Internal communications can look very different across different companies. However, even though internal communications strategies can vary greatly, the purpose remains the same no matter where you go.
The department in charge of internal communications is largely responsible for ensuring that every piece of content is exactly what it needs to be in order to achieve success in the workplace. However, this is a fairly general description, so here is a look at some of these specifics regarding the role of an internal communications department.
See More: 6 Questions to Ask Your Communications Contributors
Establish an Efficient Chain for Internal Communication
Organizations have to balance a wide variety of resources and costs, such as time spent and budgets allocated. Sometimes they even have to expend a significant but under-appreciated resource: the time or morale of their employees. That is why everything that a company does should be done with speed and efficiency.
Timeliness is especially relevant for internal communications. When a situation or subject matter arises within the workplace that needs to be addressed, the official response of the company needs to come out hours, not days later. In order to do this, a piece of internal communications needs to be created and then approved within a very short time frame.
This is where the internal communications department comes in handy. They should be able to develop a short chain of command that covers every step of the way, from creation to publication, meaning that every piece of internal communications is released to the employees as soon as possible.
Develop Reliable Channels for Communication
Despite the quality of the content, at the end of the day, any form of internal communication is only as good as the method used to deliver it. Utilizing the wrong channel could mean that only a small portion of employees actually reads it, putting your hard work to waste.
If the internal communications department is doing their job properly, then they should have developed a set of reliable channels for internal communication to be distributed through, such as an employee app or digital newsletter. It is also their responsibility to figure out what these various channels are best suited for and what kinds of communication should be delivered through each one.
Provide Frontline Employees With the Tools for Success
Frontline employees are essentially the face of the company for customers. Therefore, they need to be armed with the latest information and training in order to ensure that customers have the best experience.
This is the job of the internal communications department since they should be responsible for creating and distributing various training materials and latest industry news to all employees. In order to do this in the most efficient manner possible, most internal communications departments should be turning towards something like an internal messaging app for the frontline employees.
While these are the main roles of an internal communications department, they are by no means the only roles that they serve. To better understand and improve your internal communications department, contact us today.
