INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS – SYNCHRONISE THE MESSAGE

SYNCHRONISING BOTH YOUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MESSAGES IS IMPORTANT. BY APPLYING YOUR MESSAGES ACROSS ALL TOUCH POINTS, YOU ARE ENSURING YOUR BRAND AND IMAGE IS AUTHENTIC AND COHESIVE.

Quite often businesses will focus on messages to the public and forget the significance of their messages to each other; employees are also a customer of the business.

The messages that your employees receive and provide, are crucial to fulfilling your mission and setting appropriate workplace tones.

Formal and Informal Communication

Internal communication can be in the forms of formal and informal. Formal communication is done through official channels such as office protocols, approved memos, the intranet and staff newsletters.

Informal communication is usually interpersonal and can include casual conversations and unofficial internal emails, imagery that is used throughout the office and also in the form of social media accounts.

Effective Internal Communication

Internal communication done right, will give employees a sense of meaning in their work efforts and an understanding of their role in the bigger picture. It will illustrate your goals and ambitions for the future and give employees a sense of ownership over that future. nbn

Employees would also be aware of standards, expectations and consequences. When there are discrepancies between what the business projects and the standards communicated internally, employees can often pick up on the hypocrisy.

Fostering a positive work environment with clear and consistent messages will maintain a positive perception. Employees can be the best advocates for your brand through word of mouth, or they could be your worst advocates.

Employees can post anonymous reviews of their experiences of their workplace on sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed; listing the pros, cons and giving them ratings out of five stars. Candidates for future positions and members of the public can easily access these reviews, which could be a deal breaker in making the decision of whether to accept a role or employ your services.

The job marketplace is changing, there are more choices in where to work and under which conditions. Flexible working arrangements such as gigs, that is working under a once off professional engagement, means that employers have to work harder to attract and retain employees. A happy, well-balanced and progressive workplace is just as important as the work.

By ensuring your messages are cohesive and consistent across all touch points, you are fostering your employees as well as protecting your branding and image.

By Jennifer Huynh, POPCOM