Here's how you can align your internal communication with your business strategy and objectives.

It’s really pleasing to see the increasing importance businesses are placing on internal and executive communication and how this is not just an add on but a key piece of the strategy rollout. Strategy starts with your team so engaging your people early and having visible leadership is the first thing to do before the external comms rollout.

A vital key to this variable in the grand equation of internal communication strategy is employee resonance: the notion that employees individually resonate with the goals—beyond the mere numbers, metrics, & KPIs. The language & verbiage of the goals should be tailored and segmented per department. For example, the same copy that resonates with Brad in finance, may not resonate with Jessica in marketing! Going the extra mile can go a long way in instilling and fostering employee engagement.

Internal comms can be used in many ways - not only to update colleagues on organisation updates, but also to leverage them as advocates with the aim of supporting wider objectives. When publishing content internally, take the opportunity to signpost external channels where it can be showcased. Social Media being a prominent example - a quick like, comment or reshare goes a long way to improving a post's reach to the right audiences, increasing engagement levels. Colleagues can also share updates with relevant audiences at events, webinars and office visits etc. Inform them of the fantastic improvements to one of your policies, and equip staff to spread the message.

One thing that I’ve found helpful it is to have regularly meetings with the team to align the goals, nothing more than 10 minutes, just to have a conversation, showing results, what can be improved as a team, how they can do it, who they can count it with every situation. The quick conversations help to always keep fresh in mind, giving the necessary infusion of adrenaline to pursue the goal.

Many companies struggle with clearly communicating their values, mission, and goals to employees. Repetitive emails with generic titles like "International communication" can leave some staff feeling uninformed and disengaged. Without a clear understanding of the company's direction and how their role contributes to KPIs, employees are less likely to be motivated and productive. Effective internal communication goes beyond strategy; it's about putting that strategy into practice. Companies should strive to create clear, concise, and regular communication that inspires employees and aligns them with the organization's goals.

Remind the team of the purpose and significance of their work. Emphasize the impact of their contributions on the organization's goals, mission, and values. Help team members understand the broader context and significance of their roles to reignite a sense of purpose and meaning. Encourage employees to tie their recognition to the organization's values and strategic goals. By acknowledging behaviors and actions that align with these core principles, peer-to-peer recognition becomes a powerful reinforcement of the company's culture and objectives.

There are differences between termology and narrative. Termology is only saying what we should do, it is informative phrase. "Until the end of this month we need to hit our sales target." However, narrative is the importance of communication that goes beyond simply stating the objectives: "This month, we have the chance to make a real difference by exceeding our sales target." By combing strong terminology and a well-defined narrative, we can effectively communicate the importance of clear internal communication.

Elaborar todos os textos em concordância com seus objetivos, com a imagem que a empresa quer passar e com o que você espera dos colaboradores é fundamental para consolidar a cultura e passar mensagens estratégicas.

Channel selection should follow this rule of thumb: reducing friction. When employee comms become frictionless, engagement will naturally see an increase. The less 'barriers to entry' an employee has to face = the greater inclination to open, engage, and read. For example, deskless / frontline employees are far less inclined to log into an intranet. Adoption rates for this type of worker are substantially lower. In this case, an SMS tool to text these employees & 'meet them where they're at' is extremely effective! 💡

Consolidate communication channels to minimize confusion and ensure that important information is communicated effectively. Use tools such as email, instant messaging platforms, or project management software to streamline communication and avoid duplication of efforts.

Remember: "Employees need to feel valued, safe, and heard before they can be engaged." Your feedback loops should foster a deeper sense of employee care. Having a 'open feedback / free response' portion of surveys & town halls can create a culture where the employee voice is seen & heard. 📢 Feedback is only valuable with measurement, follow-ups, and change. A dedicated internal comms tool with pulse survey capability is a great way to streamline this process!

