatbots and digital platforms make communication more agile, accurate, economical, and satisfactory. Thus, initiatives with structured channels aligned with internal marketing generate engagement, transparency, and strengthening of organizational identity, configuring a competitive advantage and a loyalty factor. Despite the strategic relevance of the sector, a paradox is observed: the excess of communication tools has generated informational fragmentation instead of integration, which jeopardizes the brand’s value proposition to the employee.
Given this context, the following research question emerges: in what way can the management of internal communication channels, from the perspective of endomarketing, contribute to reducing informational fragmentation and promoting strategic alignment between collaborators and the credit cooperative, strengthening internal engagement and the consistency of organizational communication?
Thus, this research is justified by the need to understand and optimize internal communication in credit cooperatives, seeking to overcome informational fragmentation and, with this, aims to understand how internal communication channels, from the perspective of endomarketing, provide the strategic support necessary for strengthening the bond between employee and institution in a credit cooperative.
2. Material and Methods
This research adopted a mixed methodological approach, of a quali-quantitative nature and applied character, with the objective of understanding perceptions, experiences, and meanings attributed by collaborators to the internal communication process. It was characterized as descriptive research and configured as a case study, developed in a single credit cooperative, allowing for an in-depth analysis of the phenomenon in its real context. The quantitative dimension involved the application of a “survey” to measure perceptions and trends, while the qualitative dimension used in-depth interviews for a deeper understanding of communication practices.
Coop is a financial institution with open membership, approximately 28 years of operation and regional scope, with 15 branches distributed in municipalities in the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, with its headquarters in Presidente Prudente [SP]. It offers diversified financial products and services, such as credit, financing, consortiums, insurance, cards, and collection services.
The methodological procedures included bibliographic research, application of questionnaires (survey), and in-depth interviews. The bibliographic research used 20 materials, including scientific articles, books, and reports, with a predominant scope between 2015 and 2025, excluding classic works. The searches were conducted on Google Scholar, in Portuguese and English, with keywords such as internal communication, internal marketing, organizational culture, engagement, and credit unionism.
The survey questionnaire was structured into nine specific objective blocks, developed based on the Table 1 Binding Matrix.
Table 1. Research instrument organization.
| Block / Questions | Research objective | Theoretical framework |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1 Questions 1 to 8 | Characterize the sociodemographic and professional profile of the participating collaborators, considering aspects such as gender, age group, schooling, position held, and length of professional and institutional experience. | Malhotra (2019) |
| Block 2 Questions 9 to 13 | Analyze collaborators’ perception regarding the clarity, agility, accessibility, and reliability of information transmitted through the cooperative’s internal communication channels. | Silva et al. (2024) |
| Block 3 Questions 14 to 17 | Investigate how internal communication influenced employees’ engagement, sense of belonging, motivation, and perception of appreciation in the organizational environment. | Silva and Dancini (2023) Santiago et al. (2023) Hanzen and Schneider (2024) |
| Block 4 Questions 18 and 19 | Examine the impacts of failures, noise, or excess information on internal communication regarding the performance, productivity, and work routine of employees. | Gonçalves and Gonçalves (2021) |
| Block 5 Questions 20 and 21 | Verify whether the cooperative’s organizational culture was consistently reflected in the internal messages received by employees. | Santos and Ribeiro (2023) |
| Block 6 Questions 22 to 24 | Analyze whether internal communication favored the sharing of ideas, employee participation, and the stimulation of organizational innovation. | Silva and Zingler (2025) |
| Block 7 Questions 25 and 26 | Evaluate the contribution of digital technologies adopted by the cooperative to the agility of internal communication and to the employee experience. | Kotler et al. (2021) Silva et al. (2024) |
| Block 8 Questions 27 to 30 | Identify the frequency of use of different internal communication channels and employee preferences for receiving institutional information. | Kotler et al. (2021) |
| Block 9 Question 31 | Collect suggestions from collaborators with a view to improving the cooperative’s internal communication flows, channels, and practices. | Hanzen and Schneider (2024) |
Source: Original survey data
Data collection for the survey took place between December 2025 and February 2026, using an online questionnaire on the Google Forms platform, sent via institutional email to all approximately 120 employees of the Coop. The researcher identified themselves and presented the study’s objectives, ensuring the confidentiality of the responses. The final sample consisted of 100 valid respondents, corresponding to 83.3% of the total employees. The sampling method was non-probabilistic, by convenience, considering the voluntary participation of the respondents. Before the final application, the questionnaire underwent a pre-test with a small group of employees with a similar profile, requiring no adjustments (the applied questionnaire is available in Appendix B).
