It’s often said we must understand the past to build the future, and that sentiment sits at the very heart of this episode.

This week on The Internal Comms Podcast we welcome professors Michael Heller and Joe Chick, of Brunel University. Michael and Joe were recently awarded a considerable grant from the UK government to write an institutional history of the internal comms function in the UK – and they join host Katie Macaulay to discuss IC’s humble beginnings and its evolution over time.

Internal communications is nothing new, of course. As you'll hear, it has a rich and vibrant history, dating all the way back to the 1800s.

So why this research? And why now?

Through their work, Michael and Joe hope to give us IC practitioners a clearer sense of our occupational history, and in turn enhance our professional identity. For too long internal communicators have been seen as lesser than other comms professionals, and legitimising our journey to the present day is just one way we can secure our seat at the top table.

Join us on a fascinating journey through the history of the profession, one we think will inspire and energise you to build the new era of IC.

As always, share your thoughts of this or any other episode of The Internal Comms Podcast using the hashtag #TheICPodcast. And thanks for listening.