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Deficient internal communication kills productivity. Learn how to optimize staff interactions for workplace efficiency.
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Effective communication is critical in getting anything done as a team. Many cases prove it — from the clogged telegram lines on the Titanic to the infamous story of the tower of Babel. Without adequate interactions between parties, no communal project can succeed.
This is no different in the modern workplace. This article will show you ten steps to building an efficient office through improved internal communications.
Many businesses are looking inwards and tinkering with their internal communication strategies and tools to enhance efficiency. That is a necessary step when you realize the impact of your method of delivering information to your employees.
According to a Forbes survey, 49% of workers believe ineffective interactions reduce their productivity, and we agree. Business performance can be affected by many factors, but an enhanced internal communication plan positively impacts all of them. Here are a few ways that happen:
Once you realize you can benefit from better internal communication tools, the next question should be simple: 'How can internal communication be improved?'
Well, we're about to show you.
No two establishments can have identical communication needs. Small, local businesses would be less worried about their interactions than large multinational enterprises. However, despite the company's size, information should be passed with the pillars of internal communication in mind.
What are the pillars of internal communication? You ask. These are three simple tenets you should keep in mind with every employee interaction. They are: Inform, Educate, and Engage.
You should inform your employees about new developments and educate them on the company's products and services. You should also aim to keep them engaged as that would increase their productivity.
Here are ten best practices that follow these pillars that you can implement in your workplace for enhanced communication:
This is the first item on this list for a reason. Many businesses still rely on outdated internal communication software. They try their best to shoehorn all their company needs into these inadequate tools but only succeed in hampering their performance.
Sometimes, a complete overhaul is the best way to improve internal communications. Moving from outdated software to a modern tool like Assembly will make a significant difference.
Assembly is a modern intranet solution to all your company's communication needs. This software aids your employees in their jobs through its incorporated knowledge base and targeted information service.
By installing a user-friendly tool like this, you've taken the first step to upgrading your company's communication.
The communication landscape is ever-changing, with new ideas and concepts being unveiled daily. The best way to stay ahead is to keep yourself, and your employees informed about all these changes.
Research new internal communication channels to add to your culture stack. Armed with that information, you can schedule sessions to teach your team about these tools. You could make it a regular occurrence where you meet with your employees to discuss new communication developments.
This information helps you know when your current internal communication platforms become outdated. If you're blind to what your competitors are doing, you'd be unable to pinpoint your weak points and shore them up.
If there's one thing that companies with the best internal communication practices have in common, it is that they schedule all communications. It is always better to plan ahead.
By scheduling, you give yourself time to develop the best combination of sentences to deliver your message appropriately. That mad dash to send out an announcement has led to many avoidable mistakes.
Proper planning lets you send out those messages when your employees are most likely to open them. You can also diversify your broadcasts so they seem fresh and entertaining.
The final reason to schedule your announcements is simple: so you don't overwhelm yourself and your employees. So head to your calendar, or use Assembly's notebook feature to organize your communications.
Many company announcements and broadcasts are left unread by the employees. As of June 2023, this figure was found to be 65%. These employees are so used to the generic messages in these documents that they can't be bothered to even glance through them.
The solution? Personalized and engaging content.
Sure, the primary aim of your broadcast is to pass information to your employees, but you should take some time to make it capture your audience. That might seem like a waste, but remember that you didn't pass your message if no one read it.
Try to write content your employees can relate to and draw from their experiences. You can also use GIFs and short videos to illustrate your concepts, as they are surprisingly straightforward and engaging. Turn your company announcements into conversation starters that would induce some workplace interactions.
Don't forget to put the recipient's first name in the subject line, as that positively impacts the open rate.
Engaged employees are every manager's dream. These workers go above and beyond for the company and actively make decisions that align with your business goals. Once you have staff like these, you'll feel their impact in every area of your organization.
One easy way to engage your staff is through transparent and consistent communication. Your employees look to you for guidance, so you must reassure them you're along for the ride. Regular communication that allays fears is necessary in this regard.
