As more companies adopt a work from home culture as part of their future, effective internal communication becomes more challenging and even more important than ever.
Your employees need to feel valued, engaged and informed. Executives must up their communications exponentially in order to keep employees motivated and united behind the strategic objectives of the company. These 5 steps will help all leaders boost engagement and acknowledge value.
- Communicate Consistently
If you undertake to provide weekly or monthly business updates, COVID information etc then stick to it. Once you start you are committed.
- Be Transparent
Be frank about market related concerns and any potential impact on your business. Congratulate employees in order that their dedication in this challenging time is recognised. Keep them up to date with progress against your strategic and financial goals.
- Access to information
Communications via blogs and thought leadership articles and podcasts should be available for download whenever convenient to the employee and not be limited to live interactive sessions.
- Monitor your channels
Q&A portals on your company intranet or via some other internal channel should be diligently monitored and all input should be acknowledged, responded to and visible to all.
- Be credible
Above all, leaders must sustain credibility in their messaging. Write the content yourself in the manner you would adopt if addressing your team face to face. Do not become a ‘teleprompter’ communicator – your staff know you better than you think.
Conclusion:
Lack of top down communication in the workplace has long been a legitimate gripe of employees across the spectrum. In the current scenario plan your communication strategy as you would as part of a crisis management strategy and ensure you:
- are consistent with the content and frequency of your communications
- are transparent and frank
- are providing easily accessible and informative information
- are providing a feedback loop for Q&A’s
- are credible in your delivery
