So, you’re building your internal communications strategy. What are the essential internal communication solutions to put on your wish list? Which tools and features will really make an impact when it comes to engaging employees and gaining traction? There are certain elements that every internal communications platform should include.
Whether you’re trying to make sure that every post is opened and acted upon or hoping to raise motivation levels across the workforce, these six internal communications solutions will help you reach your goals.
#1 Instant Notifications
No internal communication system should be without an instant messaging option. Thanks to the pandemic, we have all become acutely aware of the need to be able to reach every employee at a moment’s notice. While once it may have been acceptable for an email to be sent out to be read at leisure, now we need a more immediate internal communication solution.
Instant messaging is an essential solution to have in place to reach across your entire workforce. It can be used to send quick messages between team members who may not be working in the same physical location. It’s the perfect means to confirm meetings, ask questions and clarify points, especially for remote workers. This is the simple way to implement effective communication in the workplace.
However, instant notifications also have a much more serious and crucial value. Internal communication software that can reach every employee simultaneously is essential in a crisis situation. When you need to contact everyone in the immediate moment, instant notifications are the ultimate internal communication solution.
#2 Newsfeeds
You don’t want your employees to have to search around for news updates on their own company. Or worse, read about company developments through an outside source, such as on a social media platform. Improving internal communications should always start with keeping employees in the loop, and it should be effortless for them.
Your workforce wants to hear what’s going on. In fact, according to recent research by Trade Press Services, 85% of employees say they’re most motivated when the management offers regular updates on company news. Streamline your company information with a dedicated newsfeed, including updates, press releases, industry news, blog posts and social media activity.
A good internal communications app will provide a built-in news module ready to go. It will make it simple to schedule and send out regular news updates, ensuring that every employee is kept up-to-date. Ideal for reaching remote and frontline employees, an active newsfeed is one of the most effective internal communications solutions.
#3 Social Spaces
With the rise of remote working and an increasingly dispersed workforce, social spaces have become essential internal communication services. By providing your employees with a digital space to connect, you’ll encourage a spirit of collaboration and teamwork. You’ll find that people will jump at the chance to connect with their colleagues on a social level.
Whether it’s a platform for sharing expertise, running a social group or project-driven, access to the social space can be set to suit your needs. It can be open to all or limited to specific members as required. Thanks to the switch to remote working, social spaces have become one of the more popular internal communication trends of 2022.
Social spaces are a great way to promote equality across the workforce. Junior members of the company will benefit from interacting with more senior colleagues. And equally, senior staff will have a chance to share their experience and pick up some new ideas along the way. It should definitely be on your hit list as an internal communication solution.
#4 Feedback Channels
When it comes to implementing internal communications best practices, this one can’t be ignored. It’s vital to ensure your information flow doesn’t become a one-way street from the top. Unless you allow employees to speak and have their say, you’ll find they feel silenced. And engagement levels will take a dramatic drop in consequence.
What do employees really think about the new training methods you’ve introduced? How well is the hybrid working policy going down? Providing freely flowing feedback channels is an internal communications solution that pays dividends. Use online tools that allow employees to express themselves openly, even anonymously, if necessary.
Look for an internal communications platform that provides a range of robust feedback channels. A good employee app will allow you to schedule regular employee surveys, polls and questionnaires. Only by asking questions and listening to the answers will you have the answers to those crucial internal communication metrics.
#5 Recognition Opportunities
Actively recognise and reward your employees, and you’ll see increased accountability, responsibility, and leadership levels. Conversely, taking your employees for granted is a sure-fire way to drop employee engagement levels through the floor. Research shows that 69% of employees say they would work harder if they were better appreciated.
So, this internal communication solution is a no-brainer. Give employees the recognition they’re craving, and you’ll reap the rewards. Build recognition opportunities into your internal communication plan, and you’ll ensure your employees feel heard and valued. This leads to increased motivation, a sense of pride in their work and increased self-confidence in their ability to perform their role.
Your internal communication software should provide an option to build a recognition module. Whether it’s shared across all employees or limited to a team or department, you can share praise and help employees to celebrate success. Look for tools to encourage peer to peer recognition to gain even more traction from this practical approach.
#6 Innovation Programmes
Not all great ideas originate from the senior management team. You’ll find that people working on the front line, at the coal face of the sales force or out on the road will have a much greater insight into the possible business opportunities out there. One of the most effective internal communications solutions is to allow your employees to put forward their ideas.
Innovation programmes score very highly when it comes to internal communications ideas that have a positive impact. By promoting a company ethos of innovation and improvement, you’re building a bullet-proof future for your company. It’s a vital element of the internal communications process.
So, what’s the best way to encourage innovation? Opt for an internal communication platform that provides a platform to post business challenges, capture suggestions and promote active discussion. It’s essential to follow up on suggestions, too, so make sure you implement an idea management workflow to openly show the progress of the ideas. Once you open the floodgates, just wait for the ideas to start flooding in.
