As the role of internal communicators continues to evolve and more tools and technologies become available, businesses are being faced with new challenges each and every day.
Recognizing and understanding the challenges is the first step in finding the right solutions. (And it doesn’t hurt to know you’re not alone! We’re all facing the same or similar challenges…)
Here are 5 challenges to be aware of as you plan and implement your organization’s internal communications strategy:
Simply relaying facts. Are you just giving your employees information? Or are you truly communicating with them? Communication implies a two-way dialogue. Remember: effective internal communications are meant to open up and own an ongoing conversation with your workforce.
Ignoring your employees’ expectations. Almost every single one of us is working in a multi-generational workforce. It’s imperative to be aware of how your employees prefer to communicate and consume information related to their job functions.
Reaching and connecting with global, front-line, and hourly employees. Sometimes there are barriers to direct communication with your entire workforce. Whether they live in a different time zone, don’t have full access to company information, or they speak a different language, it’s important to find new and effective ways to communicate with every single member of your workforce.
Getting the executives and leadership team involved. Having involved leadership is a great foundation for a highly engaged workforce. When your workforce sees the involvement from leadership and that commitment to transparent communications, they are likely to have a greater sense of loyalty and satisfaction in their job leading to improved productivity and retention rates.
Resistance to change. Taking a leap into a new way of operating can be a daunting task, especially when you’re filled with doubt. As the great George Bernard Shaw would say, “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
How are you overcoming these challenges within your organization? Tell us in the comments section below.