We all know it is necessary to curate knowledge access in an organization. However, every employee should have all the information they need to get their work done. Restricting such access is bound to reduce trust in the organization.
Departments in your organization shouldn't be islands on their own. While the marketing team has different duties from the HR department, their primary goal should be the company's growth.
Adequate communication is necessary to build trust between departments and foster collaboration. That also helps all your employees feel connected and part of something larger than themselves.
You can set shared goals for all departments and get them to work together to solve them. Constant collaboration makes your employees understand how their work affects other departments and encourages them to improve.
So set up inter-departmental interaction channels, and give the teams reasons to work together. You'll see the results in no time.
On the road to better internal communications, setting goals you wish to achieve and tracking your progress is crucial. You can't be sure of the efficacy of a strategy without some data to back your claim.
Some metrics like open and click-through rates give vital insights into the effect your strategy has on your staff. These can tell you if you're on track to achieving your internal communications goals.
These goals, however, should be SMART to ensure they don't damage your morale. By this, we mean your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. The question shouldn't just be, 'How can we improve our internal communications?'
You should aim for a specific level of effectiveness and be able to measure it till you get there. Start small and grow with achievable goals that are relevant to your company vision, then set a deadline to reach them. This way, you're motivated to hit those milestones and race for the next ones.
As a company expands, it becomes much more difficult for the management to connect with their employees. With little communication from the higher-ups, staff get jaded and begin to feel like simple cogs in the company's wheel. One way to prevent this is with a company-wide executive announcement or newsletter.
This recurring internal missive is an excellent way to inform your staff about the latest company news and events. This newsletter can be sent to all employee emails or posted on the general news board of a tool like Assembly.
A well-designed newsletter would pass vital information at a glance while aligning with the company's vision and brand. Try not to cram it full of boring corporate stuff. Set aside a section for engaging content to reach your workers while keeping the rest of the missive fun yet informative.
Creating engaging business content can be difficult without knowing what works best for your employees. However, you could save yourself some stress by asking them about it.
Getting feedback from your employees is a simple yet effective method of knowing the faults in your communication plan. You could incorporate an employee survey or comment section at the end of your company newsletters to get their thoughts.
Beyond anonymous surveys and polls, Assembly also offers an idea portal to encourage input from your best and brightest. You can expect a boost in morale when the company implements a suggestion from an employee.
These interactions will transform your company announcements from a one-way stream to a friendly conversation. That will improve internal communication and engage your staff in the long run.
'Give credit where credit is due.' That is a great saying that should be remembered when handling internal communications. It is one thing to encourage your workers to achieve goals and another to recognize their efforts when they do.
Employee recognition is a good way of increasing engagement and business performance, yet many businesses neglect it. It's a terrible oversight because organizations with well-developed recognition programs are 12x more likely to have strong business outcomes.
If employees are recognized for their work for the company, they are more likely to do it again. Some appreciative words after receiving a brilliant suggestion may help, but you can't go wrong with tangible gifts. You can try Assembly's reward center, which lets you access 100+ retailer gift cards and swag for your go-getter employees.
By rewarding your staff for their bright ideas, you’re making your office a fertile ground for brilliance and productive interactions.
Internal communication is a vital aspect of every business. It creates engaged employees who are invaluable in achieving a company's goals through increased productivity. Any organization with an optimized workplace interaction system has an edge over its competitors. That is why a clear strategy is needed.
If you're trying to enhance your internal communications, you can use an all-in-one tool like Assembly. This modern intranet software comprises a knowledge base, an idea portal, and an expansive rewards center. It has all the tools necessary to take your workplace interactions to the next level.
You may choose to use Assembly or stick to your current arrangements. These best practices would be effective regardless of your choice.
So, set some SMART goals, create personalized content, and track your progress, but do loosen up. Stiff and formal announcements don't create engaged employees or enhance workplace interactions. Follow these practices and improve your internal communications starting today.
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