Delve into
The Guide to Employee Communication
Effective employee communication is important for building your organization’s culture, better collaboration, achieving goals, and keeping people informed.
Sales Hotlines
US ✆ +1 (302) 672 3007
UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 5021
Intro
For an organization to be truly effective and at the top of their game, an important consideration should be effective communication. Surprisingly, even though almost everyone is aware of this need, even today, in the world of virtual working, many companies still do not have excellent employee communication.
Some companies don’t have enough resources to plan for an employee communications strategy, while others already have a strategy but they don’t have the right tools or resources necessary to maintain it.
Let’s learn more about employee communication and why it’s important for your organization.
What is Employee Communication?
Employee communication is defined as sharing ideas between the management and the employees of an organization. This can be done electronically or verbally. Regardless, having effective employee communication is the key to the success of an organization.
Nowadays, there are different ways to effectively communicate with your employees. With our current technologies and the rise of social media, communicating with employees has become more convenient.
Now, keep in mind that this communication process may not be effective in some companies. That is why you need to identify the communication process that works best for your organization.
Without employee communication, the management will not be able to properly lead those who are under them. Executing an effective employee communication strategy will make your business more successful.
What is the Difference Between Internal Communication and Employee Communication?
To establish an effective employee communication strategy, you need to know the difference between internal and external communication.
When the organization sends out emails to a subset of employees or all employees, then it refers to employee communication.
On the other hand, internal communication is more of a top-down, horizontal, or vertical communication. Horizontal communication is the exchange of information between units, departments, or different people. Vertical communication is when information is passed between the superiors and subordinates of the organization.
Common Employee Communication Challenges
Cultural Differences
Companies are more diverse nowadays. But the norms of social interaction vary from culture to culture. For example, the concept of individual space varies between different cultures and social settings.
Executing an employee communication strategy and collaborative working environment is important to have successful teamwork and cohesion.
Poor Written Communication
Many organizations use jargon or unfamiliar, over-complicated, technical terms. Most often, we forget that employees have different fields of experience including perceptions, values, backgrounds, needs, expectations, and biases. Your employees will be able to decode messages within the context of their field of experience. When your field of experience overlaps, communication can often be difficult and frustrating.
Poor Leadership
When managers or leaders fail to communicate properly, clarify objectives, or answer queries, employees will feel frustrated and confused. For example, if an employee approaches the management about a certain issue and the employer ignores the needs of the employee, this can cause distress to the employee.
If you have remote employees, then it could be more challenging to communicate effectively. A bland and unclear email may put off your employees.
Information Overload
An employee may receive information via phone calls, text messages, video conferences, internal meetings, group chats, and social media networks. Sending out too much important information via different channels is bad for communication. As a result, important information is often lost, forgotten, ignored, or deleted.
Keep in mind that employees get frustrated when they receive an excessive amount of information.
Physical Barriers to Non-Verbal Communication
Not being able to determine non-verbal gestures, posture, cues, and general visual communication makes communication more difficult and less effective. Text messages, phone calls, and other methods of communication that depend on technology are often less effective compared to face-to-face communication.
Types of Communication in the Workplace
Four Types of Communication in the Workplace
Verbal
Use a confident and strong
Avoid using filter words and jargon
Use active listening
Nonverbal
Mimic effective nonverbal communications
Keep in mind your emotions
Written
Simplicity
Review your written communication
Visual
Ask others
Consider your audience
Use visuals that add value
Make visuals clear and easy-to-understand
Modes of Employee Communication
Traditional Process
The traditional process is a one-way communication that focuses on the top-down communication approach. The management creates procedures and policies that are later on circulated among the employees.
The problem with the traditional process is that your desired results cannot be achieved because it’s a one-way communication process.
To have effective communication, we need to minimize one-way communication.
Mobile Phones and Social Media
Every employee has an important tool with them and that is their smartphone. If you have remote employees, smartphones make communication easier and more efficient.
Another powerful mode of communication is social media. Almost everyone has social media, whether for work or fun. The good thing about social media is that it can be used as an internal or external communication tool because it’s accessible and convenient. LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Facebook are just some examples of social media networks available that can be used to communicate with your employees.
Employee Experience Platform (EXP) or Intranet
An intranet or employee experience platform like Steegle.One is a new effective and exciting way to communicate with the whole organization in just one place. It contains all relevant company information, helps centralize communication, and improves employee experience.
With a centralized location for all company resources, your employees will find information easier and quicker.
Here’s what Steegle.One has to offer to establish an effective employee communication platform:
News and Announcements
Intuitive Employee Directory
Automated Organizational Charts
Events
Training
Affinity GroupsHero/Employee Spotlight
Steegle Intranet Designs
Steegle develops tools to boost the functionality of your Google Sites intranet.
Gamification
Gamification is a fairly new approach but it is undoubtedly effective. Gamification combines online quizzes and competitions. The benefit of gamification is it encourages your employees to have positive behaviour. Gamification excites employees and improves the training experience of employees. Keep in mind that giving out heavy information can sometimes bore your employees.
Email
Even today, email is an effective channel of communication. Many companies are using email to connect and update their employees about the latest developments in a project or organization. The downside is that emails are difficult to manage and keep track of. Many employees end up missing important details. Another drawback is that it is impossible to identify the tone of the message, thus communication can easily break down.
Communication Management Tool
A communication management tool keeps track of employees’ tasks and their status or progress. When an organization has a communication management tool, no tasks get overlooked at the end of the day.
Online Forums
An online forum supports effective employee communication. Employees will have the freedom to express their opinions or suggestions using the forums.
Looking for a customized intranet solution for your organization?
Since 2008, we here at Steegle.com have been delivering intranet development solutions and ongoing support and maintenance for organizations including hospitals and medical institutions. As a certified Google Cloud Partner, we specialize in Google Workspace based solutions. Give us a call at US ✆ +1 (302) 672 3007 UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 502 or contact us today to view a demo of our intranet solutions, and see how it can help increase employee productivity and save time and money. Click below to learn more about the Steegle.One Intranet solution.
Sales Hotlines
US ✆ +1 (302) 672 3007
UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 5021
UK ✆ +44 (207) 871 5021
