Around 72% of employees do not have a full understanding of their company’s strategy, reports IBM, and 74% feel that they are missing out on key information and news about their company. The statistics are a wakeup call to the need to prioritize communications. Regardless of a company’s size, ensuring staff can work effectively on goals, share key information, conduct virtual calls when necessary, and see what stages key projects are at, is vital for survival and growth.
Is the lack of communication by leaders the main issue? It’s difficult to say, as many leaders genuinely make an effort to communicate and mentor their employees through presentations and speeches. However, these traditional methods don’t always yield the desired results. Relying solely on PowerPoint presentations and bullet points can only go so far in rallying and motivating team members. Ultimately, it is storytelling that truly captures people’s attention and gains their support. Leaders should focus on incorporating storytelling into their communication strategies to foster better engagement and understanding within their teams. Leaders can explore different examples of leadership storytelling to learn where to start and how to reshape their communication approach to create a more cohesive team culture. Below are a few tips that will help you keep your business’ internal communications game on top form.
Relying On Analytics Tools
Companies that value internal communications usually rely on team software such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. If you have a large team and you use Microsoft, then Teams analytics are vital if you wish to discover key information on how team members communicate. Through analytics, you can discover active users and channels, the number of meetings organized by team members, and the guests admitted to teams. You can also receive reports such as live event usage reports, which will enlighten you on aspects such as total views and event status. All the information gleaned can help you understand usage patterns, make wiser business decisions, and make potential changes to training and communication roles, goals or procedures.
Use Media For Office Communications
A survey by Melcrum found that 93% of communications experts surveyed feel that video has become vital for internal communications in their organizations. The findings indicate the benefits that investing in video and other dynamic communication tools can bring. In addition to video, consider using different types of media – including memes, blog posts, interactive chat spaces, and the like. Video, in particular, can enable you to communicate significant amounts of information in a more digestible, entertaining manner. Video messages are also easier to absorb. Finally, your audience is less likely to skip over key elements of your message than when you send them large amounts of information in written form.
Creating A Schedule For Communications
Tools like Slack enable teams to communicate as and when the need arises, but you can also set up a schedule for communications so that employees are available on specific dates and times. Just a few events employees will benefit from attending include Zoom, VoIP, or Google Meets video meetings, live-streamed talks from experts, and live-streamed meditation or other health-based sessions for employees. You can also schedule brainstorming sessions focused on specific topics – including volunteering, social media engagement, and office ergonomics.
Having a well-organized communications system is important if you wish your team to work together and achieve goals. Tools for achieving optimal internal communication include Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom. Internal communications should be something employees look forward to receiving. Video, brainstorming sessions, and video meetings can all help bring managers and employees together so as to create a more effective and communicative workspace for all.