By Kayla Tooma December 17, 2017
Most people recognize the importance and impact an external communication strategy can have on their organization and its bottom line. However, sometimes internal communication gets placed on the backburner. Establishing internal communications and strategies helps your bottom line by fostering a united sense of company responsibility and helps keep employees engaged. Here are just five reasons your organization needs an internal communication strategy;
1. Create engaged employees
One of the most apparent reasons to develop and enforce an internal communication strategy is to create engaged employees and instill a sense of solidarity organization-wide. According to a recent Gallup study, “only 33% of U.S. workers are engaged” in the workplace. This number is alarming and can be costly to any organization. Gallup further tells us that “engaged employees make it a point to show up to work and do more work — highly engaged business units realize a 41% reduction in absenteeism.” When employees feel engaged, they have a stronger sense of personal responsibility towards their work and the success of the organization. Additionally, according to a McKinsey & Company study, better internal communication “could raise the productivity of interaction workers by 20 to 25%.” Seemingly simple communications such as sharing company news and updates on a regular basis can foster a sense of belonging and that everyone has a stake in the company.
2. You can’t forget your geographically-dispersed or remote employees
Engaging your employees can be trickier when dealing with a geographically widespread staff or remote employees, which is a growing workforce. Gallup found that “the number of employees working remotely rose by four percentage points, from 39% to 43%, and employees working remotely spent more time doing so.” This trend is not going away. A strong internal communication infrastructure is necessary when acknowledging the increasing trend of remote employees.
3. Institute and enforce your expectations
Gallup reports that “6 in 10 U.S. employees strongly agree that they know what is expected of them at work,” meaning 40% of the workforce may not understand the full spectrum of their responsibilities and company’s expectations. Similarly, TINYpulse reports that just “42% of employees know their organization’s vision, mission, and cultural values.” Effective internal communication can help close these gaps. Leaders can communicate their organizational-wide expectations, as well as their expectations for their employees are the various levels. Another way to help ensure your staff understands your expectations is through expanding your leadership’s accessibility and transparency.
4. Expand and embrace transparency
Tying back into building an engaged workforce, transparency can further foster a sense of company responsibility among employees. According to a poll administered by TINYpulse, “transparency is the #1 factor contributing to employee happiness.” Transparency does not only apply to disclosing negative news to employees. It is important to share any company-wide updates with your staff to build trust and loyalty such as progress, hurdles, and long-term goals.
5. Control the message
We all know how prudent it is to be ahead of the headlines and rumors, especially is such a lightning-fast digital world. By integrating an internal communication system and strategy, your organization can better control and deliver sensitive information. This kind of system is essential when handling difficult or unsettling matters, such as organizational changes and crises. Effective internal communication could help reduce any risk or damages during uncertain circumstances and help ensure all staff are informed instead of relying on the rumor mill.
If this resonates with you and you feel like you could use some expertise, Powell Strategies can strengthen your workforce and organization with an effective internal communication plan. Become a leader in your industry and contact us today to start developing your internal communication strategy!