As an HR manager, you need to take responsibility for internal communications in a company of the future. But how exactly do you implement this?
As an HR manager, you need to take responsibility for internal communications in a company of the future. This is because the two areas are increasingly merging, as internal communication is a key factor in determining the relationship between employer and employee. For example, fluctuation rates and employee satisfaction are directly influenced by the way you communicate.
Communication does not have to be manipulation. Clever communication eliminates misunderstandings and thus clears the way for talking about the matter and not about the matter.
Over the past twenty years or so, internal communications has become a discipline in its own right and an integral part of corporate strategy. What used to be the preserve of large corporations now enriches and determines the everyday life of smaller companies as well.
Especially in uncertain times and in a society that has lost its bearings somewhat, communication must be unambiguous. After all, when trust in crucial areas of society dwindles, the suspicion of manipulation is omnipresent. And precisely because general trust in most institutions is declining, the need for transparency in companies has become indispensable and requires, in particular, controlled and honest internal communication.
In addition to sharing information, internal communication must create, mobilize and support a group dynamic. Internal communication can even establish a social contract between the company and its employees. It can take responsibility through dialogue and thus affirm meaningfulness, which directly contributes to employee satisfaction.
Internal communication reinforces and forces the unity of a company, which is a key competitive advantage.
So we have recognized how important internal communication can be. But how do we now move from good intentions to concrete action? For this, we have compiled 10 recommendations that will help you cultivate an effective, productive and healthy communication culture:
You need to give your employees a different perspective on the company's organization. Explain management's ambitions to facilitate understanding of the issues and the decisions made. Your employees need to understand why things are the way they are. Because based on this "why," a dialogue can emerge, and from that dialogue comes a sense of community. Never forget that team spirit requires a common goal. In sports, this may be easy to define, but in your business, it's a bit more difficult, but just as necessary. That's why you need to communicate your "why" as clearly as possible.
Internal communication gives meaning to the work performed, creates team spirit and provides impetus for all employees. The goal is to create commitment and pride. It's not about spreading a grandiose message, it's about sharing to better collaborate, engage and flourish as a result. Internal communication is two-way - circular even - everyone is a stakeholder and contributes to the success of the organization. So create a foundation of satisfaction by naming successes specifically and also their influences on the future of the company. You must succeed in making your employees see the company's success as your success. This, in turn, increases employee motivation, which in turn increases the company's success and overall performance in the long term.
In your communication, strive for the image of a fighting and enthusiastic company - even if this image seems "marketing" - an image must always be ambitious to give and mobilize energy. Some will think that creating your own image is too artificial, but that's not the point, it's not about the image per se, it's about the inspiration and the desire to move forward together.
The language of your internal communications should be clear and simple, without slipping into familiarity or consensus. After all, the most complicated and anxiety-provoking issues can then be addressed. After all, companies are in real life, too, and your employees need to know the truth. Only in this way can internal communication break the distance between the grassroots and the decision-making centers.
Values are inseparable from the corporate culture, they give meaning to everyone's investments and are vectors of support (or rejection). Values are no longer on the cover of a welcome booklet or in the entrance hall of the company, they are embedded in the projects the company carries out, in its good management practices, in its human resources management, in its communication and in the events it supports or organizes.
Crises, relocations, social plans and restructuring can lead to the value of skills in the company or even their usefulness being called into question. It is therefore important to communicate the company's bond with its employees in order to make clear to them their added value and their contribution to joint success.
Internal communication obliges the company's managers, but it must also remind them of their responsibilities: respect for the value system imposed, respect for the social, moral and ethical contract. Everyone has their share in the success of the company, everyone is responsible. At the same time, this reminder ensures that everyone also considers themselves worthy.
HR management in particular must show leadership, it must be omnipresent in internal communication. Therefore, it must be committed, be a role model, be human and inspire.
Circular communication is essential within the company. It naturally takes place during informal exchanges, but it can also be organized around specific working hours: Commissions, seminars, meetings of interested parties, etc. These opportunities for communication and exchange are all opportunities to contribute new ideas, respond to concerns, and maximize one's knowledge in the field.
As with external communications, tailor your message to the people you are targeting. For example, salespeople may have different information to share than administrative staff. Personalizing your message means taking each person's issues into account.
Internal communication is an essential ingredient for employee satisfaction and therefore the success of your business. The emergence of collaborative and participative management, where the employee is both receiver and sender, simultaneously strengthens his satisfaction and interest.
The tools available for internal communication are extremely varied: internal newsletter, welcome brochure, press releases, posters, physical meetings, the intranet, an internal social network and seminars. All these supports or events must be based on a strategy and a communication plan that is well thought out according to the goals, objectives and messages to be conveyed. But we will talk about this in another post.
Good internal communication is already an important step towards satisfied employees. Learn more about employee retention and how to master it in the long term in the following guide.
There are risks for every company - also in connection with employees. Risk management is therefore important. But how do you introduce it? What...
How do you deal with injustice in the workplace? What factors play into behavior and what can companies do about it?
Absences are expensive: in terms of money, stress and unrest in the company. They also increase the risk of accidents. But how do you reduce...