Informed Employees Will Boost Your Business
Employees who understand how their work contributes to company success are more productive and less likely to leave. They also make the best brand ambassadors. Dynamic and innovative companies make this happen by recruiting a diverse workforce and continuously investing in their people. Effective internal communications are part of their strategy and help cultivate employee trust and commitment.
Businesses naturally focus energy externally on customers and products, but companies also need to look inward and nurture staff at all levels. Internal communication fosters a sense of shared identity among workers, and that translates into employee engagement and loyalty.
To reap benefits for the business’ bottom line, internal communication needs to deliver messages and content that matter to your workforce. Here are three best practices and three practices to avoid as you move forward.
Best Practices
Be honest, transparent and consistent
Like a marriage, the employer/employee relationship needs intentional care and feeding. Actively connecting your workforce to the company's vision, direction, challenges and successes pays off in staff retention. Each quality employee who walks out the door is a lost investment and source of intellectual vitality for your business. Add in the cost of decreased productivity while you hire and train new staff and the expenses tally up fast. For small companies, employee turnover packs an even bigger punch. It is more cost effective to develop the workforce you have than to hire a new one.
Know your audience and tailor your messages
Approach your workforce with the same marketing savvy you use with customers. Your company likely includes different “populations” of employees, naturally segmented by job responsibilities or product areas, etc. But, you should also be attuned to generational differences. For example, CNN Money reports that Millennials seek ongoing work feedback, access to and transparency from management, and flexibility in work hours and location. Glassdoor notes that GenXers tend to prioritize job security and fast advancement. Baby Boomers, according to HR Magazine, are aligned with Millennials in a desire for work flexibility, as this group contemplates staggered retirement strategies.
Use a combination of communications tactics
Internal communications can take many forms and use many of the same tools as for external outreach. Strategies could include face-to-face opportunities for briefings and Q&A; email outreach; visual aids such as posters, video screen employee-focused 'ads;' and social media tools. The dialogue also needs to be two-way so that employees can safely share suggestions, feedback and concerns. Your business will directly benefit.
Three Thou Shalt Nots
Never let employees learn about big company changes through the news media
Always give employees advance notice—even if just letting staff know a big announcement is about to break and there will be internal communication immediately afterwards. Feeling deceived or ignored by management destroys workforce trust and encourages staff turnover. It is much harder to earn trust back than to safeguard it in the first place.
Silence is NOT a viable strategy
Management silence opens the door for rumors, misinformation, employee anxiety and passive aggressive behavior. In fact, silence can be perceived as arrogance, a lack of caring, and a lack of appreciation for and understanding of what employees do on behalf of the business. It kills creativity and motivation. Management needs to show staff their work is valued and how it contributes to company success. Employees will appreciate the context and be more likely to suggest ways to be even more productive and efficient.
Don’t prize schedule over substance
Employee outreach should be driven by compelling content and timely news—not an arbitrary date on the calendar. Don’t push out filler content. Communications should always deliver information employees will value. It is more than okay for outreach to be on an “as needed” basis. That said, the employee outreach team and management must intentionally and continuously monitor the pulse of the workforce and report on company changes.
I hope this article is inspiration for internal communications planning and implementation at your business. Reach out if you need help!
Share your own thoughts and experience with developing internal communications programs, what worked well and what didn't.
Photo courtesy of Justin Hall, Creative Commons.
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Deborah Hill is an anthropologist and communications strategist who blogs about the ways humans and businesses interact. Her professional work has included science writing and developing communications strategies for Higher Ed departments and schools across the fields of arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences. Her consulting work supports the development of small businesses.