Internal communication, when done correctly, has the power to completely change a company. Your team will be more motivated and productive than ever before once you have solid systems and processes in place. And as we like to say in this blog – it is good to learn from other organization’s mistakes. Hence why it is valuable to know common mistakes in internal communication.
Your internal communication strategy needs some significant time and work. Because internal communications can have the opposite effect when they are handled improperly within an organization.
In this article we will look at some of the most common mistakes in internal communication as well as offer solutions for them.
1. Not having an internal communication strategy
Not creating a thorough internal communications strategy is one of the more fundamental mistakes people make. And it’s clear why. It might not appear like there’s much more to internal communications than simply sharing information when it becomes available as its primary goal is to keep employees informed of organizational changes, events, or business values. This is not the case, though.
Internal communication might become more of a burden than a help without a plan in place. Every time you communicate with your staff, it should be routine and well scheduled. Engagement levels typically decline when messaging becomes inconsistent and unpredictable. If a regular communication route is no longer updated regularly, employees will quickly feel ignored.
We have put together some effective internal communication strategies for remote teams for inspiration. You must look at the supporting processes in order to pinpoint areas where the communications need improvement. You’ll have a clear understanding of the difficulties you encounter as a result, and you can then decide on your exact goals.
For instance, reach a specific number of responses to an internal communications survey or raise engagement by 20% over the following three months. These should be communicated to staff members in order to uphold transparency and establish a clear course for your team to take. Additionally, you should strive to communicate at a constant pace in order to maintain ongoing contact with your staff.
2. Not taking into consideration employee feedback
Although the majority of businesses recognize the importance of employee input, not everyone takes full use of it. Most often, weak communication channels make it challenging for staff members to voice opinions or bring up problems with management.
The outcome is the same, though: a failure to fully understand the requirements and desires of the front-line worker. Knowing how to obtain and apply employee feedback is one of the most crucial internal communication best practices to get correctly.
The sharing of fresh ideas to improve the company is made possible by streamlining the methods through which employees communicate with executives. Additionally, it speeds up the process of quickly recognizing workplace problems and shows specific employees that their contributions count.
Finding the internal communication strategies that work best for your company must come first. It can be dangerous to presume that everyone wants to communicate in the same way in diverse workplaces. After all, internal communication ought to be two-way. A platform for internal communication will offer feedback modules that give flexible alternatives for all users.
3. Not monitoring results
Businesses frequently fail to measure the impact of their communication, which is one of the most common errors in internal communication. Monitoring engagement levels and comparing how teams and divisions communicate is crucial.
Without these precautions, you are essentially operating in the dark. You can only act on the data you observe and promptly fix or increase participation if regular reporting is done. Internal communication measurement is a requirement, not a luxury.
The ability to closely monitor participation will be made possible by a good internal communication platform. Built-in reporting measures engagement levels, and real-time dashboards show who is reading and responding to the messages right now. Additionally, when the app is introduced throughout the company, you can actively track the effectiveness of your roll-out by keeping an eye on onboarding rates.
Your goal should be to monitor, assess, and respond to those crucial information. You can only maintain your internal communication strategy relevant and successful by routinely assessing engagement levels.
In conclusion
It is clear that having a solid internal communication strategy is essential for any organization. Now you know some common mistakes in internal communication, including not having an internal communication strategy, not taking into consideration employee feedback, and not monitoring results. These mistakes can lead to decreased engagement, low morale, and other negative outcomes.
To avoid these mistakes, organizations should create a thorough internal communication plan and stick to it. This plan should take into account employee feedback and offer flexible options for communication to ensure that everyone can participate.
See our article on How good internal communication looks in 2023 to see the trends that have proven to be effective.
We hope this article on common mistakes in internal communication was useful to you!
