Effective employee communication is a vital aspect of the employer-employee relationship. It shows employees they are valued by the company; conversely, a lack of communication can foster unhappiness and low morale.
Poor communication may also suggest employees’ indifference to their performance and result in lower productivity. With all the possible channels for communication today, there are plenty of opportunities to supply employees with timely and accurate company news and information.
Mediums for Employee Communication
In today’s technology age, communication options are seemingly endless. So be sure to balance technological channels with face-to-face contact so that executives and managers stay visible and accessible to employees.
Examples of technological communication channels:
Email
Instant messaging
Videos (online or broadcast on televisions around the building)
Blogs (written by CEOs or other executives)
Podcasts
Intranet
A hotline telephone number for emergencies or important announcements
Newsletters
Bulletin boards (online or physical)
Examples of face-to-face interactions:
Company or department-wide meetings
CEOs or executives walking around chatting with employees
One-on-one meetings between employees and their direct supervisor
When to Communicate with Employees
Communication is vital on several levels, ranging from groundbreaking company information to day-to-day interaction.
Important news: This includes layoffs, mergers/acquisitions, management changes, new product announcements, bankruptcy, and organizational crises. It is essential to inform employees of news promptly, truthfully, and transparently.
Quarterly and yearly goals, initiatives, and achievements: Give employees access to company sales data, upcoming and ongoing goals or initiatives, and details on the company’s future direction.
One-on-one meetings: All team members should have the opportunity to meet with their supervisor to discuss expectations, current projects, and concerns or questions on either end. This meeting should be separate from any performance evaluations to foster maximum openness.
Praise and recognition: Employees want their hard work to be recognized, so make sure your management team finds ways to praise the significant accomplishments of teams or individuals. Whether it’s a personal email, an in-person handshake, or an announcement on the company intranet, don’t let employee achievement go unnoticed.
New hires and promotions: Keep employees in the loop by announcing new hires and promotions to the company or branch. This will help new employees feel welcome and further the recognition of promoted individuals.
Health plans: Health care is the benefit most highly valued by employees, but they must understand what the group health plan offers them. Create an effective communication strategy to ensure your staff is happy and healthy.
Getting information out to employees is essential, but hearing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas is important too. Your employees can provide some excellent feedback for future changes or improvements.
Communicating effectively helps to better your employee experience. Improving employee communication helps to set the tone and create a safe space for your workers. From talking about issues they face to offering them inclusive group health plans, using this communication plan will help improve your business.
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