Improving Your Internal Communications

Good internal communication is an essential ingredient of business success. 

Companies that might be very good about communicating with suppliers and customers often fail to give their internal communications the same degree of attention. Communications need to flow between people who are coordinating projects and managers to ensure the success of the business. They also need to flow from those who manage the business to the people they manage. The Forte Newsletter, which provides tips for growing businesses, recommends the following strategies:

1.     Identify objectives. The objectives of your internal communication strategy will depend upon the culture of the enterprise, its business goals, and the particular challenges it faces. Typical objectives could include sharing information between management and team members, ensuring an understanding of the organization’s overall objectives, and enabling on-demand access to key company information.

2.     Audit current practices. Once the objectives have been determined, you need to audit your current communications systems and identify what additional pathways or technologies need to be introduced to meet them. Those who use the system and depend on it are well placed to assist in this task. Form a committee made up of team members from various parts and levels in your company to conduct the audit and make recommendations for improvements to the communications systems. 

3.     Target your audiences. Different methods of communication may be needed for different groups within the company. Some sections will require specific information not needed by other parts of the business. First, identify the various audiences—senior management, production personnel, sales, and marketing for example—and the types of information each requires. Then determine the communications methods each audience needs to both send and receive this information.

4.     Set up the right communications methods. Thanks to developments in technology, there is a wide range of communications methods you can use. The list includes fixed telephones, cellular phones, faxes, the Internet, a company intranet, emails, regular meetings, and the traditional printed pieces such as memorandums and newsletters.