Internal communication refers to the exchange of information within an organization. So, what defines corporate internal communication? The answer includes message delivery, workplace norms, and interaction channels acceptable in an organization’s corporate communication wing.
Corporate idea transmission and office interaction can take various forms depending on the sensitivity of the information. It also outlines the interoffice corporate communication channels that help uphold the culture. The process entails sharing information across different levels of management and getting feedback. It thus eases the governing structure of an organization and facilitates a smooth operation.
Benefits of Internal Communications
1. Enables the smooth running of the organization
Companies with effective internal communication help empower their employees. By keeping employees in the loop and sharing up-to-date information, companies can help their employees feel a sense of belonging and bear the obligation of taking their work personally. It also makes the employees feel needed making helping to develop solutions that improve the proper running of the organization.
With proper internal communication tools, companies can share their values and support to connect with their employees, build similar mindsets, and minimize conflicts and confrontations with their employees.
2. Enhances loyalty
Good and effective communication ensures the proper passage of the organization’s mission, values, and vision. With a good level of interaction, moreover, your company is creating a sense of direction and vision for the employees, increasing their loyalty. It helps them understand the role they are playing in ensuring the success of the business.
3. Assists in improving services
Employees offer better performance when they understand their roles and have information transparency. Companies can share different motivating stories, news, and information to inspire and encourage their employees to go beyond. By fostering healthy internal communications, companies can help employees achieve their career objectives successfully, enhance service delivery, and boost overall performance.
4. Encourages proper feedback
At times, top management relies on feedback to steer the company to the correct destination. So, having a reliable, communicative team ensures constant interactions between top management and employees.
It also provides an environment where the employees can express themselves freely. The organization is therefore able to develop strategies to improve service delivery. Feedback is essential as it allows leaders to plan for expansion and gather techniques to enhance the business.
5. Communicates brand promise
A large organization with intermediaries may face challenges in maintaining the brand promise. Thus, proper communication and sharing of the brand promise ensure everyone is on par. It also provides an environment where all stakeholders collaborate to uphold the brand promise.
Types of Internal Communications
Internal communication comes with various tools. The organization’s communications team strives to create a healthy workplace for employees. This strategy helps in promoting a positive culture while facilitating positive information flow. The different types of communication help in executing various tasks in the organization.
As part of the HR or IC team, it is vital that you know the types of internal organizational communication. It enables you to pass information correctly and cut miscommunication. The team may not always use all the internal types, but they are responsible for how word spreads. Some of the types include;
1. Peer interaction
Peer interaction helps in facilitating the corporate workplace to pass information among peers. In general, it helps enable company growth, interoffice communication, and collaboration on projects and tasks.
Peer communication also helps improve problem-solving mechanisms among different teams allowing them to grow. It also provides an opportunity to train staff on leadership skills. This helps in gathering information and suggestions that formulate company policies.
The staff members can also use the information on office digital signage to learn various communicative methods. This ensures the new employees get accustomed to the company culture.
2. Cultural transmission
The employees carry out an organization’s culture in this type of communication. More specifically, the company culture includes the perception of family, culture, and the way of life influences the relaying of information.
An organization enhances its culture by hiring individuals with a particular set of skills and values. This helps in the propagation of the same information both internally and externally. Having employees who understand the company culture improves job execution. It also helps in enhancing the top-down and down-up message delivery.
3. Top-down communication
Top-down communication refers to senior leaders passing information and company values down. It captures the passage of job descriptions for employees across departments and levels. This communication also elaborates execution timelines that help in governing the day-to-day activities.
Top-down is meanwhile an excellent way for the leader to direct and lead the company by work. It should adequately be planned to ensure employees feel motivated and inspired. If not observed, the employees would feel bullied into achieving unrealistic goals and targets.
This communication process creates an internal channel that is solid, and inclusive. The organization can benefit from the staff feeling involved and heard. It is a great motivation that increases their loyalty and makes the company goals their own.
4. Information communication
This type focuses on the passing of information across the organization. It covers news from HR on employees, both past and present. This also includes the internal transmission of legal details that promote compliance and adherence. Moreover, it gives the required information that makes interoffice communication and networking easier.
Examples of internal communication channels
Communication gets channeled through various mediums. These channels help promote the smooth running of the organization. For example, the use of office digital signage enables information to flow throughout the organization. Some of the channels include;
1. Email for internal communication
Email gets used in passing information across the organization by various teams. Emailing is a quick way of giving information from the management to the rest of the team. Besides, it helps to ensure proper interactions and facilitates audit trails. Therefore, it is among the most used channels used to pass sensitive information in an organization.
2. Use of intranet
The intranet enables the sending and receiving of information within the organization. It facilitates quick messaging between employees through their network and the internal servers. Therefore, the intranet allows the seamless flow of the company’s day-to-day operations.
3. Video
Videos are another way to get your employees engaged. For instance, an organization can select educational videos to continually share information. This form of information sharing ensures better service delivery through training.
4. Microsites
Microsites are used by organizations as a way to train their staff internally. It contains various information that teaches leadership communication and proper governance. Besides, employees can access this information easily and equip themselves with knowledge.
5. Teleconferences
Teleconferencing is a strategy used to pass information through the network to the departments. It is a convenient form of communication that reaches most of the employees on the network. In the meantime, corporate correspondence through teleconferences promotes peer-to-peer and top-down communications, helping the organization to attain a balance. More importantly, this allows for cooperation while pushing for similar goal achievement in the organization.
Moreover, there are other channels you should be using:
- Apps
- Social media platforms
- Blogs
- E-letters
- Banners
- Wall messages
- Mounted screens in office spaces
- Newsletters
- Branded merchandise
Internal communications strategies
Companies can utilize various strategies to improve communication. These strategies are beneficial, and their uses are greatly dependent on the organization’s model and preference. In the following, let’s look at a few ways we can improve our information flow at the corporate workplace.
1. The use of digital signage
Digital signage is useful in passing the organization’s values and mission. Inducting employees who understand the vision of the organization is important, as this knowledge helps them to easily blend in to become productive. Digital signage also helps in passing vital information which promotes the organization’s day-to-day running.
2. Having a cross-functional team
A team with different stakeholders in the communication planning process enables proper analysis. It allows a group to come up with realistic goals and gain perspective from every business angle. This strategy helps in ensuring everyone is not only represented but considered.
3. Get personal
Having personalized communication strategies that work to motivate employees is essential. This is because they feel a part of the company and embrace the need to collaborate with the management, and the personal approach will help the organization to realize its goals.
Conclusion: Internal Corporate Communication Strategies
Communication is a great tool to unify an organization and motivate various stakeholders. When adequately formulated, it provides strategies that ensure an organization reaches its objectives. The strategies also provide the right working environment for the employees.
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