Five Ways to Promote Effective Corporate Communication

Just like in any kind of relationship, an organization works best when there is an effective two-way communication between two parties – In this case, the Management and employees. When company goals and core values are clearly communicated and people are trained with the effective way to use the communication tools, the corporate culture is preserved and employees work efficiently.

Whether it’s answering an e-mail, drafting a Power Point presentation for the top executives, sending a letter to a customer or posting a comment in the corporate social media, how an employee conduct his or her communication reflects how effective corporate communication is in a particular company.

Try to raise a discussion among your employees about what is going on in the company. Are they informed on the companywide developments? What are their opinions on company policies? If no one is certain about the company direction, the discourse is lost and each will act in their own way according to their own understanding.

If you see these symptoms in your company, it’s time to improve your communications strategy.

Change the mentality and attitude
The first way to promote effective corporate communication is to create an atmosphere of personal responsibility and accountability from the employees. Let them appreciate their role in the organization, that their every action and decision counts. Generate a climate of trust where their ideas matter. This will increase their interest and passion in what they do and will make them more productive. The right working mentality promotes a healthy working environment for everyone, reducing detrimental habits such as negativity and gossip.

Make available tools that will make corporate communication simple, fluid and fast
Another way to increase employee engagement towards effective corporate communication is to provide them the tools and reinforce the right way to use them. Having problems with delivering products and services on time? Do you see a lack of response during emergency situations outside office hours? Does it usually take a long time to receive feedback on important messages?

If the answer is yes to all of these, it is time to revisit your communication channels. E-mail is one of the most potent tools in business communication but it doesn’t stop there. Equip your employees with relevant communication tools that will facilitate them in performing their responsibilities quickly and on-time. Logistics or Production staff may need GPS support system from smartphones to help track deliveries. IT Group may need a mobile 24/7 service support hotline to attend to systems emergencies anytime and anywhere. Employees may need to have access to several database in the server for fast acquisition of resources.

Always try to get feedback
Sometimes, we are hesitant to get feedback from people because of the possibility of getting negative reviews or call to change. But it is this result which makes feedbacks powerful. A feedback can be in a non-verbal form such as smiles, raised eyebrows or sighs. It can also be oral and written like a response in an e-mail or a return call on the telephone. Especially during planning or conceptualization stages, feedback is a good basis for generating new ideas and determining the best way to proceed. The challenge is to encourage employees to express their opinions by promoting a non-threatening environment where everyone can freely express themselves.

Make information accessible
Yes, there is a rich pool of resources out there, but the question is, “Do employees have access to these resources?” Among the typical resource items that companies can provide employees are the handbooks and intranet. Handbooks ideally contain all the existing policies of the company while the intranet provides the platform to share information on companywide changes, financial reports, personnel changes and social events. The intranet also ideally contains news archives, employee newsletters and employee directories.

Practice more face-to-face communication
Often, the oldest and most traditional form of communication is still the most effective among the communication tools of the company. It is the quickest way to discuss an important point without having to go back and forth in separate individual e-mails. This type of communication also avoids misunderstanding or misinterpreted messages particularly for sensitive discussions. Whether you are congratulating someone or discussing a creative criticism, this method is still the preferred way to deliver messages. The personal touch of a pat on the back for a job-well-done increases motivation of employees while seeing the other party reduces tension during discussions of topics that can elicit different perspectives.

An effective corporate communication strategy requires resources, effort and time. It does not happen overnight but in the long run, you get to build a stronger team consisting of professional and engaged employees. Follow the above tips to adapt your organization to a culture enjoying a healthy productive working environment.