In-depth interviews were conducted in January 2026, asynchronously and entirely online, using an open-ended question script. Four cooperative professionals participated: Human Resources Manager, Superintendent, Director, and Marketing Analyst. Contact and response forwarding occurred via institutional email (the applied open-ended question script is available in Appendix C). The characterization of the interview participants is presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Characterization of interview participants.
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear and organized information | 2 | 7,1 | 12,1 | 37,4 | 41,4 |
| Channels deliver messages with agility | 2 | 4 | 15,2 | 34,3 | 44,4 |
| Channels meet daily needs | 1 | 6,1 | 14,1 | 41,4 | 37,4 |
| Easy access to channels | 1 | 3 | 13,1 | 33,3 | 49,5 |
| Reliable and transparent information | 1 | 4 | 5,1 | 37,4 | 52,5 |
Source: Original research results.
The data collection procedures, both for the pre-test and for the questionnaire application, were carried out in accordance with Resolution No. 510, of April 07, 2016, which establishes guidelines for research in Human and Social Sciences. An ethical and respectful approach was ensured, guaranteeing the non-identification of participants at any stage of the research. Prior to participation, respondents were informed about the study’s objectives and the use of data, and their consent was requested through the Free and Informed Consent Form [TCLE] (Appendix A). The research was exempted from registration and evaluation by the Research Ethics Committee [CEP/Conep], according to Art. 1, item I, of Resolution No. 510/2016, as it is characterized as a public opinion survey with unidentified participants.
For the analysis of quantitative data, basic descriptive statistics were used, with tabulation and organization of information in spreadsheets from Microsoft Excel software. The results were analyzed comparatively and interpretatively, including cross-tabulation analyses between sociodemographic variables and employee perceptions, according to the methodological guidelines of Malhotra (2019). The analysis of the interviews was conducted based on the content analysis technique, as proposed by Laurence Bardin.
3. Results and Discussion
The analyzed cooperative, identified as Coop, has been operating for approximately 29 years in the credit union segment in the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul. Its trajectory involved the expansion of its structure and diversification of its audience, resulting in greater organizational complexity and information flow. Coop offers a variety of financial products, competing with traditional financial institutions and fintechs. Its differential lies in its proximity to members and the valorization of cooperativist principles. However, growth has intensified challenges in internal communication, marked by the absence of criteria for channel usage, informational redundancy, inadequate use of informal means for strategic content, and lack of standardization. This scenario generated noise, rework, and misalignment, compromising the understanding of institutional guidelines and highlighting the need to structure channels for greater efficiency, integration, and alignment with internal marketing practices, aiming for employee engagement and consistent delivery of the value proposition.
Respondent Profile
The study participants, all from the same cooperative, are predominantly adults, with a prevalence in the age groups of 25 to 34 years (35%) and 35 to 44 years (28%). The sample showed a balance between men (51%) and women (49%) and good academic background, with 53% holding a complete higher education degree and 33% a postgraduate degree, especially specialization. Professionals between 25 and 44 years old predominate, working in the Administration area (41%), and most hold technical and operational roles (63%), although management positions are also significant (33%). The employees’ tenure suggests experience and stability, which reinforces the reliability of the collected perceptions.
Satisfaction with Internal Communication
Internal communication within the cooperative was rated as satisfactory by employees, especially regarding the method of information dissemination. Using a five-point Likert scale, the results indicated that institutional content is perceived as organized and clear, facilitating understanding. The predominance of responses at the agreement levels in Table 3 reinforces a positive assessment of the clarity and structure of communication, which contributes to reducing interpretation errors and favoring organizational dynamics.
Table 3. Satisfaction with Internal Communication (%)
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication contributes to feeling part of the team | 2 | 2 | 12,1 | 34,3 | 47,5 |
| Messages strengthen engagement | 2 | 3 | 15,2 | 37,4 | 42,4 |
| Communication influences motivation | 2 | 2 | 19,2 | 35,4 | 40,4 |
| Communication generates a feeling of appreciation | 3 | 3 | 15,2 | 39,4 | 39,4 |
Source: Original research results.
The positive perception extended to the speed of information dissemination, with participants demonstrating agility in relaying messages, indicating that communication flows meet the time demands of work routines. The functionality and accessibility of internal channels were also favorably evaluated, with a predominance of positive responses, suggesting that the available means are adequate and easily accessible. The reliability and transparency of information were mostly positive, with the majority of participants showing confidence in the disseminated content, which reinforces the credibility of institutional channels.
