Internal comms best practice: the nine things you need to be doing
We know no two organisations are the same; everyone has their own unique structure, culture and goals. Some will be focussed on implementing change, others will be looking to reduce silo-working or want to bring their disconnected remote workers back into the fold. They’ll have different budgets, different comms channels and some may not have a single employee responsible for internal comms, let alone a team. That’s why, when it comes to internal comms, there’s no one approach that will work for every business. But just because there isn’t one solution you simply must implement, it doesn’t mean there aren’t tried and tested methods that all these different types of companies can draw on to improve how they communicate with their employees.
This blog is about internal comms best practice – a checklist, if you like, of what you need to do if you want everyone in your organisation to communicate well.
Best practice 1: The comms audit. If you’re looking to implement or improve your internal communication there is no better place to start. It’s how you uncover potential issues you might not be aware of and understand where things are already being done well. It’s where you learn what employees want to hear and on what channel they want to hear it. The evidence and data you get back from an audit is the foundation on which you build your internal comms strategy.
Best practice 2: Draw up an internal comms strategy. It sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many companies don’t have a plan for internal comms. A good internal comms strategy doesn’t set out vague aims such as ‘improve internal communication,’ it aligns itself with the strategy of the wider business, identifying the activities you’ll need to put in place to help the organisation deliver its goals.
Best practice 3: Encourage two-way conversation. This is still a relatively new idea in a lot of companies – the traditional belief being that employees only needed to know what the bosses needed them to know and that what they thought didn’t matter. It’s only relatively recently that smart leaders are realising how important it is to know what their employees think; that it can drive innovation and performance. Surveys and polls are useful tools here – like the comms audit we mentioned at the start – along with internal social media channels, for example, which offer opportunities for conversations, suggestions and feedback. Note, though, that getting feedback doesn’t have to be technology driven. It can equally be about ensuring that middle managers really listen to their teams. The key thing to make sure is that you don’t just listen – you act on what your employees tell you. And when you do implement changes, you let them know it’s their feedback that made it happen.
Best practice 4: Reward and recognise. Everyone likes to be recognised for a job well done. It’s motivating for the individual, but it can and should also be motivating for other employees. Use internal comms to let colleagues know about the great work someone has done or the exciting projects others are involved in and ask them to nominate people for recognition. You could go as far as having an awards ceremony. Or it could simply be that as a boss you remember to thank and recognise people in your weekly team meeting – and you make sure all other managers know this is something they should be doing too.
Best practice 5: Be regular and consistent with your comms. Guilty of sending out a flood of messages, followed by nothing for months? We see it a lot. But consistency is reassuring – people like to know where and when they can get company information. To do it well you have to plan ahead. Plot your schedule into a project tracker or a calendar, so you can schedule all your regular messaging, along with upcoming events and breaking news.
Best practice 6: Avoid over-communicating. Yes, we did just say regular communication is important, but it must also be meaningful. So, when you’re planning your comms, choose your frequency wisely. Too much information and you risk overwhelming your employees and reducing the likelihood that they take in what you’re trying to tell them. Carefully curate and condense what you’re sending down to what is absolutely necessary.
Best practice 7: Keep the messaging clear, simple and to the point. This means definitely no jargon or complex language – and don’t be boring either! While you don’t want to overcomplicate things, never forget your messages have to be interesting. If they’re not they won’t get read or watched. Yes, watched, because written comms doesn’t have to be your default. If you know (from that comms audit you did) that your younger employees, for example, prefer video content, well, give them that.
Best practice 8: Split your audience for targeted messaging. Now on that point above, if, for example, you’ve got workers out on the road and some in the office, tailor your messages to those different groups as they’ll no doubt have different priorities and preferred ways of receiving company information. It’s all about knowing your audience. Make sure you keep your overall messaging consistent though – you don’t want different groups getting completely different messages about the company’s priorities, for example.
Best practice 9: Be open and honest. This is about fostering a culture of transparency, which things like ensuring there is two-way conversation will absolutely help. But it’s also about people knowing they can trust the leadership not just in the good times, but in the bad times too. So share both the good news and challenges openly with employees. Everyone will appreciate it.
In essence, mastering internal communication is an art and a science—a delicate balance of strategy, empathy, and adaptability. We hope these nine guiding principles will help you towards enhanced collaboration, engagement, and organisational success.
If you need external support with internal communication challenges, changes or campaigns, give us a call - we’d be happy to have a chat!
