Internal communication is the engine of a company. Thanks to this, motivation, dedication and a feeling of belonging is achieved amongst employees. Moreover, it is the most powerful tool when it comes to facing a crisis.
Internal Communication, a tool to face crises
The big error one can make when dealing with a crisis is to ‘turn a deaf ear.’ The company’s version of events will always be better or at least, better than any of the other versions of the story being put out there by sources other than the company itself.
Therefore, when faced with any crisis, the company ought to anticipate situations and convey its own version of the facts before others do it for them. In these situations, it is necessary to be proactive so that you will not have to react to others’ opinions or facts.
That said, a company cannot limit itself to confirming, dispelling or matching up public information. Instead it should be the first to give this information, giving a clear sign of transparency. Transparency ought to always be a two-way thing. If a company is not transparent with its employees, it surely will not be transparent when it comes to the general public and vice versa. Good internal communication helps spokespeople learn the company’s key message off by heart and this is essential so that they do not give different version or that the official version is not misinterpreted.
Internal communication as a motivational tool
One of the biggest challenges many companies will face is listening to their employees. If an employee does not feel heard by their company, they will feel demotivated and frustrated because he or she will perceive that his or her opinions are not being taken into account.
Many companies are not conscious of the fact that to be competitive and successfully handle change, they must be capable of motivating their teams, conveying the corporate culture of the company so that everyone feels they can identify with it and believe in it. And this is precisely where internal communication becomes a key strategic tool in boosting the feeling of belonging.
We must not forget that companies are not only well known because of their products and services. The first thing that characterizes a company is its reputation and values, in other words, the consumer’s perception of the brand. However there is one point that is not up for debate: if the employees of a company themselves do not believe in said company’s values and principles, they will not be capable of conveying them and as a result no one will believe them.
Some time ago, Cristina Aced on Blog-O-Corp said that internal communication continues to be one of the most overlooked parts of a company, despite its clear contribution to capturing and keeping talent, and also improving the reputation of any company.
Internal communication is a resource that one must master, it is only through effective communication that a company’s values can be conveyed, making its professionals the best brand ambassadors. Therefore, communication within organizations cannot continue to be the big oversight.
Other benefits from good internal communication
It is clear that with good internal communication, it is possible to align the attitude and work method of employees to the company’s objectives.
Recently I read a blogpost of Natalia Sara, with whom I could not agree more. She says that it is a big mistake to think that internal communication is to just ‘say’ to employees how good they are and how well the company is going, instead of listening to them.
In this post, she also listed five big advantages of good internal communication that I would like to share with you. Good internal communication allows people:
- To be informed about what is going on in the company and why
- To understand that whatever is happening in the company has to do with them
- To perceive that they have something to gain with their behavior
- To feel heard and can participate
- To understand what management is getting up to
I would also like to add the following to the benefits of internal communication:
-its contribution in retaining talent
-Its efficiency as a communication crisis tool
-its ability to motivate
-its efficiency in creating a team and sense of belonging
What do you think? What other benefits achieved through good internal communication would you highlight?
