An inclusive workplace is the first step to build a successful company. If a company wants to truly prioritize inclusiveness, it should cultivate a culture that values different views, opinions and backgrounds. This is the reason why internal communication, along with recruiting employees with diverse characteristics and backgrounds, is fundamental to achieve perfect integration. The best way to create an inclusive workplace is ensuring that each person feels valued and included.
For this reason, establishing an effective internal communications plan should be considered a priority in every work environment. An internal communications strategy defines the company’s objectives when interacting with workers and outlines the tasks necessary to attain those objectives. This plan should serve as a road map for achieving success in communications with employees. Developing an internal communications strategy is among the most effective ways for a company to boost employee engagement and, consequently, to encourage employee loyalty and efficiency.
Now more than ever, the pandemic has changed the way the workplace is set up. Many jobs have not gone back to being fully in-person, but rather adopt a hybrid approach, as a way to make the best of the benefits of remote working while still guaranteeing a more conventional job experience.
This new environment necessitates a more consistent and inventive approach to internal communications, in order to re-establish the human connection that was missed during the pandemic’s remote working.
A purposeful internal communications strategy can aid firms in managing the ever-increasing effects of today’s changing workplace. In order to do this, companies must reconsider how they interact with their workforce.
How to create an effective internal communications strategy
The first step to enhancing a company’s communications plan is to assess the current one, and establish its strengths and weaknesses. Some recommended ways to do this would be for example to involve a consultant, who would bring their expertise to the table, or to run a survey within the employees.
Once all the data is gathered and compared, the next step is to outline the goals of the strategy. The objectives set out in this stage should be SMART, meaning Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based.
Establishing the audience of the strategy is also fundamental, as different groups of employees require different messaging.
Once the objectives and the audience are determined, companies can start crafting their messages. This should be done in a way that encourages response from the employees, so it is crucial to choose not only the right wording but also the most appropriate channels.
This strategy should be constantly reviewed and optimized. Tracking performance and success is the best way to identify the areas that need improving and the strategies that produce the most results for the company.
Shifting the focus on employee engagement is the key to a stronger and healthier company. Fostering loyal employees improves reputation and company performance. Following these steps will help companies build a strategy that puts communications with employees at the forefront, promoting substantial values and speeding up the path to success.
References:
- https://www.ajg.com/employeeexperience/insights/2021/nov/internal-communication-to-secure-leadership-buy-in/
- https://www.workvivo.com/blog/internal-communications-planning/#:~:text=What%20is%20an%20Internal%20Communication,to%20achieve%20internal%20communications%20success.
- https://sproutsocial.com/insights/internal-communications-guide/
- https://www.limeade.com/resources/blog/inclusive-workplace/
