An internal communications strategy is an important tool for employee engagement. But what is an internal communications strategy, and do you need one for your organisation’s objectives?
What is an internal communications strategy?
An internal communications strategy is a term that may be new to you, but it’s important to understand its implications for your business.
An internal communications strategy is a plan detailing how you communicate with your employees.
It can cover everything from the types of communication you use to how you deliver information.
Why is an internal communications strategy so important? Because effective communication within your company is key to employee satisfaction and productivity.
A well-thought-out internal communications strategy can help ensure your employees are well-informed and feel like part of the team. So, why do you need an internal communications strategy?
Why you need an internal communication strategy
Internal communication is critical to the success of any organisation. An effective internal communication strategy can help engage and motivate employees, foster positive company culture and improve overall performance.
Yet many organisations fail to invest in an internal communications strategy. As a result, they miss out on important opportunities to connect with their employees and drive business results.
An internal communication strategy helps ensure all employees know the business objectives, company culture and business goals. It also provides a framework for delivering your internal communication plan clearly and consistently.
An internal communications strategy can help build employee trust and loyalty. By investing in an internal communications strategy, organisations can reap the many benefits of great employee engagement, resulting in motivated employees.
How can you develop an effective internal communications strategy
Employee engagement is essential for any organisation that wants to be successful, and good business leaders recognize this early on.
Not only does it help to create a positive work environment, but it also leads to better productivity and employee retention.
Internal communication is the process of sharing information and ideas within an organisation. It is essential for employee engagement because it helps employees understand the organisation’s goals and objectives.
Without an effective internal communications plan, you lose the opportunity to discover employee feedback and communicate your key messages. There’s a chance that employees will become disengaged and may even leave the organisation.
Many channels are used for internal communication, and a robust strategy should include a few. Some communication channels are:
- Intranet
- Employee newsletters
- Direct messengers, like Slack
- Video messages or podcasts
- Video calls
The most important thing is to ensure the right message is communicated to the right people through the most effective channels. By developing an effective internal communications strategy, organisations can ensure that employee engagement remains high and that the organisation is in a strong position for success. .
Examples of successful internal communications strategies
As the world of work changes, it’s more important than ever for businesses to organise their internal communications to accommodate hybrid and remote workers as well as those who need to stay on the front line.
One great example of a successful internal communications plan is this case study by Bupa.
One of Bupa’s internal communication goals was to move toward a “culture of transparency, openness and connection”.
This is a clever goal, as encouraging discussion and opinions from the entire team allows everyone to feel included and valued, which leads to improved satisfaction and retention.
Bupa understood that their workforce was not only global but also that they employed 83,000 staff ranging from office workers to frontline staff like cooks in a care home.
The different communication channels regularly used by such a wide range of roles meant that Bupa recognised the need to centralise and streamline its internal communication channels.
One of the most important things to them was to give all employees a voice, so their internal communication plan needed to be engaging, easy to use and allow for two-way communication.
They chose to centralise their communication tools using an employee experience platform and app.
This allows frontline employees to feel as much part of the company culture as desk workers and vice versa.
It also encouraged two-way conversations and interactions between locations and departments, creating an engaging working environment for all and an easy way to review their internal communication plan through employee insights regularly.
The benefits of having a strong internal communications strategy
An effective internal communication strategy helps engage and motivate employees, fosters a positive company culture, and improves overall performance. Organisations that fail to invest in an internal communication strategy miss out on important opportunities to connect with their employees and drive business results.
An internal communication strategy helps ensure all employees know the organisation’s goals and objectives. It also provides a framework for delivering information clearly and consistently. In addition, an internal communications strategy builds employee trust and loyalty. By investing in an internal communications strategy, organisations can benefit from having more engaged and motivated employees.
Tips for implementing your internal communications strategy
Crafting an effective internal communications strategy can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Start by assessing your employee needs. What do they want and need to know? What will help them do their jobs better?
- Once you understand your employees’ needs, you can start developing your communications plan. This plan should consider all aspects of employee communications, from what channels to use (email, Intranet, face-to-face meetings, etc.) to how often information needs to be communicated.
- It’s also important to consider how you will measure the success of your communications strategy. Employee surveys are a great way to gauge engagement levels and identify areas for improvement.
- Finally, don’t forget to review and adjust your strategy on an ongoing basis with workplace insights. As your business evolves, so will your employee needs and communications requirements. By periodically revisiting your strategy, you can ensure it remains relevant and effective.
