Communicating with employees is often seen as a rigid process. For example, someone has an urgent issue they want to talk and engages the services of the communications department. An article is usually written or some matters are prepared and then carried out to the employees. This type of method does not allow for any type of plan to be developed to warrant that employees are arranging the right key messages at the right time. Below are five tips that can help businesses form the right communications strategy:
- Start by evaluating what needs to be communicated. Don’t begin by demanding that an article or poster be written or designed. Instead, focus on cultivating the exact key messages/actions that you want employees to internalise.
- Discuss the most suitable communications medium to broadcast the information. Should the notice be posted on the intranet, given at a town hall meeting, or sent via email? Does your business use blogs or dialogue boards for content? Would a video work properly or perhaps modelling a toolkit? All of these choices and many more should be examined.
- Set up a schedule for when deliverables will be released. Will the letters conflict with any other message that is being published? Don’t just conclude that the message will be communicated as soon as possible. Could the announcement be coupled with any other information? Create an editorial schedule to determine the best time for communication.
- Include time for alterations. Make sure the key stakeholders have the required time and input to assess the communications materials. It’s better to take the time to craft a good message than to rush a bad communications deliverable.
- How will you estimate the effectiveness of your key messages? Too many notes plans lack the component of assessment. Will a questionnaire be sent, will web pages be controlled, or will interviews be conducted? Make sure there’s a plan in place to judge the success of the interactions plan.
