Having a good and effective Internal communications agency is an important aspect of an organization’s performance. If most of us have planned communication with external parties or customers, as a company we must also be able to establish communication with fellow employees. A level of concern for employees can help build engagement and closeness. Remember to put internal communication with your employees as a top priority.
An internal communications program can be daunting and complex for some organizations, especially when looking to change or improve their strategy.
In this article, we will discuss what internal communication is and why it is important to improve it in your organization.
What is Internal Communication?
Internal communication is the place where you share information about the company so that employees can do their job well. The purpose of internal communication is to provide an effective flow of information between departments and divisions within the organization. This applies both up and down the management chain. Of course, this communication also applies to fellow employees within the company.
Solid internal communication fosters corporate culture and builds employee engagement.
Types and Channels of Internal Communication
The demographics of the workforce are constantly changing. This indicates the need for different communication channels. Especially during a pandemic that forces companies to work from home (WFH). The WFH system drastically changes the company’s management structure, also changing how each member of the organization interacts.
This allows information sharing to be done remotely, or electronically through systems such as corporate intranets. The advantage of the intranet is that it is available 24/7 and employees have access to it from any location with an internet connection.
Management – information providers such as strategy, company results, internal and external information, and other important general information.
Team – between colleagues who work together to achieve the same end goal.
Face to face – a way of briefing individuals on tasks and situations.
Peer – informal chat between colleagues to share information.
Resources – intranet, email, social media, messaging, video calls, telephone.
Each of these types uses certain channels to achieve its internal communication goals:
Verbal – conveying information by word of mouth.
Electronics – how most written information is shared.
Why is Internal Communication within the Company Important?
1. Increase Employee Engagement and Productivity
Start the right conversations across your organization and bring leaders, partners, and employees together to focus on internal strategies that increase engagement and productivity. Employees should be encouraged to share their ideas and opinions. Doing this will make them feel valued and listened to𑁋which in turn will lead to your employees’ engagement. These types of conversations can be easily managed via the internal communication platform. No need to hold time-consuming meetings.
2. Increase Information Supply
Effective internal communication also ensures that employees are not overloaded with information. This avoids the need to spend hours sending and reading emails, messages, and comments.
3. Improve Employee Experience
Organizations can use internal communications to improve the employee experience. This helps maintain employee retention, as it works for a company that cares about people who send positive messages.
4. Share Goals and Targets
Providing an overview and explaining your goals through a consistent flow of information helps employees feel well informed and able to take action. A clear roadmap also emphasizes the company’s strategy so that everyone in the team or department has a clear view of where the organization is going. It provides one clear point of reference that summarizes the overall goal. This clarity can increase confidence in making decisions and carrying out roles.
5. Provide a Focal Point
Internal communications can be used to align and guide teams on how to prioritize and distribute strategies. This focus also emphasizes how smaller projects fit into the overall picture and why certain deadlines are important.
6. Encourage Action
Internal communication drives both internal and external action. For example, it can authorize people to continue a task, ask them to communicate with a supplier, or collect opinions via the number of likes for a new product on an intranet page. It can take a few seconds to communicate a piece of information clearly and effectively. People are more likely to respond if they just have to press a button, rather than write a long reply. This is especially true for the younger generation who grew up in the digital age.
7. Bringing People Together in Difficult Situations
Being able to communicate quickly and easily with the right people in the organization can reduce stress and get things done. It can also get into external communications, as an organization’s reputation can be easily damaged by untrue rumors. After discussing the importance of internal communication in your business, using the intranet alone doesn’t seem enough, right? This is because now, many organizations need more than just a network in the office to communicate, especially from the pandemic situation where many people work remotely.