In organizational sociology and business communication, a two-way communication loop is essential, both internally and externally. It acts as a key to unlocking potential and fostering positive change. Consider this example: An employee pours their heart into a task, hoping to impress their team and superiors. However, if their efforts go unnoticed and no feedback is provided, even without hearing any criticism to be improved, they may become discouraged and question their value to the company. A strong feedback loop ensures employees feel appreciated and motivated. When their contributions are acknowledged, it reinforces a sense of purpose and inspires them to strive for even greater achievements.

En cuanto a la retroalimentación, observé un enfoque llamado "Café con el CEO" en el que grupos pequeños de empleados, seleccionados al azar o por inscripción voluntaria, se reúnen con el CEO u otros miembros de la alta dirección en un ambiente relajado. Durante estas sesiones, los empleados pueden compartir sus opiniones, sugerencias y preocupaciones mientras disfrutan de un café o un snack. Este formato facilita que los empleados se sientan cómodos al expresar sus pensamientos, ofrece acceso directo a la alta dirección promoviendo la transparencia, y fomenta un diálogo abierto y sincero. Además, proporciona una visión diversa y completa de las opiniones y preocupaciones de los empleados.

An example of that was in my last project in Brazil, I was a deputy manager of legal automation team, our project had great deadlines, but in Law’s universe everything can change in seconds. One day we were working as usual when, after the morning tea, we receive the communication that was necessary to automatise a huge quantity of documents with a short deadline. In this case it was necessary to change our process, procedures, and applications. That was a real proof that every environment is in change constantly, and the communication with the members it is essential to keep on track.

En un entorno empresarial en constante cambio, adaptar regularmente la estrategia de comunicación interna es crucial para el éxito. Google es un excelente modelo a seguir en este aspecto. La empresa se destaca por su capacidad para ajustar sus mensajes y herramientas de comunicación a medida que evolucionan sus objetivos y el mercado. Google utiliza plataformas internas flexibles y actualiza sus canales de comunicación para mantener a todos los empleados alineados y comprometidos. Esta adaptabilidad no solo asegura coherencia y alineación, sino que también fortalece la cultura organizacional. Al seguir el ejemplo de Google, las empresas pueden mantenerse ágiles y efectivas en sus comunicaciones internas, impulsando su éxito a largo plazo.

Necesito hablar de Spotify en este arículo; Spotify ha implementado un enfoque innovador con sus "Días de Innovación". Cada trimestre, dedican un día para que los empleados propongan y trabajen en proyectos que no están necesariamente alineados con sus tareas diarias. La comunicación sobre estos eventos y los resultados obtenidos se comparte a través de una serie de webinars y actualizaciones en la intranet, manteniendo a todos informados y motivados. Este tipo de comunicación innovadora y abierta dentro de la empresa hace que la misma pueda seguir creciendo a un ritmo vertiginoso.

Communication goals should tie directly with business goals (revenue, brand, adoption, etc). As a support function, how can you enable the business with clear and timely messaging AND enable the workforce by building a supportive employee experience. Start by looking ahead with leadership to understand their top 3 priorities for the next quarter and year. As an advisor in this space, you should also share insights from employees around their top concerns (gained from surveys, focus groups, town halls). Leaders need to understand how the employee experience is impacting their business goals and what you recommend as the biggest area to adjust (e.g., workload, development, manager skills, recognition, leader engagement).

Remember with every guide or strategy, it's not a "one size fits all" 👕 solution. Various dynamics of your internal communications strategy should stem from your specific company culture, industry type, and workforce attributes. These are all personalized factors that should act as puzzle pieces 🧩 to create an employee experience that ~feels~ right, authentic, genuine, & empowering.

Involving staff in the organizational journey - the successes, failures, strengths and opinions can bolsterinternal communication and in fact, it may exceed the investment being made in external communications. Simply put, if there is internal unity and understanding, soft issues such as going the extra mile, observing company ethos, loyalty, sense of purpose, etc become clearer and staff who can demonstrate such values and practice in their work daily automatically improve organizational repute.

Allocate dedicated time for planning and strategizing internal communication initiatives. This allows you to proactively identify opportunities for improvement, brainstorm new ideas, and develop comprehensive communication plans.