A major issue for organizations (reinforced since the COVID-19 crisis), internal communication helps to fluidify exchanges and reinforce team cohesion. Spearheaded by the director or HR manager, this strategy ensures the company's stability. So how do you set up an effective internal communications plan? What media should you use? Find out in this article!
The role of internal communications within the company
As the "megaphone" of corporate strategy, internal communication is a set of actions and tools designed to facilitate exchanges. It is mainly used to:
- Balance the sharing of information;
- Encourage collaboration between the company's various players;
- Motivate and develop employees, whatever their responsibilities.
The communications department plays an essential role in this approach, but internal communications must involve everyone, in particular executives, HR managers, but also managers and employees.
GOOD TO KNOW
Today, there are 3 main types of corporate communication: bottom-up communication (ideas come from employees), top-down communication (managers manage the dissemination of information) and horizontal communication (exchanges between employees and departments are encouraged).
Personal communication
The objectives of internal corporate communication
Reinforce corporate culture
Corporate communications help to create a sense of belonging within the company. How can this be achieved? By capitalizing on the organization's values, objectives and shared vision.
Improve the transmission of information
By decompartmentalizing departments, the company speeds up decision-making and facilitates collaboration. Open communication is a real strength for teams, who can capitalize on a shared "brain juice" to generate new ideas!
Develop a good brand image
Happy employees (who talk about it!) send a very positive image to consumers. Well-at-work, they tend to be more productive, friendly and efficient in their actions.
Anticipating crises and change
When internal communication is proactive, it also helps to prevent complicated situations. Employees need points of reference, they need to be informed. If they are prepared for changes in strategy, they can play an active part in bringing the company out of crisis and anticipating change.
Design thinking
The main steps in creating an internal communications plan
Define objectives & appropriate KPIs
Before deploying an internal communications strategy, the first step is to define the expected results (objectives): inform, motivate, defer, improve brand image? It's also a good idea to include KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to check that objectives are being met (e.g.: staff turnover rate, job satisfaction rate, internal communications opening rate, meeting attendance rate, etc.).
Imagine target audiences
The aim here is to identify the different profiles the internal communications strategy is aimed at. Who are they? What are their information, motivation and training habits? What are their expectations? This is particularly important for larger companies, with dozens of employees. Without these questions, you could miss your objective...
Create an action plan & internal communication material
Based on your objectives and target audience, define the communication axes to be prioritized. What is the priority? What resources do you have available? And what resources will you need to deploy? You'll need to choose the right tools to engage your employees.
Choosing the right internal communication tools
Among the various written and oral media available to deploy your internal communications plan:
- Information meetings and newsletters: to share company news.
- Individual interviews: to keep track of each employee's career path, desires and needs, on an individual basis.
- HR onboarding: to integrate new recruits and help them adapt.
- Chat: to facilitate quick, informal exchanges between employees.
- Brainstorming sessions: to generate innovative ideas and help collective decision-making.
- The suggestion box: to collect suggestions for improvement put forward by employees.
Producing & deploying corporate communication
All that remains is to implement the strategy, respecting the action plan and deadlines. Regularly check that objectives are being met, using the KPIs you've defined. This will help you improve your actions!
The link between internal communication and human resources
Internal communication can also help human resources to improve employee well-being. A good strategy therefore serves to :
- Retain employees: by creating a collaborative work environment and promoting collective success, you strengthen the employer brand and encourage the attraction and retention of talent (lower turnover).
- Unite employees: by spreading a genuine corporate culture (values, shared vision), you promote the employer brand and raise the company's profile. Your employees will be proud to belong to the same community (your company) and to communicate this!
An internal communications strategy is an essential lever for improving a company's performance and cohesion. By defining clear objectives and adapting communication actions and media to employees' needs, corporate communication contributes to the success of the company and the well-being of its employees.
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