Despite the positive evaluation, this scenario should be relativized by the profile of the sample, which has a high level of education (87% with higher education or postgraduate studies) and professional experience, which can broaden the capacity for understanding and cause the perceived clarity to reflect both the quality of the channels and the analytical competence of the collaborators. The predominance of technical and operational positions (63%) values practical functionality, with emphasis on access to channels (82.8%) and meeting daily needs (78.8%), evidencing operational effectiveness, but without guaranteeing the organization of communication flows. From a theoretical perspective, agility and transparency (Kotler, 2021) are aligned with contemporary practices, but the dynamics suggest a predominance of unidirectional flows. The absence of structured listening mechanisms limits the strategic potential of communication (Brum, 2017), and the time in operation between 1 and 7 years (61%) may indicate adaptation and naturalization of informal flows. Thus, communication, although effective at the operational level, presents fragilities that may compromise its strategic sustainability, fulfilling the role of informing for task execution, but facing the challenge of strengthening emotional bonds and acting as a pillar of the cooperative culture.
Engagement, Belonging, and Motivation
Internal communication positively influences engagement, belonging, and motivation, according to employee perception. The results indicated a generally positive perception, suggesting that communication processes impact the employee experience, although the presence of neutral responses points to possibilities for improvement. Table 4 shows that communication contributes to the feeling of belonging and to employee integration, strengthening identification with the organizational environment.
Table 4. Engagement, Belonging and Motivation (%).
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lack of clarity impaired performance | 11,1 | 15,2 | 31,3 | 27,3 | 15,2 |
| Duplicate messages complicate the routine | 11,1 | 9,1 | 22,2 | 31,3 | 26,3 |
Source: Original research results.
The results indicated that internal communication positively influences engagement, strengthening the bond with work, being recognized by the majority as a factor of greater involvement and commitment. However, differences were observed between the indicators: the feeling of belonging to the team showed greater total agreement (47.5%), while individual appreciation registered the lowest index (39.4%). This contrast suggests greater effectiveness in building a collective sense than in individual recognition, indicating the need for practices that reinforce personal appreciation to deepen the organizational bond. Daily work motivation and the perception of appreciation were also positively evaluated, with communication flows contributing to a stimulating environment conducive to performance and institutional recognition.
Despite high levels of agreement, the integrated analysis with previous findings suggests caution regarding the sustainability of the bond, which may be more functional than relational, generating a transactional relationship in the long term. The presence of neutral responses, especially in motivation (19.2%) and appreciation (15.2%), indicates ambivalence or lack of clear positioning. The predominance of technical and operational roles (63%) reinforces the interpretation that this group values the immediate utility of information. The coexistence of positive perceptions and structural weaknesses, such as redundancy and informational dispersion, suggests that belonging may be more related to daily interactions than to structured institutional communication. Theoretically, strategic alignment is weakened by channel fragmentation (Kunsch, 2016; Yu et al., 2019), and the length of service (1 to 7 years) favors familiarization, but not bond consolidation. Thus, internal communication, while promoting primary integration and team spirit, shows signs of saturation in motivation and appreciation, running the risk of being merely functional and failing to convert information into genuine recognition. Strengthening the bond seems to depend more on professional resilience than on an endomarketing architecture that prioritizes the individual and their emotional alignment.
Productivity and Impacts of Communication Failures
The results on the impacts of communication failures on productivity and work routine indicated heterogeneous perceptions, revealing fragilities that can affect performance, despite the overall positive evaluation. Table 5 shows a balanced distribution of responses regarding lack of clarity, with a slight predominance of neutrality (31.3%), although relevant percentages (27.3% and 15.2%) indicate performance impairment.
Table 5. Productivity and Impacts of Failures (%)
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messages reflect cooperative values | 2 | 3 | 16,2 | 36,4 | 42,4 |
| Communication reflects organizational culture | 1 | 4 | 18,2 | 35,4 | 41,4 |
Source: Original research results.
The perception of message duplication and informational dispersion is critical, with concordance levels (31.3% and 26.3%) exceeding disagreement levels (11.1% and 9.1%), indicating impacts on routine organization and flow efficiency. In contrast to the perception of individual clarity, the set of flows reveals disorder, characterizing a “communicational entropy” where the problem lies in the distribution and replication of messages across channels. The multiplicity of means without structuring generates informational overload and reinforces the need for strategic organization of flows.
The predominance of neutral responses (31.3%) over drawbacks due to lack of clarity suggests that these problems are perceived diffusely, with positive perceptions coexisting with operational difficulties that are not highly problematized. The duplication and dispersion of messages reinforce the critical scenario: 57.6% of participants point out that fragmentation hinders routine, indicating that communication is functional, but not necessarily efficient. Information overload generates cognitive wear, reducing engagement and impacting productivity and emotional connection. Thus, excess and disorganization highlight the need for greater rationalization and integration of channels.
