Did you know that 60% of companies do not have a long-term internal communication strategy?
However, having an internal communication strategy increases both employee productivity and company efficiency.
In fact, employee productivity increases by 20-25% in companies where employees are connected.
Additionally, companies that have an effective internal communication strategy are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their competition.
For this reason, having an internal communication strategy is key to the development of all departments of a company, be it human resources, marketing, production, etc. But…
What is internal communication?
Internal communication is the way people communicate with each other within a company. That is, the exchange of information, ideas and messages that arise within the organization.
It can be through informal conversations, meetings, emails, internal newsletters, social networks or other communication tools.
But internal communication is not only responsible for transmitting information, but also helps the success of companies, being the turning point between collaboration, productivity and trust among employees.
What are the benefits of internal communication?
- Promotes cohesion and teamwork
Effective internal communication strengthens relationships between employees, creating a sense of belonging and cohesion within the company.
- Improve productivity and efficiency
When internal communication is clear and fluid, employees better understand their roles and responsibilities, as well as the company’s goals and strategies. So they know better how to convey it.
- Promotes transparency and trust
Having a transparent and honest internal communication strategy helps trust among company employees.
- Facilitates strategic alignment
Internal communication is essential to transmit the vision, values and strategic objectives of the company among the workers.
Thus, employees will better understand the purposes of the company and will be more likely to work in the same direction.
- Improves the work environment
Good internal communication creates a positive and healthy working environment.
Keep in mind that employees feel valued and more satisfied with their work when they are provided with clear information and the opportunity to express their opinions.
- Drive innovation and creativity
Internal communication encourages the generation of innovative and creative ideas, as workers feel comfortable and inspired to share their opinions and suggestions.
- Strengthens the identity of the company
As we have said, internal communication helps transmit the values, mission and objectives of the company.
This allows employees to identify with the company and know how to transmit these fundamental principles to all the people around them.
- Prevent and manage conflicts
One of the biggest benefits of internal communication is that it prevents misunderstandings and conflicts in the company.
Since one of the objectives is to offer a direct communication channel in which the rapid resolution of problems is encouraged and prevents it from reaching more serious conflicts.
- Improve the relationship with customers
When employees understand and share the company’s values, they become the first ambassadors of the brand.
So they effectively convey key messages to customers, building trust and loyalty to the company.
As you can see, having an internal communication strategy has many advantages for a company.
For this reason, today we want to show you the best tools and actions to improve the internal communication of your company. It sure inspires you!
2 marketing tools that you can use to improve your company’s internal communication
There are many tools to improve internal communication thanks to technology. But the most successful and most engaging are:
1. Internal company Web App
The creation of a Web App is a more complex but very useful idea.
An internal Web App will allow you to keep workers connected with company communications. In addition, workers will also be able to communicate with the company.
The App can have an internal chat, a calendar where workers can see their schedule, request changes or holidays, news and updates from the company, etc.
You can also post tips, training, and much more!
In fact, you can include in the company’s internal Web App, even contests, rankings… And all the actions that we are going to mention can be in the company’s internal Web App!
Therefore, it is a very effective resource to reinforce the brand image, increase Engagement and attract new customers.
If you have not yet created a Web App to improve your company’s internal communication, this summer is a very good time to start!
2. Internal social networks
Social networks are a perfect tool to promote the different actions of the company.
You can create an internal social network in which only company workers can view and share content.
But internal communication can also be applied to the company’s corporate social networks, where you can talk about what’s new in recent months or make workers known.
For example, telling the story of the employees: how they started working in the company, what they like the most about their work, what their motivations and aspirations are, what hobbies they have, etc…
Social networks are a perfect way to get closer to your workers, learn more about your audience, facilitate interaction, improve brand image and gain visibility and Engagement.
For this reason, we encourage you to use social networks to gain the trust of your workers and your customers. What are you waiting for?
11 internal communication actions that you can do in summer
In addition, there are many internal communication actions that you can do in your company to motivate and improve the productivity of your workers. In fact, you can apply all of them both on social networks and on your company’s internal Web App. Take note!
1. Newsletters
Newsletters are a perfect tool to inform and communicate with company employees.
If the workers have a corporate email, you can send them a monthly Newsletter with the news and updates of the company or with information about the summer months: vacation dates, activities that will be carried out in the company, meetings and corporate events…
Keep in mind that the Newsletters must be creative, attract attention and have a good CTA, otherwise the workers ignore the company’s communications.
Newsletters help improve communications with workers and increase engagement and interaction with the company.
2. Meetings with gamification
Meetings are a very recurrent internal communication resource, since they are cheap and easy to prepare. And in turn, very effective to improve the productivity of the entire company.
Therefore, organizing meetings will help you to know the point of view of the workers, to know the situation in which they find themselves, if they are reaching the objectives…
In addition, we recommend that you try to prepare weekly or monthly meetings, as different as possible.
