To make a good diagnosis in Internal Communication it is necessary to know in depth the internal audience, stakeholders, context, tools, mix of techniques, time and culture. Learn about the 7 fundamental aspects of a successful diagnosis.
Why a diagnosis?
Immediacy is one of the characteristics of these times. And sometimes, organizations need time to shorten in order to achieve the improvements they propose.
“Is a diagnosis necessary? We can tell you what is going on,” we often hear in previous meetings. The point is that perceptions are often wrong, or even if they are correct, the diagnosis may broaden the situation or the problem to be solved.
Performing a diagnosis in Internal Communication serves to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of communication within an organization. Strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement can be identified, which will allow the company to implement strategies to enhance its internal communication and achieve greater efficiency in the transmission of information and in the motivation of all employees.
Understanding the different perceptions
On the other hand, the diagnosis also makes it possible to evaluate the perception of the people who are part of the organization about internal communication and to detect possible communication problems that may affect productivity and performance.
In addition, the diagnosis is essential to adapt the messages and communication channels to the needs of the different internal audiences, which will ensure greater effectiveness in the dissemination of information.
Let’s look at the keys to an effective diagnosis.
Key 1: your internal audiences
The first point we need to know is what our target audience is and what our sample space will be like. The key then will be to know if we can reach all the company’s audiences.
It is essential to know who are the people, which are the areas and the structure that make up the organization. In addition, their characteristics and needs must be analyzed in order to be able to adapt the appropriate messages and communication channels.
"Sometimes companies have plants far from the head office, or operations in places with poor connectivity, workers without email boxes or employees unfamiliar with digital. If this context arises, the ideal would be to be able to have interviews with the middle management or direct bosses of the internal public that we cannot reach",
Key 2: stakeholder mapping
A mapping of stakeholders or interest groups is very necessary to know in depth how is the transversal communication.
The mapping includes all the people, institutions, suppliers that are linked to the company, that is, all those who are related in some way with the organization.
For Max Carou, specialist in strategic communication and training at Oxean,
"here it is very effective to develop a flow to understand how these groups communicate with the company, including making it very graphic, adding arrows with different colors and intensity, if they are vertical, horizontal, to understand, in addition, the chain of command and how and who orders the guidelines."
Key 3: context
What is the cultural, institutional and even political context of the company? This complementary information helps to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the organization’s internal communication.
Another point to consider is who is requesting the diagnosis. Undoubtedly, it is not the same whether the person requesting the diagnosis is the head of Internal Communication or the CEO of the company. Is it a request from the company’s management or is it a need that arises from a specific situation of the collaborators?
Key 4: How much time do we have?
Time is another key for the development of a good diagnosis and how much time we will want to apply the results through a plan. Be clear about the client’s perspectives, objectives and needs.
Also consider whether a comprehensive evaluation of internal communication will be carried out, or some specific issues such as channels, messages, culture, noise to identify where the problem lies.
The diagnosis is the basis for designing the strategy and then being able to implement it through a plan.
Key 5: qualitative or quantitative tools?
"An accurate diagnosis must contain data from surveys, forms, focus groups, interviews, plant tours that combine both alternatives: qualitative and quantitative information",
"When we implement in-depth interviews, we must strategically select relevant actors who can provide information that goes beyond a descriptive methodology," explains Max Carou. And he adds that "it is very enriching to repeat the in-depth interviews again, after some time after the plan has been implemented, to learn about progress, problem solving, or adjustments that need to be made".
In surveys and questionnaires, closed-ended questions are necessary for efficient data collection.
Key 6: mix of techniques
At Oxean we always go further. We love to incorporate different techniques that nurture the diagnosis even more, in order to draw richer and more attractive conclusions and resolutions to then define a work plan.
In addition to digital intelligence and traditional tools, Max Carou suggests including “collaborative experiences, games, performance or scenic activities, photo-problem test to see the before and after, the timeline so that interviewees can provide information on when the problem appeared”.
Key 7: culture
Knowing the company’s culture, values and philosophy is essential to understand how it communicates internally.
It is important to analyze how these values and principles are transmitted through internal communication and to assess whether this culture is lived and accepted by employees.
