Whoever masters internal communication will lead the future of work. We can put it in a story, make a podcast or write it with neon lights in your office, and it does not matter if you have a small or large organization: internal communication has a direct impact on the results of your company.
Beneath the success of organizations lies a common element, almost transparent, whose state can be shaped and channeled so that everything flows almost magically.
On the contrary, mismanaging this element has a domino effect that leads to frustration, lower productivity, and higher absenteeism. What does this translate to? At higher turnover of employees leading to higher costs and lower benefits. Although this is all "common sense" and anyone can understand the cause and effect, 72% of employees do not understand their company's strategy and 44% believe that their supervisors do not give them clear information about the company's vision.
What is Internal Communication?
If we stick to the most basic definition, internal communication is the communication between the departments of a company. But it goes much further. Internal communication is any type of work-related communication that occurs within an organization. Meetings, announcements, chats between colleagues, memes, newsletters. Even the banter or beef* between colleagues are part of internal communication. Does it happen within the organization? It is internal communication. That is why we must think of internal communications as a strategy for the entire company and not only a specialized department is responsible, but also each person that is involved in the organization.
*don't look for these terms in our Dictionary of Human Resources, better ask your children, nephews or millennial/centennial neighbors.
And so, we arrive at the highest definition of internal communication, as James Harter and Amy Adkins write for Harvard Business Review, “Communication is often the foundation of any healthy relationship, including the one between an employee and their manager.” Constant communication, whatever the channel, is linked to greater commitment and greater commitment means more profit. Gallup recently found that companies with a highly committed outperform their competitors by 147% in EPS (earnings per share).
Therefore, a good internal communication strategy ensures that all members of a team are aligned with the purpose of the organization. And the good news is that absolutely everyone can and should participate in creating a culture of open communication.
Benefits of good internal communication
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More Innovation:
In a proactive team, new initiatives emerge and the efficiency and quality of work is improved. Often, the lack of innovation happens because people who do not occupy leadership positions, as to say, the base, are not listened to. With good internal communication, there will be plenty of channels that allow employees to contribute their own ideas.
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Best Employee Experience:
People who can communicate openly are more at ease. Communication helps maintain employee engagement and also sends a very positive message of active listening.
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Coordinated team:
To achieve objectives, coordination between people and departments is essential. There is no company in the world that works without coordination.
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More confidence:
What is necessary to combat rumors and facilitate clear and honest communications. By increasing transparency, you increase the trust that employees feel in the company, in their peers, and in their leaders.
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Job satisfaction:
With strong communication, employees feel good and job satisfaction is maintained. And we know that one plus one equals two, that is, when an employee is satisfied, there is a better performance. That's right: we are talking about happiness at work, it sounds good, right? We promise you that it is possible to achieve it.
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Adequate supervision:
Only if the information flows in all directions, also from bottom to top, will a leader have the necessary information to know how to coordinate. Internal communication provides situational awareness, empathy, and knowledge and understanding of employee strengths and weaknesses.
Examples of poor internal communication
Speak only to give negative feedback
Do you think that going to someone just to give negative feedback is positive for someone? Motivation, productivity and commitment levels drop very quickly. Getting them back is much more difficult than it took us so little to kill them.
Speak in capital letters
☒ That's NOT OKAY.
☑ Take a look at this, do you think it would be possible to do it this way? Seems like it would be better.
Confusing critical with constructive
☒ You are missing deadlines and it is affecting the rest of the team and the project.
☑ I've noticed that you find time management challenging. Is there anything I can do to help?
Giving negative feedback in public
Highlighting something that someone in a group has done wrong will not only negatively affect that person but the entire team. Embarrassing someone in front of their peers results in discomfort and even fear for others. Nobody learns anything.
Authoritative tone
As a leader or as a partner, addressing someone from authoritarianism creates communication barriers. Furthermore, using an inquisitive tone translates into a lack of self-criticism, little active listening and no transparency. Before asking someone to do something: 1. Ask, 2. Listen, 3. Guide.
Prejudice
Don't prejudge or assume without having had a chance to talk to the person involved. Talk and listen to understand if they actually did or said that and why.
Finally, what is the purpose of internal communication? The employee experience is in the center of all the initiatives of a company and is directly related to the experience that your customers will have.
That is what makes communication within an organization so important. Employees must feel connected to the company: its decisions, initiatives, programs and executive messages. These connections are vital to helping employees understand why leaders make decisions and implement change. By understanding why, they are more likely to be receptive and engaged.
Internal communications also foster transparency within an organization, provide a holistic view and help create a calm environment in crisis situations. Because no, things don't always work out well and consolidated internal communication helps create an environment for these difficult conversations.
Banter is only attractive when there is cofidence with your work colleagues. When it happens within an organization and you're not comfortable, you'll want to run away. So go ahead with the Hrider free DEMO and create your own template to evaluate your company's communication.