To make meetings more dynamic, you can host gamified meetings with a meeting activity or game.
You can also prepare a small breakfast for the workers during meetings to make them more entertaining, for example.
Keep in mind that if employees feel heard and valued, they will perceive meetings as a moment of disconnection and will show more interest in participating. When is your next meeting?
3. Photo contest
You can prepare a photography contest taking advantage of the fact that workers go on vacation with family, friends or alone.
Surely the workers, being on vacation visiting sites, are more participatory and show more interest in the contest.
It is important to keep in mind that during the summer holidays, workers are not thinking about work. So it is important that the deadlines to participate are wide and that the participation process is simple.
In addition, it is also key that you offer an interesting gift in order to encourage workers to compete. Within the company’s budget, of course!
4. Podcast
Podcasts or video Podcasts are a means of communication, both internal and external, that is on the rise.
For this reason, more and more companies use Podcasts to improve communication with their employees, providing them with interesting, useful and relevant content.
Podcasts offer multiple benefits to companies, since they are very versatile and flexible. That is, they can be heard at any time and place and can deal with any specific topic.
In addition, there are different types of Podcast: training, education, knowledge, interviews, entertainment… Among many others!
5. Summer lunches or dinners
Business dinners for Christmas are already a habit, but why can’t you have a business lunch or dinner in summer?
And it is that the beginning of summer is a perfect time to prepare a company meal before the workers begin to go on vacation.
For example, you can prepare a Catering in the company or propose to the workers that they bring something to snack on.
In addition, you can take the opportunity to set up an activity or prepare a corporate video with moments of the workers in the company. Like we did on the last day of school!
A simple option that can help improve collaboration and trust among your workers.
6. Presentation of employees
You can also take advantage of internal communication tools to present the company’s employees or managers.
You can conduct interviews, dedicate articles on the Blog, create weekly Newsletters presenting the members of each department.
Even if you work in a multinational, you can prepare a video recorded by the workers in each country and prepare a montage that you can later broadcast through the company’s different digital media.
This is a perfect way to improve the brand image of the company. And in turn, getting the employees involved in the company and feeling that they are part of it.
7. Training or courses
Summer can be a time to disconnect or connect. Sometimes during the year the workers do not have the time or desire to attend courses or training.
However, June and July can be good months for employees to take advantage of doing some company training.
You can even propose one day a week for each worker to give a master class to their colleagues on their area of expertise.
This is a quick and easy way to engage workers, share knowledge and improve communication among staff. The result will surprise you!
8. Day of…
The “Day of “ is another example of an internal communication action that you can organize so that your workers get to know each other better and cooperate with each other.
For example, you can establish one day a month in which an activity is carried out such as the day you bring your pet to work, the day of the potato omelette, the day of wearing white…
Or carry out this activity on special dates such as birthdays, summer, Christmas, etc.
In addition, during that day you will be able to take photographs, presentations or interviews that you can later share on social networks or other company communication tools.
Surely if you think of fun activities, workers will feel motivated to participate. In addition, you can encourage workers with a prize or gift for collaborating. Do you dare?
9. Leisure groups
A good action to carry out in summer is to create leisure groups with the hobbies of company employees: running, swimming, hiking and even traveling.
On many occasions, employees share hobbies and are not aware of it, since they do not know each other beyond their job position.
This totally voluntary action will allow workers to get to know each other better and share their hobbies with other co-workers.
10. Charitable actions
Charitable actions are a very beneficial internal communication resource for companies.
Thanks to this type of action, workers will improve cooperation and collaboration, live unique experiences, develop individual and collective skills, etc. In turn, the company will reinforce its brand image and highlight its values.
There are several charitable activities or events that you can do. For example, organizing solidarity activities to help in soup kitchens in different parts of Spain or you can even organize international long-term volunteering.
You can adapt this action so that both workers and customers participate. The more people help these causes the better!
11. Employee of the month
Selecting the employee of the month is a good deed to do in the summer or any time of the year!
Thanks to this action you will improve the productivity of the workers, you will make them part of the company and you will encourage them for their work.
To do this, you can make it the workers themselves who value the rest of the colleagues and give prizes to the winners of the month.
However, you should keep in mind that this should be a positive practice, without comparisons or competition.
Therefore, you can choose the employee according to social skills: the funniest employee, the most organized, the most punctual, etc.
So think of a creative and fun way to choose the employee of the month and present it to the company!
These are just some examples of actions and tools that you can use to improve your company’s internal communication. But there are many more!
Did you know all these actions? Do you dare to put any into practice?
If you have questions or need help to improve the internal communication of your company, do not hesitate to contact us!
Sources: Design Parker, Maria Melchor, Hubspot, Andrew Wood, Guud Job.
