A few weeks ago, I participated in a webinar hosted by the International Association of Business Communicators on “how to write emails your employees will actually read.” Now, Sarah Wood Communication, LLC is a one-person shop, so I don’t personally need to worry about this topic. But my clients do – it’s vital for organizations to think strategically about not only their external, but their internal communication. Why is internal communication important?
Employees are your ambassadors to the world
Whether on or off the clock, your employees represent your company. Want that to be a positive? Make sure they have accurate and up-to-date information about the company’s mission, major accomplishments, and important announcements. Memorial Day is right around the corner, and it’s not unusual for the following conversations to take place around the grill:
-
Neighbor Sue asks Bob if there are any job openings at Company X for her daughter that just graduated college
-
Friend Peggy asks Bob if the recent article she read about Company X is true
-
Uncle Jim asks Bob how long he’s been at Company X now, what he’s doing there, and if he likes it
They’re casual conversations, but multiply them by the number of employees your company has, add in the grapevine effect, and you’re reaching a large number of people in the community. You want this information to be as positive and accurate as possible. Regular communication with your employees ensures they are aware of what’s going on within the organization and also provides you with the opportunity to share and promote internal successes.
Duplicating effort or working at cross-purposes wastes time and money
Without regularly sharing information cross-departmentally, managers may assign employees to the same task or work toward different end goals without realizing it. Nothing is more frustrating than spending a month on a major project only to find out that half the work had already been completed elsewhere or that the decision to scrap it and go in a different direction was made weeks ago.
Your employees’ time is valuable. Don’t waste it through a lack of communication. Every employee and department should know what goals they are working toward and how that will impact the organization. They should also have at least a general idea of what other departments have in the works.
Workplace rumors are unhealthy
Workplace rumors damage morale and increase stress. I once worked at a company where frequently one team would know substantially more about what was going on in the organization than other teams. This mismatch in information wasn’t intentional – it stemmed from differing communication styles among managers. But because this information wasn’t provided formally and across the board, it caused resentment and helped spread misinformation.
People are human: You aren’t likely to be able to maintain an organization where there are no rumors or gossip floating around, but a clear internal communication strategy can minimize their impact and increase camaraderie. Conversely, depending on the trickle-down effect without clear instruction about what and when to share information can backfire.
Don’t let your employees find out about major organizational changes through the news. Companies understandably want to keep important announcements (both positive and negative) under wraps until they’re ready for the world to know. Dedicated employees deserve to be informed before the general public and then, circling back to my first point, can serve as ambassadors for your company within the community.
Bonus: Roundup of internal email tips from the webinar
-
Think about how to communicate with all your employees, not just those with desk jobs. Make announcements mobile-friendly and don’t require employees to download an app
-
Use clear language
-
Consider translating into other languages, if your employee base is multi-lingual
-
Don’t over-communicate: Save mass emails from the CEO for important announcements; otherwise routine communication from a known email address helps the open rate
-
Keep the subject line short and try to address “what’s in it for me”
-
Use authentic and approachable tone and language
-
Focus on valuable, important information
-
Be specific, timely, and visual – but don’t overload message with images that take a long time to load
-
Consider labeling your messages as: FYI, ACT, or LEARN so the recipient knows before opening what action to expect
-
Only ask for employees to take one action item per message