With so much emphasis on improving your bottom line, it’s easy to forget the role of internal communication on advancing business goals and creating a prosperous organizational culture. At most thriving companies, success starts from within – meaning the way in which you interact and engage with employees on a daily basis can have a meaningful impact on your organization’s performance at large. As you seek to educate and inspire your team, your internal communication strategy should encompass the mission, goals and values held by your company.

Here are the 10 best internal communication practices you can use to ensure your company is moving forward in the right direction:

1. Plan and Strategize Ahead of Time

A company-wide email or newsletter should never be drafted and distributed to your team without a plan for messaging first. Determining what exactly your employees should know and be informed about is key before any communication is disseminated. In your communication plan, it’s also important that your messaging reflects your mission and reinforces positive company values.

2. Use the Right Tools and Platforms

While it’s easy to blast out a quick email, remember your employees are likely overwhelmed with hundreds of work-related emails every day – making it likely they won’t even read your message. Think about the most effective communication channels and how they can be utilized. For example, a company chat software or cloud technology may be a better option for fostering effective internal communication among your team.

3. Embrace Visuals

Because your employees are bombarded all day long with written information, it’s essential that you embrace the power of visual communications. When done creatively, visuals can carry messages in an easy-to-digest manner and make seemingly complex information easier to understand. Whether it’s large screens in conference rooms or posters in the hallways, make a habit of using visuals to maximize your messages.

4. Utilize Metrics

Numbers can amplify any message, especially communications regarding company performance. Whenever possible, use metrics to accompany communications focused on performance, goals and progress made at your organization.

5. Seek Feedback

Making your communication a two-way street – in which both you and your employees engage with one another – is critical. Employee feedback can be facilitated in many ways, such as online surveys or even something as simple as a large whiteboard where employees are encouraged to share their ideas.

6. Don’t Oversaturate

When it comes to effective communication, it’s about quality over quantity. Be careful not to bombard your team with messages and plan to communicate only when you have something meaningful to share. For example, an employee newsletter of company updates would probably be distributed once per month, rather than once per week.

7. Leverage Social Media

It’s fair to say many of your employees are on social media, so why not make it part of your internal communication plan? Sharing photos of fun team outings or recent projects is a great way to encourage employee engagement and promote a positive company culture.

8. Showcase Your Team

If your goal is to be on the cutting-edge of your industry, make sure to give your employees an opportunity to become industry leaders themselves. One of the easiest ways to do this is by featuring or “spotlighting” your employees on your company’s website or social media pages, in which they can share their knowledge about the latest industry trends and insights.

9. Praise Your Employees

Everybody wants to be recognized for their hard work, especially among their peers. Recognizing members of your team for awards, promotions or milestones can go a long way in building employee loyalty, improving job satisfaction and increasing motivation.

10. Promote Professional Development

Reminding your employees about the professional tools and resources available will help them stay engaged in their learning and demonstrate you’re invested in their success. As you do your weekly or monthly communication planning, be sure to incorporate updates about professional development opportunities.

Looking for Candidates with Strong Communication Skills?

The way in which you conduct your organization’s internal communication can lay the foundation for your success moving forward. Implementing the practices above in your internal communications strategy will accelerate your team’s performance and create a stronger company culture from within. Contact the team of trustworthy and skilled recruiters at Carlton Staffing to find your next great employee.