Internal Business Communications
This should be One of your top priorities. Learn why.
Understand the importance of internal business communications and the role they play. Don't make them a missed opportunity.
What is Internal Communication?
Internal communication shares information about the company, news or procedures to employees so that they feel a sense of connection and transparency, and can perform their jobs well. The idea is to keep everyone informed.
The ultimate purpose of internal communication is to provide an effective movement of information between an organization’s management, departments and employees.
A strategic internal communications program not only nurtures a company’s culture, but it also builds employee engagement—helping to maintain employee retention and support future recruiting efforts.
Types of Internal Communications and Channels of Communication
In an era of recruitment and company culture struggles, changes to workforce demographics and workforce location variables, it’s critically important that no matter where employees are or whatever they do, there is a communications program in place for them.
Because technology reshaped business communications, sharing information can be either through verbal, paper or electronic means—and there are benefits to each. The pros of providing information electronically, through a system like an intranet, is that it can available all day and accessed from any location.
Regardless of the channel you choose to distribute communications, they general flow through three main sources:
Management - Levels of management generally distribute strategies, company results and reports, key internal or external announcements, and other general high-level messages.
Team - These communications source is between colleagues that work closely together and have similar goals they need to achieve.
Face-to-Face - Sources of information passed face-to-face is typically briefing individuals on tasks or situations. Although this is great for information that doesn’t require follow-up or isn’t of high importance, face-to-face communications should be supported by paper documents as needed—job performances, project timelines and steps, etc—to make sure the right message is remembered across all employees involved.
What is an Internal Communications Plan?
An internal communications plan, or program, is a navigational map that motivates employees and delegates actionable items or information to share. The plan might outline goals with the main goal being on enhancing collaboration and understand across the entire organization.
The plan should go beyond this overarching goal and also outline tactics that your people can act on. It should point out specific initiatives, actions and a timeline. To further refine the plan, you should even outline the specific type of communication and channel it should go through. The specific channel of communication delivery should match the targeted audience and type of information delivered.
You can use this example internal communications plan template to guide your process:
5 Top Benefits of Internal Communications Plans or Programs
The benefits of an internal communications plan spread across an entire company, and can last for years to come. Here are the top reasons why you should consider creating one:
Boost employee engagement and productivity: A strategic communications plan can bring management, leaders and employees together to share ideas, boost engagement and enhance productivity. Employees that are encouraged to share ideas, opinions, and feel valued are likely to stay longer and work harder for a company that cares about them.
Promotes the supply of information: Internal communications deliver the appropriate message to the right people at the right time. It strikes the right balance between information overload, and under-communicating.
Shares goals and objectives: A well-rounded plan informs people within an organization of its strategy. It defines where the organization is going and how leadership plans to get there—ensuring that all employees are aiming for the same goals.
Prioritizes efforts: When a company’s strategy and goals from their marketing plan are communicated, leaders can align teams and prioritize activities. A clear communications plan will define deadlines, and this allows employees to set schedules required to meet them.
Brings employees together in times of crisis: During some of the most difficult times within an organization, proper communication is the most valuable tool leaders have. It can reduce stress and make sure tasks are done quickly and correctly. Even when the situation isn’t a crisis, but the communication addresses change, a company is still able to respond quickly to other situations that are climatic, environmental or unexpected.
In Conclusion
Make Internal Business Communications as much a Priority as External Efforts
Marketing communication is critical, but oftentimes companies only focus on speaking to their external audiences. They tend to ignore internal audiences as part of their communication goals. This is a mistake and a huge missed opportunity. Communicating with internal audiences – employees across all levels and departments – benefits businesses of all sizes by aligning, connecting, and engaging employees. It makes it so that an employee feels they are working toward the same business goals.
For employees, internal marketing communications keep them informed and engaged, helping to ensure transparency across the business. But keep in mind, communication is a two-way street – employees need a mechanism to communicate with one another and leadership. So don’t just send a bunch of emails and call it a day – find a way (maybe an intranet) that gives everyone the ability to contribute.
For the company, it not only provides transparency and creates an engaging work environment, but it helps build a culture. It’s a way to share and showcase company values, activities (work and non-work related) news/updates and create relationships.
And while internal communications may seem like a daunting task, it really isn’t. A lot of what you communicate to external audiences can be shared internally. You might have to make some tweaks and here and there, but you aren’t starting from scratch.
Need help getting started? We have shown companies such as ZF and DENSO the way to communicate internally. We can help you too. Contact us to get started.