Many times, internal communication encounters beliefs that limit the possibility of developing an effective strategy. Today we tell you how to overcome 5 of those beliefs that do not add up when it comes to generating the best communication.
"There is no need for a diagnosis, I'll tell you"
From Oxean, as an agency specialized in internal communication, we have received this message on more than one occasion.
If we are looking for a strategy according to the needs of our company and that contemplates the particularities of leaders, teams and collaborators, it is imperative to professionalize the whole process.
The views of only one person or one area can give us an incomplete or distorted picture of reality.
A complete diagnosis of your organization’s IC will allow us to know:
Communication channels:
The diagnosis will help identify existing communication channels and determine their effectiveness. It may be necessary to adjust or implement new channels to ensure that information flows efficiently and reaches all employees.
Cultural cohesion:
IC plays a critical role in building a strong corporate culture. The diagnostic assesses how the company’s values and mission are communicated globally and whether adjustments are needed to achieve greater cultural cohesion.
Engagement and motivation:
Effective internal communication fosters employee engagement and connection to the organization. Understanding team concerns and expectations through diagnostics will help design messages and activities that reinforce a sense of belonging and motivation.
Feedback and participation:
IC should be two-way. A diagnostic will identify whether the people who make up the company feel heard and whether there are adequate channels for providing feedback. Feedback can be valuable in adjusting strategy and addressing problems before they escalate.
Measurement and evaluation:
Active listening is not a one-time event: it is an ongoing, evolving process. Fostering a culture of giving and receiving feedback regularly creates a constant flow of important information.
"We are not aware of the metrics of our communications."
Next, when asked about metrics and the impact of CI’s actions, we find that the area does not measure or keep records.
More than once, we heard the famous phrase “you can’t evaluate what you don’t measure” and, consequently, we can’t improve.
Importance of metrics in Internal Communication
It is essential to adapt the measurement tools to the specific internal communication objectives of your company and to the platforms and channels you use. Analyzing these metrics will provide you with valuable information to continuously adjust and improve your initiatives.
Goal-aligned tools
These tools provide vital information on message reception, level of engagement and overall impact of communication initiatives:
- Surveys.
- Interviews and focus groups.
- Analysis of e-mail metrics.
- Collaboration and communication tools.
- Internal social network analytics.
- Monitoring of internal pages and portals.
- Measurement of internal events.
- Real-time feedback.
"All the investment in communication will be for this action."
Sometimes, we come across companies that expect profound changes with a single action. This is undoubtedly a mistake.
Achieving effective internal communication relies on a strategic and cohesive approach rather than relying on isolated efforts. Furthermore, it is imperative to recognize that this approach extends beyond immediate action and requires building strong relationships between leaders and teams. True success in internal communication is rooted in the gradual building of trust and lasting connections over time.
Developing a well-defined strategy, translated into a plan that encompasses offline and online activities, initiatives that involve all team members and various communication channels, fostering two-way dialogue, will undoubtedly encourage greater participation, strengthen the organizational culture and improve the motivation of those who contribute to the daily growth of the company.
"We must not leave the institutional style of the organization".
Although there is an increasing alignment between marketing and internal communication of companies, which reflect the values and purpose of the brand in unison, the IC must establish its own language and seek ways to express itself to achieve closeness, empathy and be able to embrace the particularities of the internal audience that often differs from the external one.
Establish an internal style
The IC area must find the “internal style” that incorporates the company’s values without omitting the needs of internal audiences in order to define actions, channels and formats within the IC plan.
"We use internal communication to inform"
If we consider that IC has a single purpose within the organization such as keeping employees informed of news, initiatives and achievements, we are left in prehistory!
Informing and transforming: the role of internal communication
The transmission of information is only the starting point. Internal Communication has the power to shape a successful organization and cement a strong corporate culture. Ready to discover its expanded role?
Reasons to embrace internal communication in its entirety:
- Engagement and motivation: effective internal communication helps to keep teams engaged and motivated, improving the organizational climate.
- Cultural cohesion: IC contributes to building and maintaining a coherent corporate culture.
- Feedback and participation: it involves not only transmitting information, but also receiving feedback from employees. This feedback can be valuable for decision making and continuous improvement of the organization.
- Change management: IC helps alleviate anxiety and resistance to change by providing clear and transparent information about changes and their implications.
- Professional development: Internal communication can be used to provide information about opportunities for professional development, training and growth within the organization, enhancing employer branding and reducing silent resignation.
- Relationship building: it fosters relationship building between employees and leaders and promotes professional well-being.
- Innovation: can be a vehicle for the generation and dissemination of new ideas by sharing knowledge and perspectives across teams and departments.
- Fostering transparency: creates a culture of trust and openness.
- Strategic outreach: contributes to the successful implementation of organizational strategy by ensuring that everyone understands their role in achieving objectives.
- Conflict resolution: helps address conflicts and misunderstandings before they become major problems.
Internal communication requires a strategy based on an in-depth diagnosis that contemplates an annual action plan focused on the particularities of the internal audiences, the values and purpose of the company.
