How to Enhance Effective Internal Communication in Organizations
All organizations need effective internal communication, which includes both verbal (oral or written transfer of words) and nonverbal (voice intonation, silence, physical distance) features. Technology plays a role in establishing communication frameworks, especially for businesses that work with virtual or international teams.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Assess the communication styles of the employees. Important factors include gender, age, race, ethnicity, work style, education and religion. Older staff might need to acclimate when working for an organization run by people in their 20s.
-
2
Describe existing problems, inefficiencies or obstacles. You can ask employees to provide comments individually or create a small committee that will analyze existing communication methods. An independent consulting firm can serve as an additional source.
-
-
3
Promote flexible communication styles that minimize confusion; one method will not work in all situations. When dealing with engineers and lawyers about a contract terms, telephone or email communication might work ineffectively compared to a video conference.
-
4
Develop an intranet system so staff members can quickly exchange information. Since many organizations prohibit access to personal email accounts or social media websites, intranets can link staff in an authorized format that is time-efficient.
-
5
Reinforce communication strategies consistently, particularly if staff members often change. Place posters with creative communication slogans in areas with high traffic.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Communication will remain inefficient as long as internal goals diverge. For instance, a sales team might focus on the number of new accounts to increase their reward or bonus, while the customer service team defuses false promises made by sales people.
