A communication policy is essential within the strategic planning of any organization. Through it, it is possible to establish relationship and dialogue stances with a company’s various stakeholders.
This also applies to internal communication, which must be planned and systematized. Only in this way can we guide all sectors of the business in order to generate good results in daily activities.
If your organization needs an efficient internal communication policy, this content was made for you. Go ahead and follow our step-by-step guide – but remember that these steps must be adapted to your reality!
1. Establish the objectives of the internal communication policy
The internal communication policy must be based on the corporation’s values, which will provide the basis for a systematized set of established stances and guidelines.
The objective should be to guide the relationship of the company or institution with its stakeholders (in this case, we are dealing with the internal audience). Ideally, all employees should know at least the basic directives of the communication policy. Meanwhile, those responsible for the sector, obviously, must deeply understand the processes that will put the actions into practice.
2. Execute monitoring
An efficient communication policy is not free from errors and unsatisfactory effects, simply because that is impossible to achieve. In fact, the essential thing is that it provides for performance monitoring actions in each area of the institution.
This step is important for the control and maintenance of communication planning. Only in this way can we establish priorities and review the strategies employed.
3. Diagnose the organization’s current situation
The internal communication policy must take into account the audience to which the institution addresses itself. It is necessary to gather information such as general employee characteristics and data like job structure and responsibilities, as well as how knowledge is passed on to employees at each hierarchical level.
Through this diagnosis, it is possible to identify the best way to transmit information and announcements to different groups within the company.
Consideration should also be given to the current organizational culture and the desired changes in that structure. This is the stage where employees need to be heard, so that the result reflects the climate of the work environment.
4. Determine communication channels and tools
The internal communication policy must use channels and tools that match the company’s profile. See some alternatives below:
- Intranet: this system allows information to be disseminated to anyone connected to the internet on a computer or mobile device. It is worth noting that it is limited to those who have authorized access to these terminals (in this case, supervisors, managers, leaders).
- Corporate social network: these virtual environments are already part of almost everyone’s daily lives. Leveraging this tool in internal communication can prove to be an interesting strategy for transmitting informative updates and integrating employees.
- Email: despite the popularity of instant messaging applications, it is still a great resource to use. With specific management programs, it is possible to analyze open statistics and segment the contact database.
- Digital newsletter: print media is a reality within many organizations. However, for cost reduction (and also to modernize), internal communication can make use of online newspapers and magazines to engage employees.
- Corporate TV: it works like a digital bulletin board. Its main advantage is reaching the entire audience, from employees in lower positions to managers and directors. Good management of this tool involves, among other factors, choosing what will be displayed: informative updates, memos, and content that catches people’s attention.
5. Put together an action plan
Once the internal communication policy and the means used to circulate information within the company have been established, it is time to move on to the action plan.
The idea is for all employees to know the guidelines of the communication policy, through training, for example. Those responsible for the sector must ensure that the message effectively reaches all areas of the business.
The internal communication policy is the first step to be taken in any organization that intends to achieve success. Dialoguing efficiently with your own employees allows the institution to position itself better in the market. A good public image must start from internal perception to convey excellence and increase business competitiveness.
What did you think of this content? How does your company communicate with employees? Comment below and share your observations with us and other readers!