Theoretically, clarity is central (Kunsch, 2016), but the data show that understanding messages does not eliminate failures in the absence of coordination between channels. The multiplicity of media without defined criteria tends to generate informational dispersion (Claro et al., 2018), and informational failures impact productivity (Gonçalves and Gonçalves, 2021). Although internal communication is well-perceived, it presents operational limitations, reinforcing the need for standardization and organization of flows. The findings deconstruct the apparent positive homogeneity, revealing informational overload and failure in managing the collaborator’s attention, resulting in informational rework. The strengthening of the institutional bond is threatened by a structure that favors the quantity of flows over precision, suggesting the optimization of channels to preserve team productivity and well-being.
Organizational Culture and Communicational Flow
Internal communication was perceived as a relevant instrument for the diffusion of institutional values and the strengthening of organizational culture. The results indicated a predominantly positive perception of the relationship between internal communication and organizational culture, suggesting that communication contributes to the consolidation of organizational identity, although the presence of neutral responses points to different levels of internalization of values. Table 6 shows a high level of agreement regarding the clarity in the expression of values and practices, with emphasis on the percentages of agree (36.4%) and totally agree (42.4%), indicating that the disseminated content consistently reflects the cooperative’s principles. The agreement rates (35.4% and 41.4%) demonstrate that employees perceive coherence between the adopted communication and organizational culture, reinforcing the role of communication flows as a symbolic support element for institutional values.
Table 6. Organizational Culture (%)
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication encourages ideas | 3 | 6,1 | 27,3 | 32,3 | 31,3 |
| There is an opening to propose improvements | 1 | 7,1 | 29,3 | 37,4 | 25,3 |
| Leadership listens to suggestions | 1 | 7,1 | 16,2 | 44,4 | 31,3 |
Source: Original research results.
The results indicate a positive perception of internal communication in transmitting values and strengthening culture, with high agreement rates suggesting employee identification, a central stage of internal marketing. However, in light of the previous blocks, especially Block 4 (Productivity and Impacts of Communication Failures), this scenario should be relativized, as fragilities such as message duplication and informational dispersion indicate that alignment may be more in discourse than in practice. The neutral responses (16.2% and 18.2%) may indicate different levels of internalization and difficulty in perceiving the concrete application of values.
Considering the technical-operational profile of the sample, alignment tends to be built more by message repetition than by lived experience. Recurrence and duplication, in articulation with Block 4, broaden recognition in discourse, but also generate overload, causing some collaborators to recognize the values without perceiving them in daily life. Theoretically, the reinforcement of culture depends on the coherence between discourse and practice (Schein, 2010), and integration is weakened by the fragmentation of channels (Kunsch, 2016). A “communicational dissonance” is observed, where the content is aligned with the values but not supported by organized flows. The length of service (1 to 7 years) favors familiarization, but does not guarantee consolidation. Thus, communication sustains the discourse on a symbolic level, but presents limitations in practical implementation, highlighting the need for greater alignment between messages, channels, and routines. This scenario reveals a risk of incoherence, which can weaken the bond over time.
The findings demonstrate that internal communication is effective in maintaining the symbolic dimension of culture, projecting institutional values in a recognizable way. However, the integrated analysis reveals that this alignment resides primarily at the level of discourse, and the persistence of operational weaknesses and disordered flows indicates that organizational culture has not yet been fully translated into a strategic communication practice. For the genuine strengthening of the bond, it is imperative that the coherence observed in the content of the messages be transposed to the organization of processes, mitigating the distance between what the cooperative announces as value and what the employee experiences in their daily informational journey.
Communication, Innovation and Sharing of Ideas
The results indicated a favorable perception of the contribution of internal communication to the stimulus of innovation and sharing of ideas, suggesting a conducive environment for participation, although the presence of neutral responses reveals differences in the perception of innovation incentive. Table 7 shows a predominance of agreement (32.3% and 31.3%) regarding the stimulus for sharing ideas, indicating that the channels are perceived as facilitators of proposal circulation. However, the neutral percentage (27.3%) suggests that this incentive is not perceived uniformly. The openness to propose improvements and the recognition of contributions were also positive, with emphasis on the levels of agreement (37.4% and 25.3%), although neutrality (29.3%) indicates variations in employee experience. Leadership posture was evaluated with a high level of agreement (44.4% and 31.3%), showing that leaders are perceived as accessible and receptive, contributing to a more open, collaborative, and innovation-friendly communication environment.
Table 7. Innovation and Sharing (%).
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tools make communication faster | 2 | 6,1 | 21,2 | 33,3 | 37,4 |
| Technology facilitates access to information | 1 | 6,1 | 18,2 | 36,4 | 38,4 |
Source: Original research results.
