- Strategic internal communication helps a business achieve its objectives.
That’s what it does. - Effective communications are those that produce meaningful results and they can be a competitive differentiator.
- There are costs associated with communicating, but there can be costs associated with not communicating as well.
Internal communication professionals seek cost-effective and creative solutions to solve complex communications challenges. - Employees are drowning in information, but starving for understanding.
Our job is to make the important interesting. - Credibility is the foundation upon which effective communication is built.
Unless it is believed, a message has no worth. - Face-to-face communication is the most desirable form of communication because it is immediate, personal and interactive.
Most employees say their immediate supervisor is their preferred and most credible source of information about the business. - Communication is, by definition, a two-way process.
Feedback mechanisms must be part of every employee communication. - Communication is a management responsibility.
Internal communication professionals supports leaders by serving as consultants, facilitators and resource partners. - As in any effective strategy, form should follow function.
The medium is the message. - Employees should learn of important events affecting them and their company from an internal source rather than an external source.
Well-informed employees can serve as informal ambassadors of the organisation. - The more important the information is personally to the receiver, the fewer exposures are needed to make an impression.
Make your communications relevant. - True effectiveness in communication is the ability to influence and change behaviour.
Changing behaviours is a long, slow process and therefore measurement of effective communications must be taken over time. - The case for change should be found in the marketplace.
For change to occur, employees must move through these stages: awareness, understanding, acceptance and commitment. You cannot skip a step. Formal communications (particularly written communications) are most effective in promoting awareness and understanding. Informal communications (leader behaviours, unwritten rules, management decisions, openness, risk-taking tolerance, etc.) are necessary to reach full commitment. - External sources are defacto employee communications and therefore external messaging should be aligned with internal strategies.
Likewise, employees are informal ambassadors of an organisation and therefore internal messaging should be aligned with external strategies. Every internal communication should be written as if it will be read by external sources and every external communication should be written as if it will be read by employees. - Rumours are created to fill communications voids.
Fill those voids with valid information. A phrase like “Unfortunately, we have more questions than answers right now but we’re aware of the problem, we’re working on it and we’ll keep you updated with any news” goes a long ways to keep the rumour mill from grinding out of control. - Well-defined communication processes and procedures are the foundation for creativity.
Key message libraries, templates, crisis communication plans, etc. free up time for creativity and continuous improvement. - The overall tone of employee communications directly reflects the relationship an organisation has with its employees.
The best tone for strategic internal communications is the Voice of the Brand, which is primarily what the organisation is but also what the organisation is striving to be. - With better information, better business decisions can be made.
Employees need to understand the “what” and the “why” and how they fit in to be fully engaged. - Well-informed employees are more satisfied, more creative, more productive and more committed to the success of the organisation.
- A common trait among successful companies is open and honest communications with all their key audiences, especially their employees.
Categories: Internal Communications