How to carry out an effective internal communications plan

Internal stakeholders are those people and groups within the company. They include the employees, the managers as well as the directors of the business in addition to its owners or shareholders. Communications with these people assist with creating a positive attitude inside the company. This is specifically important when economic times are tough because employees may end up becoming de-motivated if they see negative stories regarding their company in the media.

The value of a strategic internal communications plan

A strategic internal communications plan can assist with unifying employees in disparate offices, or functions, by means of a shared vision of organisational goals as well as a good sense of its values. We believe that an internal communications plan which is well-designed should:

• Engage the workforce,
• Increase employee retention, as well as
• Enhance productivity.

Attitude as well as perception can affect business communication in both positive and negative ways. Pleasant, respectful, upbeat attitudes throughout an office improve upward and downward communication. This increases morale, productivity and sales. Poor communication behaviour, on the other hand, must be dealt with before it impacts the organisational culture or collapses the company itself.

Employee engagement = corporate reputation

In addition, for communicators employee engagement is about corporate reputation. The average employee has a very significant influence on the perception of his business among his peer group as well as social circle. Word-of-mouth – when amplified by social media – is a powerful force in building an image for a company as a desired employer, a quality producer, or a great corporate citizen.

‘Strategic targeting’ isn’t an idea which is often paired with internal communications. However, when you think about it, ‘internal communications’ is just about marketing to employees. And like in traditional marketing, the more you cater your message to a niche audience, the more effective it will be.

The most critical element in stakeholder communications

The most significant element in stakeholder communications is about pinpointing the target audience. Be intentional and seek out input from all recognised groups to uncover the unknown groups.

It can be challenging when, too late in the project, a key person or group is identified which has not received any of the communication during  course of project. This communication has valuable links which need to be addressed.

This means that you are required to make sure that you avoid this scenario and take all the steps early on in order to create a document with all stakeholders who you need to manage communication with.

How to manage internal communication

Here are some key tasks to include in managing effective internal communication:

Have Open Communication

When you have a policy of open communication with your employees, this builds trust and makes them feel that they are valued. On the other hand, if you just delegate tasks and don’t get the  input of your employees, they won’t perform at the best that they can. Informing your employees of the reason you need the task done – as opposed to merely telling them to do something – will bring a greater sense of respect for you as management.

Ensure that Your Attitude Makes You Friendly

Most of our communication is non-verbal. This means that telling employees that they can talk to you means nought if your body language says otherwise. Thus, it’s important to be conscious always of your attitude as well as what you’re projecting to your employees.

Be Clear as well as Concise

Effective communicators get to the point. They make their messages clear. This means that your goal should always be to communicate your message across in a clear manner with as little technical jargon as possible. This holds true whether you’re talking to an employee in person or just sending an email.

Welcome Feedback and Take It Seriously

Employee feedback is phenomenal for your business as you never know when your employees will notice something which you didn’t.

Keep Your Employees Updated Regularly

All too often, organisational leaders don’t tell their employees about what’s going on with the company. This makes employees feel like they’re only there to perform job. This creates a barrier between the management as well as everyone else.

Your employees will feel more engaged with the company when you keep them informed about what’s going on. Let them know about the outcomes of projects. Thank and congratulate them for successes. Be honest if something doesn’t go as planned as opposed to trying to spin it be honest and open.

Managing your employees and teams is a must-have skill in the media industry.

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

If you want to learn more about this, we really recommend that you do our Project Management for the Media Course. For more information, on this course or any of our other Digital Marketing Courses please follow this link.