The relatively positive perception of the role of internal communication in stimulating participation and sharing of ideas demands caution when analyzed in conjunction with Blocks 3 (Engagement, Belonging, and Motivation) and 4 (Productivity and Impacts of Communication Failures). The high neutrality rates (27.3% in encouraging ideas and 29.3% in openness to improvements) suggest that the participatory environment is not homogeneous. This aspect contrasts with the low neutrality of Block 2 (Satisfaction with Internal Communication), indicating that as one moves from the operational to the strategic level (innovation and participation), uncertainty about the effectiveness of communication increases. Neutrality may reflect skepticism about the impact of contributions, where the openness of channels is acknowledged, but not the return. In conjunction with Block 4, failures such as duplication and informational dispersion reinforce this scenario, prioritizing operational demands and limiting space for proactive initiatives.
Theoretically, communication openness is associated with innovation (Silva et al., 2024), and active listening is important (Hanzen and Schneider, 2024), but neutrality indicates that these practices are not perceived consistently. Positive leadership evaluation (75.7% agreement) may reflect accessibility, but not necessarily the effective incorporation of ideas. Participation is only consolidated with feedback and appreciation of contributions (Brum, 2017). A “pseudo-participation” dynamic is observed, where channels and leadership are accessible, but the flows do not guarantee processing or feedback on suggestions, generating a more personal connection with leadership, without institutional strengthening. Thus, communication enables participation at a basic level, but lacks structure and effective appreciation mechanisms to sustain a culture of innovation. The results reveal that internal communication established an environment of participatory cordiality, but did not consolidate as an effective innovation ecosystem. The high neutrality rate suggests a gap between the ‘open door’ and the ‘real utilization’ of contributions. This fragility indicates that the strategic link risks stagnating at a superficial level, requiring the creation of clear feedback flows for innovation to become a systemic practice.
Technology and Employee Experience
The collaborators’ perception of the role of technology in internal communication was predominantly positive, especially regarding agility and access to information, although the presence of neutral responses reveals distinct perceptions. Table 8 shows a predominance of agreement (33.3% and 37.4%) regarding the agility provided by technologies, indicating that digital resources make communication faster and more functional. However, the neutral percentage (21.2%) and dissenting responses (2% and 6.1%) suggest that this perception is not uniform. Regarding access to information, the data were also favorable, with levels of agreement (36.4% and 38.4%) indicating that technological tools facilitate the acquisition of relevant content for daily activities. Nevertheless, the presence of neutral responses (18.2%) points to opportunities for improvement in the effectiveness of these resources.
Table 8. Technology and Experience (%).
| Channel | Use (5) | Receipt (5) | Prefers (5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate e-mail | 91,4 | 90,1 | 81,5 |
| Linkus | 9,9 | 6,2 | 12,3 |
| 58 | 21 | 49,4 | |
| Teams/Chat | 93,8 | 50,6 | 74,1 |
| Feedz | 39,5 | 7,9 | 61,7 |
| Meetings | 27,2 | 27,2 | 53,1 |
| Physical murals | 7,4 | 3,7 | 17,3 |
| 4,9 | 4,9 | 11,1 | |
| 9,9 | 14,8 | 23,5 | |
| Lecom | 65,4 | 28,4 | 37 |
| Others | 8,6 | 7,4 | 12,3 |
Source: Original research results.
The results indicate a positive perception regarding the use of digital technologies in internal communication, especially concerning agility and access to information. However, when analyzed together with Blocks 2 (Satisfaction with Internal Communication) and 4 (Productivity and Impacts of Communication Failures), these data should be relativized, as the observed speed may be associated with fragmented flows, indicating that technology accelerates communication but does not solve structural problems. In this context, technology is perceived as a utilitarian resource, focused on the efficient transmission of information, rather than as a strategic element of the communication experience.
Endomarketing tools should promote interaction, engagement, and meaning construction (Qaisar and Muhamad, 2022); when used solely for dissemination, they reinforce the speed of flows without necessarily strengthening the bond. The presence of neutrality (21.2% in agility and 18.2% in access to information) shows that the experience with the tools is not homogeneous, suggesting that technological effectiveness depends more on integration into processes than on system availability. In conjunction with Block 6 (Communication, Innovation, and Idea Sharing), it is observed that technology, although it facilitates informational flow, does not guarantee greater participation or stimulus to innovation, being predominantly used as a means of transmission and not as a strategic engagement tool.
Although Kotler et al. (2021) highlight the role of technologies in expanding communication, the data indicate that agility can intensify the flow without qualifying it. Technology operates as passive infrastructure, enabling the circulation of messages, but not actively promoting interaction, engagement, or meaning construction. Nonaka and Takeuchi (2009) point out that technology only generates value when integrated into structured processes, which weakens in the face of dispersion and lack of standardization. Positive evaluation may reflect employee adaptation to tools, rather than their full efficiency. The analysis shows that, although technology enables communication, its impact is still concentrated on operational agility, reinforcing the need for greater integration and organization of informational flows. The findings confirm that technology acts as a logistical support for internal communication, ensuring speed. However, the digitalization of flows has not resolved engagement gaps and operational failures, potentially increasing informational dispersion by accelerating the delivery of redundant content. The employee’s experience with technology is predominantly functional and reactive. For technology to become real strategic support, the institution needs to evolve from the mere provision of tools to the curation of integrated flows, transforming technical agility into organizational intelligence and human connection.
