Vice President of Communications, Scott Lusk shares seven keys to building successful internal communications programs.
Internal communications is more important than ever. Remote and hybrid work arrangements demand more – and better – communication between organizations and their employees. Smart leaders focus on internal communications as part of their business strategy and build their internal teams in the same way they have built external teams for decades.
Below are seven keys to building successful internal communications programs.
Focus on Employee Wellbeing
The focus on employee well-being is not a COVID fad. To retain top employees and recruit the best talent, leaders should focus on employee well-being every time they communicate internally. This creates a more positive experience for employees and leads to improved employee performance and engagement.
Utilize Marketing Strategies
The lines between communications and marketing continue to blur. Internal communicators must use marketing strategies to reach employees with important messages. In hybrid and remote work environments, marketing strategies are integral to the success of internal communications programs.
Address Social Issues
The last two years have included COVID-19, an increased focus on racial injustice and a polarized political landscape. Leaders can no longer avoid addressing important social issues. Internal communicators should establish a process to decide if and how to respond to social issues.
Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Internal communicators must help leaders focus on content that is most valuable and relevant to their employees. To avoid information fatigue by employees, internal communications leaders could create options for personalized news feeds f or develop substantive intranets with RSS feed capabilities.
Connect to organizational goals
Employees are most engaged and motivated when they see a direct line from their daily work to the company’s strategic goals. Internal communications programs should unite teams behind common goals and increase understanding of the organization’s vision and culture.
Build Trust
To build trust with internal audiences, leaders should communicate in a way that is honest, empathetic and transparent. The most effective leaders communicate authentically to build trust with employees.
Include Visual Communications Elements
Just as they do for marketing and digital efforts, internal communicators should utilize photos, GIFs, infographics, and videos when communicating with employees. These tactics are proven to improve comprehension and engagement.
If you would like to discuss your organization’s public affairs or digital marketing strategies, please reach out to Scott at slusk@signaldc.com. You can also follow him on LinkedIn.