As public relations professionals, we are often focused on the external communication strategies for our clients, managing media opportunities, developing press releases and positioning executives as thought leaders. All of this is designed to reach their target audiences with key messages, but a critical cadre that should not be overlooked is an organizations’ own internal audience.
Beyond policy updates and new company initiatives, internal communications are a keen way to keep employees engaged, highlight progress toward business objectives, and celebrate individual wins. Here’s what strong internal communications can do for your business:
Provide a Holistic View of the Organization
A study that reviewed 360 billion emails between co-workers across thousands of organizations found that many companies became more siloed following the work-from-home orders in 2020. Without an understanding of progress toward company goals or the activity executed by other departments, employees may struggle to understand how their work is making an impact.
To ensure all employees across the organization are informed, consider developing and distributing a regular newsletter that features important company updates. The newsletter can include specific updates from one or two different departments, highlight new hires and recap the important work accomplished since the last newsletter. Not only will this keep the organization informed, but it’s also a chance to share best practices and celebrate the team’s successes.
Equip Employees with Examples of Success
An overview of the company’s progress helps keep employees engaged and motivated, however, team and individual successes are also a great opportunity to celebrate employees and share resources that may be useful to other teams.
For example, if a team in one market happens to be facing a similar problem that a team in another market just overcame, the individuals facing the challenge would benefit by understanding how others have successfully navigated the problem. Companies can share specific examples and anecdotes through a range of mediums, including a newsletter, an email or even presentations at department meetings.
With well-crafted and deliberate internal communication, individuals are well equipped with valuable resources while others are celebrated for their ingenuity and success. It’s important to highlight micro-examples to humanize the company and highlight the individuals who are driving its accomplishments.
Provide an Avenue for Feedback
With consistent internal communication channels, organizations can create a dialogue with their employees. By inviting employees to share their thoughts, questions and concerns on specific programs and initiatives, they can better understand how people are feeling and how the organization can adapt to better serve its employees.
Additionally, it’s an opportunity to determine if there are preferred methods of communication or if employees would like to receive different content. This feedback can ensure that the team owning the internal communications is meeting its goals through its strategies.
If done successfully, internal communication strategies will enable organizations to reach a critical audience with valuable and engaging content.