About Channels and Preferences
The results showed relevant differences in usage habits, information reception, and preferences regarding communication channels, indicating distinct adoption patterns. Table 9 shows that corporate email (91.4%) and Teams/Chat (93.8%) are the most recurrent means of use. Other channels such as WhatsApp (58%) and Lecom (65.4%) are also used, while Linkus (9.9%), physical bulletin boards (7.4%), and external social networks (Facebook 4.9%, Instagram 9.9%) show low usage frequency. Regarding information reception, corporate email (90.1%) is consolidated as the main institutional channel, followed by Teams/Chat (50.6%) and meetings (27.2%). Tools like Linkus (6.2%) and physical bulletin boards (3.7%) have less relevance in this aspect. As for preferences, corporate email (81.5%) remains the most desired channel, followed by Teams/Chat (74.1%), Feedz (61.7%), meetings (53.1%), and WhatsApp (49.4%), indicating a valuation of digital means integrated into work routines.
Table 9. Communication Channels (Usage, Receipt, and Preference) (%).
| Statement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of information is excessive | 13,1 | 22,2 | 33,3 | 20,2 | 11,1 |
| Importance of defining official channels | 2 | 2 | 17,2 | 31,3 | 47,5 |
Source: Original research results.
This scenario highlights that, despite the diversity of available channels, e-mail still holds centrality in the cooperative’s communication ecosystem. Attempts to migrate to other platforms without a clear transition and integration strategy tend to intensify informational dispersion, already observed in Block 4 (Productivity and Impacts of Communication Failures), increasing channel overlap and hindering the consolidation of organized communication flows. The perception of information volume, according to Table 10, shows a predominance of neutrality (33.3%), although there are perceptions of excess (13.1% and 22.2%) and non-excess (20.2% and 11.1%), evidencing distinct experiences among collaborators. Finally, a high level of agreement is observed regarding the importance of defining official channels (31.3% and 47.5%), indicating that the standardization of communication flows is perceived as essential to reduce noise and increase internal communication efficiency, revealing an explicit demand from collaborators for greater organization.
Table 10. General Perceptions (%).
| Gender | Function | Time of action | Training |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female | People Management Manager | 3 years | People Management |
| Female | Superintendent | 2 years | Administration |
| Male | Director | 2 years | Master in Management for Competitiveness |
| Female | Marketing Analyst | 3 years | Marketing |
Source: Original research results.
The results deepen the evidence that the cooperative’s internal communication functions, but lacks structured organization. The strong concentration of use and preference for email (91.4% frequent use) and Teams/Chat (93.8%) confirms that employees prioritize digital channels integrated into their work routine. However, the multiplicity of channels, although functional, contributes to the dispersion and duplication of messages, indicating a system that is more reactive than planned. The mismatch between use, receipt, and preference is relevant; WhatsApp, for example, shows high usage (58%), but lower perception of institutional receipt (21%), suggesting informal appropriation. A similar situation occurs with Feedz and Lecom, where the presence of the tool does not guarantee its effectiveness. This pattern reinforces that communication circulates, but not in a coordinated manner. The predominance of neutral responses (33.3%) to the volume of information may reflect adaptation to an irregular informational flow, where the volume is not perceived as excessive because it is diluted across multiple channels.
The sample profile, with high education and experience, contributes to this apparent stability, as employees tend to develop their own strategies to manage information, masking structural inefficiencies. There is an implicit demand for standardization, evidenced by the high agreement rate on official channels. Theoretically, the situation highlights a gap between the availability and management of channels (Kunsch, 2016), and the effectiveness of communication depends on the adequacy between channel and message (Santos and Ribeiro, 2023), weakened by the overlap of media. The high agreement on the need for definition of official channels (47.5% “totally agree”) synthesizes the fragilities: the main challenge lies in the organization of communication flows. Internal communication is operationally functional, but structurally diffuse, reinforcing the need for standardization for greater efficiency and strategic alignment. The findings consolidate the diagnosis that the cooperative possesses a robust technological apparatus, but lacks a governed flow architecture. The appropriation of technology for immediate operational demands, while strategic communication depends on email, and the expressive demand for official channels (78.8%) confirm that the observed efficiency is not the result of a strategic endomarketing design, but of the resilience of professionals. Strengthening institutional ties depends less on new tools and more on organizational discipline and standardization of existing channels.
