Internal corporate communication initiatives: communicating to engage

Companies often focus on profit, on business, neglecting any other element. Business communication is often neglected, management-employee relations are ignored, and employee relations are placed second to increasing turnover.

However, corporate communication and, more importantly, internal corporate communication is a key factor in ensuring the health of a business and should not be neglected especially in a Digital Transformation perspective. This is why it is good for every business to point out internal communication initiatives in order to optimize performance. In fact, good internal communication can ensure that the business is more impactful at the market level.

In this article, Appvizer offers an overview of internal communication initiatives that can be implemented to make the company's health thriving and the business highly competitive.

See all software Collaboration

Corporate communication

Corporate communication is a vast field that cannot be confined to one area or department. In fact, it encompasses all communication operations operated by a company.

This means that corporate communication consists of:

External communication* + Internal communication*

*all communication actions operated toward business partners (B2B marketing), or customers (B2C marketing), or the media (PR)

*communication conducted towards employees (how they are heard and involved in the life of the company, or informed)

Purpose of corporate communication

Corporate communication, both internal and external, should aim to create a single corporate image across all channels used.

This means, that corporate communication should aim to implement a uniform communication strategy that reflects the corporate culture in order to influence the effect of the business on both the outside world and within the company itself. The strategy should also make sure that the business arouses positive impressions. In order to fulfill this intention, a uniform and consistent communication strategy must be developed.

This strategy, however, must be applied zealously and not only with potential partners and customers, but also, not to say especially, internally with employees.

Internal communication: a bridge between company and employees

Internal communication is the communication that is implemented by a company in a broad sense with its human resources. It is a type of communication both between colleagues and between management and employees.

Extremely diverse and cross-cutting, it is often ignored in business dynamics, although it plays a fundamental role: it is, in fact, the basis for all other types of business communication.

Internal communication is, in fact, central to ensuring the continued health of a business. A consistent communication strategy across all available channels will, in fact, be able to help preserve the thriving, dynamic and vibrant nature of a business.

To operate a good strategic internal communication plan, however, especially in larger-caliber companies, different departments will need to independently provide an internal network of cross-communication both among employees and between managers and subordinates (bottom up and top down).

Benefits of internal communication initiatives

Undertaking and implementing internal communication initiatives may not be an easy and straightforward process, but it has indisputable benefits, such as:

• An increase in employees' sense of belonging to the corporate team;
• An improvement in working conditions;
• A strengthening of corporate identity;
• An accentuation of professionalism on the part of employees;
• An increase in employees' recognition of the company;
• A more effective control of the company's effect.

Thus, good internal company communication allows for an acceleration of business processes and is perceived as an indicator of efficiency. To the people involved, good internal communication allows them to feel part of a system that works.

Internal communication initiatives

Internal communication within a company is highly differentiated, that is, it takes place in different ways. Within a company, communication takes place through e-mails, releases, letters, forms, reports, newsletters, circulars, interviews, meetings, calls, etc.

So, a company has many tools at its disposal to be able to carry out shrewd internal communication. They, however, must be used pertinently and coordinated shrewdly, always keeping in mind the spirit of corporate identity.

>> Implement a consistent communication strategy.

It is important to ensure that all communication elements are consistent with the corporate culture, that is, that they reflect the company's own identity, values and raison d'être. Indeed, it is the quality of communication that will be the ambassador and reveal the identity of the business.

In other words, the means adopted for communicating with employees and the opportunities for exchanging and meeting with them will all be guarantors of the quality of the work environment and, consequently, of the image of the business outside the corporate walls.

👨👩 Indeed, a business that promotes dialogue with its employees conveys strong human values, such as valuing human capital and the importance of the individual.

>> Don't ignore emotional aspects.

By using a careful and thoughtful corporate communication strategy in implementing internal communication, it is possible to get to the point of retaining your employees and making them dedicate themselves to the company's cause with a high degree of emotional involvement.

Therefore, it is important to communicate and convey the company's philosophy, values and founding principles. Winning over the employee on an emotional level promotes optimized performance and also fosters a general improvement in the work environment, which consequently leads to increased productivity.

>> Incentivizes engagement

A company's internal communication must encourage employee engagement. So, when designing the communication system, the needs and requirements of stakeholders must first be identified. These needs will, in fact, highlight overall interests and any shortcomings in the management of communication in place. This process is also important in order to get an overview of the overall performance of the organization.

From this awareness, it is necessary to identify actions and tools that can ensure that communication is promoted in such a way as to respond to the needs identified and to encourage the degree of employee involvement in the life of the company.

Ideally, in fact, the employee should feel, in the work environment, somewhat like family. In this way, he will be able to take sides with sincere enthusiasm to the causes of the company, making the company's goals his personal goals.

Gamification: playful engagement

One possible strategy for aiming to boost employee engagement could be the use of Gamification.

Gamification refers to the use of typical game mechanisms in order to create greater involvement of the recipient. This technique allows you to leverage the dynamics of gaming come to increase engagement among employees.

>> Plan internal communication.

The company's internal communication strategy must be carefully studied. The communication system must be planned as if it were a project.

This means that the intentions must be clear and shared, the budget to be used for its promotion must be established, and the necessary resources (such as time and responsibilities) defined. In addition, a program for monitoring and verifying the results achieved must also be planned.

How to.

See all software Collaboration

Internal communication initiatives → Practical tips

Operating an organization of internal communication initiatives is possible on the basis of the following questions:

1. Where → Analysis of the context in which communication is to take place → Assessment of appropriate environments ;
2. What; Setting communication objectives → What are the expectations and what are the expected results? Based on the communication objectives set, it is important to operate the definition of the object of communication → What is to be communicated?
3. Who? Defining the target audience of internal communication → What kind of people are my employees? What are their needs and inclinations?
4. How? Identification of communication modes and channels → How to communicate? Means to be used;
5. In what time frame? Estimate the expected time frame for implementing communication;
6. At what costs? Estimate costs and resources to be devoted to implementing communication activities;
7. Final feedback, i.e., monitoring of results → What effects did the communication strategy produce?

   >> Organize ongoing trainings.

Especially in cases where the company is particularly involved in technology and, therefore, plans to introduce or has introduced new digital tools, it is a good idea to operate internal communication tools in the form of employee trainings.

These should be aimed at ensuring that employees can be trained in the use of newly introduced technological media . Trainings are essential to promote knowledge and skill development and to positively affect workers' performance.

⭐ Establishing a system of internal communication initiatives is critical for all organizations, even smaller ones. Indeed, to achieve successful business, communication cannot be relegated to mere coffee breaks or formal meetings!