How do you keep employees actively engaged, motivated and challenged? Making everyone feel valued and listened to will help with engagement. Keeping employees actively engaged with company policies can motivate them and provide a better quality of work on the job. This is where internal communication methods come in.
Internal communication is the communication that happens within the workplace to employees across different departments. Information about the company is shared to keep employees informed so they can perform their jobs better. Whether a small, medium or large company, you can utilize internal communication to improve the workplace.
When considering ways to improve employee engagement and motivation, it is also important to understand what motivates employees. According to the Four Drive Theory, research shows there are four underlying drives for employee motivation:
- Acquire & Achieve,
- Bond & Belong,
- to be Challenged & Comprehend,
- and to Define & Defend.
[READ MORE ABOUT THE FOUR DRIVE MODEL HERE]
Understanding each of these drives can help organizations be more intentional about conversations with their employees. These conversations can be set up through internal communication platforms. Here are a few examples of where you can get started:
1. Email
Email automation does not just have to be for external marketing campaigns. It’s probably the most common way to communicate a message to your co-worker. You can help drive employee focus by offering a weekly memo or newsletter with company projects, uplifting messaging, or highlighting milestones. It’s an effective way to keep different departments up-to-date on things.
A great example would be to start a monthly wellness newsletter. This newsletter can include topics on physical health, mental health, or health insurance benefit information. The focus should be on how the company can improve employee lives and their experience at the company.
Include clickable documents, engaging images, and short and to-the-point information. Have a fun subject line that will draw people to open, like, “10 habits of successful people (done before 9 am).”
To maintain the effectiveness of this platform, it’s important not to cause information overload. Since everyone already has so many emails to open and read through, it’s important to be sensible about that. Be sure the information you are providing is valuable and can be beneficial to the employee.
2. Texting
Implementing texting software can make internal communication efficient and effective at all company levels.
Texting can be used to send quick messages between team members to ask questions, confirm meetings, and provide updates on projects. This platform can be beneficial when you have a team that works remotely. Texting can be a convenient way to communicate information quickly.
Most text messaging platforms can be integrated with email platforms to create a seamless messaging experience. This includes platforms like RingCentral, ZipWhip, Slack, Google Voice, and WhatsApp.
3. Social Media
Social media is a platform that is good for internal and external communication. You can highlight employees, projects, achievements, and holiday parties on the company’s social media pages. This can make your brand more human by sharing relatable content.
Sharing and tagging co-workers in posts can encourage them to engage with the company on social media. For example, Linkedin gives you the option on your company page to ‘notify employees’ when you post. This would be a great way to let your employees know about any company updates.
Employees become advocates when they talk about the company and share information through social media. This form of brand-building can impact a company’s success.
Gartner Communications states, “Employees who feel well-informed become a company’s most credible ambassadors externally, while they may become its fiercest critics if they do not.“
What are the main benefits of Internal Communication?
- Boosts employee engagement and productivity
- Promotes the supply of information
- Improves employee experience
- It brings people together in difficult situations
Having a well-crafted communications plan will support your company in all internal initiatives. It also teaches you to maintain consistent employee communications. You can improve workplace collaboration and engagement by understanding your employees’ motivations and using the appropriate channels to communicate with them.
If creating or managing an internal communications platform seems overwhelming to you, we can help! Contact us to get started on your project.