Qualitative Analysis of Interviews
The analysis of open-ended responses and in-depth interviews, conducted with managers and strategic professionals, deepened the understanding of quantitative results, exploring flows, challenges, and potentialities of internal communication. The interviewees, holding strategic positions in the cooperative, provided a comprehensive view on the subject. Table 11 presents the characterization of the interview participants, including gender, role, tenure, and education.
Table 11. Characterization of interview participants.
| Step | Main research findings | Possible practical applications |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1 – Satisfaction with internal communication | Overall positive evaluation regarding the clarity, organization, and reliability of institutional messages. – Favorable perception regarding the agility and access to information through internal channels. | Maintain standards of clarity and accessible language in communications. – Consolidate good practices for rapid dissemination of institutional information. |
| Block 2 – Engagement, belonging, and motivation | Internal communication associated with strengthening the sense of belonging and engagement with work. – Perception that institutional messages contribute to employee motivation and appreciation. | Use internal communication as a tool for recognition and appreciation. – Expand actions to strengthen organizational identity. -Implement continuous feedback and recognition campaigns via official channels (Email and Teams), strengthening the bond between employee and organization. |
| Step 3 – Productivity and impacts of communication failures | Existence of punctual impacts on the work routine related to lack of clarity and message duplication. – Perception that the dispersion of information across multiple channels can generate rework and prioritization difficulties. | Establish clear guidelines for the use of communication channels. – Standardize informational flows to reduce noise and redundancies. |
| Step 4 – Organizational culture and communication flow | Internal communication perceived as a relevant instrument for the dissemination of institutional values. – Identification of coherence between the style of messages and the organizational culture of the cooperative. | Strengthen communication strategies aimed at disseminating organizational culture. – Integrate institutional content with actions for cultural alignment and engagement. |
| Step 5 – Communication, innovation and sharing of ideas | Positive perception regarding openness to suggestions and sharing of ideas. – Recognition of leadership’s role in promoting dialogue and listening to collaborators. | Structure formal channels for collecting suggestions and ideas. – Empower leaders to encourage participatory communication practices. |
| Step 6 – Technology and employee experience | – Digital technologies perceived as facilitators of communication and access to information. – Presence of neutral perceptions indicating differences in experience with digital tools. | – Invest in training for the use of digital communication platforms. – Improve the integration between systems and channels used in daily work. – Review the employee’s digital journey to reduce friction between platforms and improve the fluidity of tool usage. |
| Step 7 – Communication Channels and Preferences | Predominance of corporate email and synchronous digital platforms as the main channels for information circulation. – Low use of physical channels and external social networks. – Strong agreement on the need to define official channels for each type of message. | Define institutional communication policy with clear assignment of channels for different types of content. – Prioritize digital media integrated into the work environment. |
| Step 8 – Qualitative analysis of interviews | Absence of structured internal communication flow and simultaneous use of multiple channels. – Recognition of the strategic role of communication for organizational alignment and productivity. – Need for greater integration between internal communication and internal marketing actions. | Structure formal internal communication management policies. – Integrate communication, leadership, and internal marketing strategies. – Implement monitoring and strategic planning of communication flows. |
Source: Original research results.
Content analysis of the interviews revealed four central axes: (i) absence of standardization and fragmentation of flows; (ii) unequal use and distinct effectiveness of channels; (iii) failures in planning, clarity, and segmentation of messages; and (iv) limitations in the strategic performance of internal marketing and leadership. The qualitative data tension the quantitative findings, as, while collaborators indicated a positive perception of clarity and agility (Block 2 – Satisfaction with Internal Communication), managers described a disorganized scenario. The Director stated that “there is no defined flow (…) sometimes on all channels at the same time,” and the HR Manager reinforced that “there is no clarity about which are the official channels,” indicating an absence of guidelines. Regarding channels, email and Teams are consolidated, but their use is unequal; WhatsApp has greater adherence in external teams, and Feedz, despite being strategic, has low effectiveness for formal communications, with collaborators “ending up saying they didn’t see the information published exclusively on Feedz,” evidencing misalignment. Planning failures manifest in informational overload and lack of focus. The Director pointed out that “a vast amount of information arrives that loses credibility,” and the Superintendent observed that relevant content “ends up going unnoticed by those who should actually be impacted,” evidencing a lack of segmentation. This set of qualitative perceptions reveals that, although communication is evaluated as agile, there is a lack of foresight, indicating reactive communication, quick in response, but fragile in its preventive and structuring character.
