7 mistakes to avoid in internal communications
Do you use your internal communications network solely as a broadcast platform for leadership? If so, it might be time to rethink your strategy. In the age of hybrid work, social networks, and the ongoing challenge of retaining employees, internal comms can do so much more.
Of course, getting the boss’s message out there is important, but not to the exclusion of the voices further along the ranks. With people working at the office, at home, and on the road, a company's internal communication strategy is a key element that is at the heart of an effective business.
To help better understand the importance of internal communications, we produced a white paper on the subject, Internal Communications: From Measurement to Mastery. It explains what it takes to create an effective internal comms strategy, some of the important issues to consider, and some of the common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid.
7 Mistakes to Avoid
Internal communications help direct and shape the relationships between management, staff, and clients. It also helps establish parameters for how information is shared, and how digital-first employees engage and deal with one another. As a result, it’s important to think of your internal communication strategy as the guide for creating a meaningful and productive (and sometimes virtual!) workspace.
A company that hasn't carefully developed an internal communication strategy typically ends up with muddled priorities and a confused hierarchy. Clients and co-workers don't know where to go to get the right answers and no one is clear about who is ultimately responsible. The lack of clarity leaves employees adrift in a sea of information without proper guidance or direction.
Regular performance data and concrete metrics are important, not just in relation to employee performance but at an organizational level too. If your organization has no way to assess the efficacy of internal communication efforts, it can be easy to repeat the same mistakes. That is why it is important to have access to technology that can generate data-based insights and provide valuable KPIs.
With employee engagement KPI tools, LumApps makes it possible to measure whether employees feel emotionally committed and aware of how to help the company reach its goals, all from within the included intranet analytics. This means that internal communication leaders can continually evaluate initiatives and programs using real-time data and metrics.
A common complaint about internal communications is that they focus too much on processes and not enough on outcomes. Not surprisingly, this narrow approach to comms generates a host of significant problems, not least departments that are siloed and unable to work towards the same goals.
To break down those silos, communication leaders must pull back and take a broader view. This not only lets them better manage the flow of information between departments, but it also helps them ensure that team members remain engaged. A proactive and holistic approach to internal comms can significantly improve morale and encourage meaningful connections between the different members and departments across your team.
Technologies like LumApps’ AI-powered digital assistant can help automate mundane processes, personalize content, and streamline information distribution across a dispersed global workforce. The digital assistant can sync with the everyday business tools your employees are already using, such as Microsoft Teams, Google Chat, or Slack, making regular tasks easier and more straightforward. For example, LumApps can automatically index all the company's content sources, making it easier for team members to search knowledge bases and solve their problems autonomously.
With the help of powerful AI-based digital assistants, LumApps makes it easy to filter incoming emails and help deal with your team's information overload problems. Infobesity continues to be an ongoing issue in the workplace. LumApps makes it easy to create user profiles to control the flow of incoming communication, help with multitasking, and prioritize tasks avoiding employee frustration and improving morale. Plus, LumApps allows employees to designate their preferred method of communication so they receive information within the flow of work – like via push notifications to their mobile app – and in a manner that fits their work schedule.
Recent research shows that having access to helpful work tools and resources impacts an employee’s sense of engagement and feeling of being useful at work. They also improve your team's overall sense of satisfaction about the work they are doing.
Choose an intranet that helps streamline your work
It is important to remember that a cohesive and productive communications ecosystem within your company is an important strategic consideration for enterprises operating in the digital-first and hybrid world of work. Exploring innovative ways to deal with existing challenges and problems can go a long way to improve productivity and keep workers engaged.
That is why an internal communications plan is so important. A powerful and versatile intranet technology is a key ally, not simply helping you update internal processes and procedures - improving productivity - but also bringing a host of innovative features that take employee engagement to a new level.
A Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader, LumApps is the leading modern, effective, and versatile intranet that centralizes communications and provides a host of powerful tools to connect all the members on your team. It is a critical communications technology that fosters connections between management, employees, and clients.
To learn more about developing an effective internal communications plan for your company and how LumApps can help, book a demo meeting.
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