A Gallup survey has found that 74 percent of workers feel they’re missing out on company information due to poor internal communications, according to Oak Engage. Having a robust internal communications system at the workplace is crucial. It helps ensure all your employees work together towards achieving business goals by improving engagement, morale, and productivity. Unfortunately, many business organizations are lagging in streamlining their internal business communications.
Instead of viewing employee communication as a revenue driver, most business owners consider it an additional expense. This misconception can hurt business growth because ineffective communication reduces employee retention, engagement, and your bottom line. Unlocking the full potential of internal communications helps improve your company’s reputation internally and externally with your customers. Below are a few tips to enhance internal communications at the workplace, including an essential toolstack to improve business communications.
Evaluate your existing internal communication strategy
Reviewing your current internal communication plan is the first step to promoting effective communication among employees. Therefore, take time to evaluate how your strategy has been performing based on your business’s strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, pinpoint employees who have been proactive in making your plan work and then identify those you can add to help streamline workplace communication. Also, ask yourself if your initial plan addresses your needs and determine the resources you need to reach your objectives. Don’t forget to set a timeline and key metrics to measure the success of your internal communications.
Choose the right communications tools
Selecting the right communication channels is key to ensuring your employees and executives communicate effectively within the workplace. Remember, the success of your internal communication strategy doesn’t depend on what you say only. How you communicate with employees matters a lot. Ideally, you can’t send an email and expect positive outcomes. For your message to reach your target audience, you must use different mediums of communication.
With many internal communication channels available, picking one that meets your needs can be daunting. Most business owners have difficulty deciding whether to use the intranet, send out emails or text messages, newsletters, or hold virtual and in-person meetings. This is where investing in internal communication apps comes in. Leveraging Yammer analytics tools, for instance, enables you to calculate the return on investment of your internal communication. Given this step entails analyzing and benchmarking performance, creating an effective communication plan becomes easy.
Today most organizations encourage their team to master communication techniques by participating in training programs and seminars. These programs can help build collaborative relationships emphasizing trust and respect among workers. Effective communication training will significantly affect their productivity and improve performance. The pointers and hacks in such courses are also beneficial for employees who are introverted and quiet by nature as well.
Encourage open dialogue
Employees tend to communicate well when they feel valued as part of the company. With this in mind, strive to keep your staff up-to-date with organizational changes, progress, and future plans. You can share this information via bi-monthly email newsletters or during company meetings. Also, engage workers in discussions by encouraging them to ask questions and share feedback. Keeping your employees engaged is a sure way of showing them their opinions are welcome. There are many ways to achieve this goal, like creating employee focus groups, surveys, workshops, and anonymous feedback forms.
Creating an effective internal business communication system is vital for the growth and success of your venture. Businesses that prioritize internal communications enjoy increased efficiency, productivity, and a high return on investment. To enjoy these benefits, you’ll need to improve your communications strategy by encouraging open dialogue, using suitable channels, and setting realistic goals.
