Internal communication strategies are how organizations ensure that the right methodologies are in place to facilitate a smooth flow of knowledge throughout the business landscape. Used correctly, they can improve relationships between staff, boost team creativity<\/a> and even reduce employee turnover. But how do brands develop a strong communication strategy?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n The term \u201cinternal communication\u201d refers to the methods of interaction used within a business, to align employees, share knowledge and boost transparency. A solid internal communication strategy should outline how information is shared up and down different business segments, and across numerous channels (voice, text, video, etc.)<\/p>\n While internal communication<\/a> might seem like a simple concept, it\u2019s something many companies struggle to get right, particularly in today\u2019s complex, and digitized business environment.<\/p>\n In any workplace, information can easily be lost in a mix of channels used to help staff members interact. Additionally, businesses need to cater to the communication styles and preferences of employees from a host of different backgrounds.<\/p>\n Developing an internal communication strategy is one of the best ways a business can ensure that the interactions between team members are clear and cohesive. Perhaps most importantly, it helps organizations get their team members on the same page.<\/p>\n Enhancing \u201cinternal comms\u201d fosters trust in the workplace<\/a> by strengthening relationships between staff members, and it fortifies team engagement. It also helps organizations to overcome a number of issues caused by substandard interactions between staff. For instance, 80% of US employees say they feel more stressed at work because of poor communication.<\/p>\n Defining exactly what communication should look like within a business serves a number of purposes. It helps companies pinpoint communication gaps which might be hampering the flow of information. It also ensures that business leaders know which tools and strategies to invest in to improve team interactions.<\/p>\n One of the fundamental reasons why developing an effective internal communication strategy is so important in today\u2019s world, is so that employees have numerous ways to connect and collaborate with their colleagues. In the past, most internal conversations between staff members happened either in person, or using a combination of fax, email and telephoney. Now, employees can communicate via everything from instant messaging apps<\/a>, to video conferencing tools.<\/p>\n Some of the most common types of internal communication you may need to learn how to navigate in your business include:<\/p>\n As communication trends<\/a> continue to evolve, companies are discovering new and exciting ways of bringing teams together across a range of environments and platforms. However, there\u2019s still no one-size-fits-all strategy for cultivating a successful internal communication plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the right method of internal communication depends on your business and the way your team members prefer to connect. However, that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t learn something from companies who have already implemented their own strategies to optimize internal comms.<\/p>\n Here are some excellent examples of internal communication strategies, and what you can learn from them for your own organization.<\/p>\n The TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) company, is best known for promoting, hosting, and sharing inspiring talks from some of the world\u2019s most prominent thought leaders. Many of the videos shared by the company are relatively in-depth, but that doesn\u2019t mean that the company doesn\u2019t understand the benefits of keeping things short and sweet for its internal comms.<\/p>\n Even before the pandemic pushed companies to host numerous, longer meetings with remote employees every day, TED was cutting down<\/a> on its internal meeting times. The company even set a rule to ensure no meeting went over 18 minutes in length.<\/p>\n According to the company, on average, they believe that a person can only pay attention to a speaker for a certain period of time before they start to lose focus. Keeping meetings concise is how TED ensures employees stay engaged during crucial conversations.<\/p>\n The Takeaway: <\/b>Avoid overly complex and long meetings. Whenever you\u2019re going to host a meeting, ask whether it\u2019s really necessary in the first place, or whether you can say the same things to your employees with a broadcast within your collaboration app. If a meeting is necessary, set the agenda in advance, and only invite the employees who really need to be there.<\/p>\n Amazon is a strong believer in two-way communication. In other words, they provide their staff members with opportunities to share their insights about the company, and their recommendations on what could be improved in the business as often as possible.<\/p>\n The brand has its own \u201cConnections\u201d initiative, which automatically sends questions to employees on a daily basis to collect feedback in the \u201cVoice of the Employee\u201d. Staff can choose whether they want to respond to each query or not, and their responses are confidential. This strategy ensures that everyone in the business can have a voice.