In internal marketing, reports indicate low systematization, with “actions happen, but not as a structured program”. Nevertheless, respondents recognize the potential of internal communication to align teams and strengthen results, as highlighted by the HR Manager who stated that “the cooperative starts to speak with one voice” when communication is well managed. Discussions about improvements converged on the need for organization and intentionality, with the Director summarizing the problem by stating that communicating across multiple channels simultaneously “is shooting in all directions”. The comparative analysis reinforces a critical point: while employees prefer email and Teams (Block 8 – About Channels and Preferences), managers point out that the central problem lies not in the means, but in the absence of criteria for their use. This misalignment suggests that the positive perception in the questionnaires reflects operational adaptation, not structural efficiency. The open-ended responses broaden this perspective, showing that employees cope with the system’s weaknesses due to their experience and training, but acknowledge the limitations. Thus, the questionnaire captures the dimension of adaptation, while the interviews reveal the dimension of expectation for a more organized and efficient system.
In light of the literature, internal communication operates under a functional logic but is not very strategic. Communicational effectiveness depends on the integration between channels, planning, and institutional objectives (Kunsch, 2016), elements that are still fragile in the context. The excess of messages and loss of relevance approach information overload, where volume and dispersion reduce processing capacity. The qualitative analysis confirms and problematizes the quantitative results, showing that, although functional at the operational level, the absence of standardization, segmentation, and planning limits the strategic potential of communication, reinforcing the need for organization of flows and greater integration between communication, leadership, and internal marketing. The qualitative data serve as a critical counterpoint to the apparent stability of the quantitative data, revealing operational fissures of an exhaustive and disordered communicational system. The demand for advance notice and segmentation shows that the strategic support of communication is still incipient, operating under a mass transmission logic. By straining the previous results, this block confirms that strengthening the bond between employee and institution is conditioned by overcoming the current reactive model in favor of planning that prioritizes active listening and the organization of flows, transforming communication from a simple relay of information into a true management and engagement tool.
Synthesis of results
The main research findings indicated a generally positive assessment of the clarity, organization, and reliability of institutional messages, with a favorable perception of agility and access to information through internal channels. Internal communication was associated with strengthening the sense of belonging and engagement with work, and institutional messages contribute to the motivation and appreciation of employees. The existence of specific impacts on work routine related to lack of clarity and duplication of messages was verified, with the dispersion of information across multiple channels generating rework and prioritization difficulties. Internal communication is perceived as a relevant tool for disseminating institutional values, with the identification of coherence between the message style and organizational culture. There was a positive perception regarding openness to suggestions and sharing of ideas, and recognition of the leadership’s role in promoting dialogue and listening to employees.
Digital technologies were perceived as facilitators of communication and access to information, although the presence of neutral perceptions indicates differences in experience with these tools. The predominance of corporate email and synchronous digital platforms was observed as the main channels for information circulation, with low utilization of physical channels and external social networks, and strong agreement regarding the need to define official channels for each type of message. Qualitative analysis revealed the absence of a structured internal communication flow and the simultaneous use of multiple channels, but also the recognition of the strategic role of communication for organizational alignment and productivity, indicating the need for greater integration between internal communication and internal marketing actions. In summary, the cooperative’s internal communication is functional at the operational level but lacks standardization, segmentation, and planning, which limits its strategic potential and reinforces the need for organization of flows and greater integration between communication, leadership, and internal marketing. Strengthening the bond between employee and institution depends on overcoming the current reactive model in favor of planning that prioritizes active listening and the organization of flows, transforming communication into an instrument of management and engagement.
4. Conclusion
This study sought to understand how internal communication channels, from the perspective of internal marketing, provide strategic support to strengthen the bond between employee and institution in a credit cooperative. It was found that internal communication operated in a predominantly operational and reactive manner, being effective in transmitting ritualistic information but insufficient for consolidating a planned strategic bond. A “satisfaction trap” was identified, where high approval rates masked a communication entropy, characterized by channel overlap and message duplication that, although tolerated by employees, drained productivity. It was observed that the strengthening of the bond resulted more from the individual adaptability of highly educated professionals than from a structured internal marketing architecture. The study’s main contribution lies in the pragmatic diagnosis that points to the urgent need to migrate from the quantity of channels to information curation, prioritizing proactivity, segmentation, and integrated leadership action, rather than focusing on technological expansion.
However, the research presents important limitations, such as the sample’s schooling bias, which may have softened the perception of flaws, and the cross-sectional nature of the study, which captured a momentary snapshot of the internal culture. The tendency towards socially acceptable behavior in closed-ended questions may also have influenced the responses. For future investigations, it is suggested to conduct longitudinal studies that assess the impact of channel unification on long-term engagement, as well as comparative research between cooperatives with different levels of digital maturity. Such approaches can deepen the understanding of the sustainability of labor relations and the role of clear communication as a worker’s right and a pillar of the organization.
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