The rise of remote and hybrid work has made internal communications ever more challenging. Nevertheless, employers and employees should never underestimate the importance of effective communication. After all, effective communication is the foundation of effective teams; without it, you risk losing your team and business.
Effective communication at work can transform individuals, teams, and businesses. If you don’t believe it, just stop communicating with your team for three days and see what happens. You not only contribute to project delays and failures, but you also risk wreaking havoc on your team and business, with chaos spreading to other departments.
On the other end of the spectrum, effective communication often leads to improved productivity, satisfaction, and alignment with the rest of the team. So, how can you be a better communicator at work? For a few clues, we have chosen six strategies for improving internal communication within your office.
Make Employee Emails Interactive
As an entrepreneur or a business manager, you undoubtedly receive a barrage of emails. The Harvard Business Review reports that the average employee receives more than 120 messages daily. Although we might not all be in the same predicament, you can still do something about the influx of emails.
At times, important messages can slip through the cracks. That’s why you can endeavour to make your emails more interactive. For example, you can include emails with surveys, comment boxes, or other interactive elements. This makes your communication more appealing and reduces the influx of all the back-and-forth messages.
Let your Employees Talk More
Every member of your team has valuable insight to share. That’s why it is equally important to let everyone voice their opinion. Sometimes, that can be challenging, especially if you have a big team. Many workplaces encourage using an employee blog. The blog responsibility can be relegated to a different team member each week or month. Any issues that need to be addressed can be discussed here through blog posts, comments, and the exchange of thoughtful ideas that can spark discussion among teammates.
Use Digital Tools
In our day and age, everything is digitized. With the prevalence of digital tools, you can make the best use of them at the office, too. For example, why don’t you include a digital bulletin board? This can spread messages more effectively than constantly going to another team member’s desk to discuss something or sending an email. Besides increasing visibility and project awareness, it allows for real-time updates and is cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
Create an App
Another way to communicate effectively is to include a company app. Your messages can spread faster, and there’s always room for relevant, timely updates without having to send email blasts to everyone. You can customize the app with push notifications, newsletters, and other tools to benefit your employees more. A relevant app allows everyone to communicate effectively, whether at home, in the office, or on a work trip abroad.
Use Virtual Focus Groups and Townhalls
One of the best things about office town hall meetings is that they give team members or employees who are often overlooked a chance to voice their opinions. You can also choose to incorporate virtual options; this can especially prove useful for remote employees or consultants who are not always in the office. As a manager, you show your competency not only by answering concerns in person but also virtually. Leaders who are adept at resolving concerns in this way usually make their employees feel valued.
Embrace Email Personalization and Segmentation
Most marketing executives will tell you that effective communication lies in these two strategies. Email personalization involves personalizing your messages by tailoring the content to each recipient. Email segmentation, on the other hand, involves dividing your email list into smaller groups based on characteristics like demographics, interests, and behaviour.
As a manager, you can note these two strategies and segment your communication based on factors like an employee’s position, department, or years of service. This ensures that each member receives messages that are actually relevant to their work. It also reduces the overall number of emails an employee receives each day, freeing up more time for other important tasks.
It’s obvious that there are several strategies for communicating effectively at the office. At times, you will have to adapt your method of communication so that the right message gets across to each team member!
Aaron Levinson | Contributing Writer
