5 keys to internal communications success

Internal communications used to entail simply “sending out stuff to staff.”

Today, executives and communicators realize that compelling staff messaging can increase retention and boost employee performance.

Here are five areas to focus on to achieve sustainable internal communications (IC) results:

1. Plan

Clarifying where you are now and where you want to be is the best place to start. Determine what should be said, when and how.

Start with all your “known communications,” such as financial results, big-picture messages and general operational updates; then slot in training awareness pieces. When crafting timelines, factor in that these efforts usually require a multi-channel, multi-touch drip strategy.

Culture-related content has become a communications priority. Getting everyone to buy in to your vision doesn’t happen overnight, however, so your IC plan should feature a variety of content formats and approaches to methodically build the organizational culture you want.

Your strategy should also incorporate feedback from colleagues. Ask people in other departments whether they have any requirements or requests—such as IT for software upgrades or marketing for product launches.