Many organizations are recognizing that improved internal communication is a vital element for building a successful workplace. However, according to statistics on Everyonesocial.com, 21% of internal communicators globally admit they don’t implement any formal planning for internal communications. Too often, business owners assume internal communication is a departmental function. But in reality, it’s all about sharing information among team members to ensure they perform at their best levels.
Companies that prioritize effective communication enjoy higher returns, increased employee engagement, and a better competitive edge. Not to mention, improving internal communications is one of the best ways to boost your business’s productivity levels and reduce everyday conflicts between employees. If you’re looking to keep information flowing at the workplace and ensure employees stay connected, below are ways to improve your business’s internal communication.
Identify Existing Problems
The first step to enhance internal communications is to identify tactics that are not working well. Therefore, take the time to collect feedback from different departments about the communications challenges they encounter. For instance, ask team leaders how well their team members understand your business goals. If they don’t know, it means you need to find effective ways to make internal knowledge accessible. To make the process easy, provide company information during training and prepare internal documents employees can reference.
Sync Strategy With Business Goals
In most cases, internal communication practices don’t get the importance they deserve because they are not connected with business success. With this in mind, integrate your internal communications strategy into company objectives. For example, let’s say your business objective for the last quarter of the year is to acquire 20% more customers. Consider defining an internal communication goal that supports that objective. Ideally, creating an internal communication strategy that aligns with business goals helps you quickly get buy-ins across the company. Additionally, employees will adapt your internal communications plan quickly.
Leverage The Latest Technology
To enhance communications within your organization, you need to embrace the latest internal business communication technologies. For instance, instead of using emails, opt for a modern intranet. Since modern intranet works on both mobile and desktop, you’ll have peace of mind that employees receive important information on time. Moreover, a modern intranet comes with advanced tools that provide clear insights into your communication performance. For example, using SharePoint analytics on your Sharepoint intranet helps you compare your news reach and impact. You can also analyze your audience by department and onboard inactive users to boost intranet adoption in the company.
Encourage Open Dialogue
When employees feel valued as part of the organization, they communicate effectively and work hard to help you achieve your business goals. So, make it a habit to share the company’s progress, changes, and plans with your staff. You can do this through bi-monthly newsletters or during staff meetings. Also, encourage employees to ask questions, provide feedback, and share opinions during discussions. Keeping your workers connected is key to showing them their feedback and opinions are appreciated. To achieve this goal, you should consider creating focus groups, conducting surveys, organizing workshops, and providing feedback forms.
Improving your internal business communication strategy is a vital step to build a successful workplace. That’s because effective communication helps boost efficiency, productivity levels, high returns on investment, and improved employee engagement. To enjoy these perks, encourage open dialogue in the office, identify and fix communication barriers, use the latest technology, and align your internal communication strategy with business goals.