Companies with effective communication enjoy 47% higher returns, and report happier employees as well as better retention than their peers.
Luckily improving internal communication isn’t rocket science. Here we share how innovative companies are adopting internal communications apps, holding weekly stand ups and simplifying internal reporting.
Change your office layout
To make open-plan offices more productive, companies are now blending different types of space to match with types of work. Phone booths for calls, single cubicles for quiet work, shared hubs for informal discussion and team whiteboards for standups are all commonplace. Give people a choice of work environment, depending on the type of work that needs to be done.
Rollout an internal comms app
Intranets are quickly being replaced with mobile apps for Internal Communication. An internal communication app can be more convenient, more effective, and more personalised than a traditional intranet. These apps are normally feed based, with personalised relevant internal comms, including videos, photos, polls and social content.
An internal comms app is a gateway to all the relevant and important information within your company. Available on personal devices, with a simple and intuitive design. These apps allow information to quickly reach the front line, improving employee engagement in ways a company intranet never could.
Host team standups
Standups are short meetings, held daily or weekly, where each team member reports what they’ve been working on. Each person typically has a very short period of time to speak, perhaps 60 seconds. They simply say what they are going to get done next, and anything blocking them from getting their work done. These meetings are an effective way of disseminating information, highlighting issues and improving internal communication. They also improve employee engagement, giving everyone a voice.
Use 5-15 reports
5-15 reports were created 25 years ago by Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. They are a simple way of sharing information within your company. Each person spends no more than 15 minutes writing a weekly report that a manager can read in under 5 minutes. This is then repeated up the management chain. Many startups are adopting this now, but with a twist; all reports are shared via a employee communication app. So everyone can learn what’s happening, anywhere in the company.
Make “Sticky” Information Accessible
Make everyone’s life easier by putting your key information and internal knowledge in a central repository. According to McKinsey, employees spend 1.8 hours every day, nearly 10 hours per week, searching for and gathering information.
Information that employees need to access regularly should be just a few clicks away, and accessible via mobile. A mobile intranet app gives everyone access to important information and corporate knowledge, no matter where they are.
Rollout online Project Management tools
We all know the importance of having a plan, but too often these plans are out of date, not shared or poorly constructed. Luckily today there are a plethora of online tools to help. These tools often integrate with your existing set of collaboration and document management tools, further reducing friction and enhancing internal communication.
These tools don’t need to be complex. Many involve a simple technique called Kanban, where you move tasks between simple columns (such as, to do, doing, done). If your company hasn’t yet adopted online project management tools, give it a try today.
Keep it brief
The clear trend in communication is to keep is short. From messaging, to social updates, to news stories, less is more. When writing email, blogs, documents or presentations, it’s now ok to keep it brief and save your reader some time.
Don’t write that long email. It’s now ok to use shorter, more informal styles of communication at work. Your colleagues will thank you and clarity of communication should improve too. This trend is being accelerated as Millennials and Gen Z enter the workplace. Get ready for more emojis in your corporate comms!
This trend goes both ways though – younger employees expect more feedback, delivered quickly and directly. They want to be told how they are doing and aren’t happy to wait for an annual review.
Appoint an Internal Comms Manager
No matter the size of your company, internal communication needs an owner and a champion. Good communication is everyone’s job, but every company also needs someone to accelerate the journey to better communication. Introducing new tools, new ways of working and improvements in company culture takes time and effort. Appointing someone to champion and own the journey is key to success.
Video
Video is one of the most effective communication formats for reaching everyone in the organisation. Video is engaging, personal, and allows leaders to reach and influence the entire workforce at scale. Video is often combined with comments for feedback and discussion, giving everyone a voice. If you haven’t embraced video for your key exec comms yet, better get a plan in place for 2019. Video just works.
Talk
Having all the best tools and processes doesn’t replace the need for talking. Getting up and walking over to someone’s desk, chatting online, having a conversation over coffee, even going for a walking meeting. Talking is often the most effective and productive way to collaborate together, fostering a sense of teamwork, openness and positive culture. Before you send that email, think, is this really the best way to communicate?
