Good employee communications lead to a more positive employee experience. Although there may be a single department that handles your organizational communications, everyone in the C-suite and management is also responsible for providing transparency, direction and motivation. Here are 12 employee communications tips to help at every level:
1. Be honest, transparent and accessible.
Always tell the truth. Share your mission and values, and be available to all employees.
2. Do what you say you’re going to do.
Build trust by walking your talk. Every broken promise undermines employee trust.
3. Know who you’re communicating with.
Understand the preferences and interests of your employees. If you don’t know, ask.
4. Provide context.
Give your audience the who, what, where, when, why and how behind communications.
5. Message to many channels.
Reinforce your message across multiple mediums, and let employees choose how to interact.
6. Be consistent and systematic.
Have a plan. Create a calendar. Communicate regularly to keep employees engaged.
7. Beware of burnout.
Don’t overload your audience with too much at a time. Don’t overpublish and don’t go silent.
8. Keep it short and sweet.
Use good writing and design practices. Avoid jargon. Be clear and concise in your language.
9. Attract and engage.
Use hooks, narratives and visuals. Get your message across in less than 10 seconds.
10. Get feedback.
Check understanding and satisfaction with feedback systems like surveys. Reward feedback.
11. Measure success.
Set goals. Measure reach and engagement with calls to action that provide actionable data.
12. Stay flexible.
Be ready to adapt your plans and messaging to any disruptions or opportunities that arise.
Whether or not you’re using digital signage for your communications, these employee communication tips can help you build a long-lasting framework for a better employee experience at every level.