<\/p>\n Amazon is also committed to keeping communications as succinct as possible, as it knows its employees generally spend a lot of time on the move. As such, the brand avoids sending long-winded emails to staff, focusing on broadcast snippets to keep employees up to date.<\/p>\n Overall, Amazon\u2019s communication strategy ensures team members can access the information they need when they want it, and share their own thoughts with business leaders.<\/p>\n The Takeaway: <\/b>Don\u2019t overwhelm your employees with too much information, particularly when they\u2019re on the move. Take advantage of internal messaging apps and collaboration tools<\/a> to simplify communication and boost transparency. At the same time, don\u2019t forget to value the voice of your employees, give them a chance to share their thoughts with leaders whenever possible.<\/p>\n Advocates of helping employers communicate more effectively with their workforce, 3M believes that the best businesses are built on a strong foundation of communication. One of the core initiatives implemented by the company involves giving team members an opportunity to spend at least one small portion of their day (up to 15%) on ideation and discovery.<\/p>\n 3M believes team members need a chance to chat and communicate outside of structured meeting times to come up with fresh new ideas. As such, they champion the value of watercooler style conversations. Notably, this doesn\u2019t mean that 3M encourages employees to stand around chatting<\/a> for long periods of time. Rather, the company ensures staff have access to collaboration tools and apps that facilitate better team relationships<\/a>.<\/p>\n By giving employees more opportunities to genuinely connect and share thoughts, 3M supports their people in coming up with innovative ideas more frequently.<\/p>\n The Takeaway: <\/b>Not all internal communication in the workplace needs to be structured and scheduled. If you have your own internal collaboration platform, you can create a chat environment where team members can connect freely, build bonds and come up with ideas together. Encourage your staff members to communicate more frequently, and your business will reap the rewards.<\/p>\n Netflix is an inspiring company for a number of reasons. Committed to changing the way people think and access entertainment, Netflix has changed the world forever. It\u2019s not particularly surprising that the company also has a fantastic internal communication strategy.<\/p>\n As a large company, Netflix knows how problematic old-fashioned communication styles can be. Email threads can quickly become overwhelming and remote employees can\u2019t all participate in in-person interactions. As such, Netflix committed to transforming boardroom meetings in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rather than inundating their staff members with complex meetings, Netflix chose to use brief online memos and announcements instead. Team members ask quick-fire questions within an online platform and other employees can respond as and when they need to. This means that everyone can interact on their own schedule, without being overwhelmed.<\/p>\n The Takeaway: <\/b>Find ways to help everyone interact in a more straightforward, simple and convenient manner within your organization. Today\u2019s workplace is made up of many different styles of employee personas, all with their own communication methods. Consider switching up stuffy meetings and PowerPoint presentations with interactive online tools.<\/p>\n Zappos is dedicated to building an excellent company culture for its employees. The brand is frequently mentioned in articles discussing the best possible places to work, and for good reason. Zappos believes the workplace should be fun, inclusive and diverse. As such, the company has built its communication strategy around some crucial core values.<\/p>\n Zappos believes in empowering every team member to communicate freely and honestly, and ensuring transparency in business communications<\/a>. Like many brands, Zappos maintains that the best businesses thrive when team members can be honest and authentic with each other.<\/p>\n This means communication is always a two-way street. Everyone has an opportunity to connect, and there are no siloes between management teams and employees across all levels. Staff are kept up-to-date on what\u2019s happening within the organization with memos and internal newsletters, and as such everyone benefits from a culture of openness.<\/p>\n The Takeaway: <\/b>Transparency is everything in business communication. If employees can\u2019t be open and honest with each other, issues are more likely to emerge. Ensure everyone in your organization feels informed and supported. Keep team members up to date on important information and listen to feedback you receive from your staff.<\/p>\n Excellent internal communication is essential in any business. The better your teams can communicate, the more likely you are to benefit from a creative, engaged and happy company culture. While the right internal communication strategy may differ for every business, there are some quick tips you can use to boost your chances of success:<\/p>\nWhat is an Internal Communication Strategy?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nTypes of Internal Communication: Examples of Internal Comms<\/h2>\n
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5 Great Examples of Internal Communication Strategies<\/h2>\n
1. TED<\/h3>\n
2. Amazon<\/h3>\n
3. 3M<\/h3>\n
4. Netflix<\/h3>\n
5. Zappos<\/h3>\n
Quick Tips for Improving Internal Communication<\/h2>\n
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