Five reasons why internal communication is imperative to your employees

We hear it time and time again, the importance of internal communication, but what does this actually mean to a business? Research conducted by Poppulo highlights that effective internal communication can deliver positive ROI on employee engagement and business performance.

Internal communication is about effective communication among stakeholders of an organisation, such as employees, franchisees or members, and has been considered a critical business discipline. This involves developing and disseminating messages to keep stakeholders connected and informed in the way of consistent and transparent communication.

During this current uncertain climate, it has never been more important to have a strategic internal communication program in place. And here are five reasons why.

1. Keeps your employees informed

Communication can have a great impact on job satisfaction among employees. Those who feel as though they are not informed, are left out or uncertain about their goals, may choose to leave. By keeping employees informed with timely, relevant and engaging communication, organisations have a competitive advantage in market, positively impacting on bottom line results.

Personal and open communication boosts employee morale by giving them a sense of connectivity with the business’s vision. Organisations that commit to internal communication through consistent and transparent updates can build significant trust for the brand and its direction among key stakeholders.

2. Builds better employee relationships

Internal communication plays an integral role in building employee engagement. Good internal processes enables senior management to receive and provide constant feedback, allowing employees to build trust and stronger ties within the company.

Two way relationships between you and your employees is the foundation for a successful internal communication program.

3. Facilitates creativity and innovation

Through effective and creative internal communication, businesses create a nurturing and positive environment that allows employees to feel more comfortable and empowered. With an open system, employees are given a platform to share their thoughts, feedback, ideas and suggestions, increasing their ability to think innovatively and creatively.

It’s these kinds of ideas that can benefit a company through increased employee morale, commitment to a common goal and new considerations or solutions to help a business stand out and grow.

4. Builds culture

Whether a business is trying to attract or retain new talent, company culture plays a significant role. The culture and values of a business manifests in every employee and informs how they perform and interact. A culture that fosters inspiration, collaboration and positivity can greatly impact employees’ motivation, engagement and their desire to perform and commit to an organisation.

A well-functioning internal communication strategy that allows for two-way communication by involving workers, communicates an organisation that values a positive and collaborative company culture.

5. Plays a critical role during crisis

We are all well aware of the criticism in the media regarding the lack of clarity and communication surrounding COVID-19. Not only are customers experiencing uncertainty, but employees are also questioning job security, what management are doing to assist and what support is available to them.

Whether your stakeholders view an issue as negative, positive or neutral – consistent, transparent and factual communication can help mitigate concerns and fears. While emotions are high, it’s critical for businesses to maintain open conversation. Employees need to be informed with necessary information, processes, channels, and understand what is expected from them. It’s important to provide contact details on who employees can reach out to with any further questions.

Internal communication is not just an issue for large corporates, all businesses should consider a strategic internal communication system.

At Elevate we understand that resources and budgets are tight, but we can provide support to help your business strive and thrive. Reach out to the Elevate team for advice on how to implement a strategic internal communication program today.