Internal Communication

Internal communications should be of vital importance to any business

Amid this period of corporate upheaval, the role of effective internal communications takes on greater significance.

Without effective internal communications, the crisis of confidence in businesses and corporate leadership could hurt sincere efforts to build a positive corporate culture and to enhance employee morale and productivity, and devastate the overall image of an organization.

The importance of a comprehensive internal communications program, particularly at a time like this, cannot be understated. How employees, association members and other related audiences such as investors, trustees and business partners, perceive the organization is crucial to its success.

In the workplace, the level and speed of change is growing rapidly.

This transformation causes more employee anxiety, stress and lack of loyalty. Meanwhile, internal audiences are bombarded with messages not only from the inside, but also from the media, friends, neighbors, and labor and professional groups, and on "the grapevine."

Without a dedicated, effective internal communications program, an organization allows others to determine what information (or disinformation) is communicated to employees about their organization.

The dynamics of the workplace are changing internal communications. The rapid development of communications-related technology and the rapid expansion of communications channels create special opportunities and challenges. At home and at work, employees are regularly receiving information through e-mail, intranets, CD-ROMs, Web-based programs, the Internet and online media sources. Face-to-face meetings are declining.

As a result, internal communications programs of the past are becoming obsolete. For some organizations, particularly those that have no appreciation for professional communications techniques and technology, internal communications may mean distributing an employee manual and sending around flyers about the company picnic. These are the organizations that believe employees and other internal audiences should be informed only about what they need to know so they can do their job.

In fact, a good internal communications program not only affects organizational and operational success, but it has a considerable impact on external functions such as marketing, community and government relations, and investor relations. Who could be more credible in telling an organization's story that its employees? If employees are uninformed or misinformed, what message does that send to potential customers, investors, future employees and regulators with whom employees speak?

How should an organization establish a good internal communications program?

• Make sure communication professionals are involved. People go to newspapers, television programs, Web sites and online chat rooms because the information is interesting, accessible and relevant. It is also written well, selected and presented professionally and is user-friendly. Professional communicators need to have a significant role in communicating with employees. Excessive "legalese" or human resources jargon, whether in a newsletter or CD-ROM, detracts from clear communications.

• Make sure communications is from all directions. The process of communicating internally should include an information flow that goes throughout the organization. It should not just be from the top down, or even up and down, but from all directions.

• Make sure messages are clear, consistent and credible. While this may seem obvious, too often, communications with conflicting messages come from different departments, leaving employees confused. Clarity and credibility are essential.

• Assure that all information is accessible, accurate and accountable. People have become accustomed to more control over their selection and source of information, whether it is on television, online or in their in-basket. Accessibility is often the key. And all internal information must be accurate and come from an appropriate, accountable source within the company.

• Take advantage of technology. Use intranets, interactive Web sites, e-mail, virtual teleconferencing and other new technologies to keep internal audiences up-to-date and in the loop.

• Printed material such as newsletters and company magazines, etc., still are important. Employees take home newsletters to their families, they read magazines at the pool, they clip items of special personal interest. While online information can be quicker and more interactive, quality publications still have a value in internal communications.

• Don't forget personal interaction. The most effective internal communications vehicles are still face-to-face meetings and small group interactions. CEOs and senior executives must communicate directly, as much as possible, across the organization.

Internal communications should have a priority within any organization, and particularly at a time when external issues, such as the confidence-shaking news from the world of business, create anxieties and doubts.