The Key to Success: Why Internal Communications is Critical for Employee Experience
By Jaime McMahon, CDO — LineZero
Effective internal communication is essential for creating a positive employee experience. When employees feel connected, engaged, and supported by their organization, they are more likely to be productive, motivated, and committed to the success of the business. On the other hand, a lack of effective communication can lead to confusion, frustration, and disengagement among employees, which ultimately harms the bottom line.
In today’s fast-paced and rapidly changing business environment, it is more important than ever for organizations to prioritize internal communication as a critical component of their employee experience strategy.
Employee engagement
Internal communication can foster a sense of belonging and engagement, which in turn creates a sense of ownership toward the company. One study from the Workforce Institute at UKG found that “Employees with very high senses of belonging (95%) and engagement (92%) are significantly more likely to feel heard than those with very low belonging (25%) or engagement (30%). This has a remarkable impact on the bottom line: Organizations are much more likely to perform well financially (88%) when their employees feel heard, engaged, and [have] a sense of belonging.”
By fostering and implementing strategies to promote effective internal communication, employees can be more informed and involved in organizational decisions. Helping employees understand the ins and outs will allow them to make more informed decisions for their personal tasks, and perform better as a result. Not only that, but by letting employees in on the major decisions, employees will then talk about them with others, thereby creating a sense of community.
Building a community helps stave off a sense of isolation, which is one of the biggest reasons why employees feel burnout, quit, or are generally dissatisfied at work. This sense of community can be created through regular communication and engagement initiatives, such as company-wide meetings, team-building exercises, and social events. Such activities help break down barriers between employees and create a sense of shared purpose and belonging.
Having open communication also helps create a culture of transparency and openness, which can foster trust and a sense of engagement among employees. When employees feel they can trust their superiors and that they have access to accurate and timely information, they are more likely to feel engaged and invested in the success of the organization.
Workplace culture
Effective communication creates an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their opinions and ideas, which helps promote a positive workplace culture where employees feel valued and respected. Effective internal communication can help ensure that employees are aligned with the organization’s goals and values.
According to several studies conducted by Harvard Business Review, creating a sense of purpose helps foster a positive workplace culture because it “explains how the people involved with an organization are making a difference, gives them a sense of meaning, and draws their support.” It’s not about economic gains and exchanges — it’s about being clear with employees about what the overall objectives are and how each of them helps meet those objectives.
For example, if you’re a marketing or PR company, one of the goals can be client retention. The BDR team needs to ensure that clients feel heard, get what they pay for, and have positive feelings toward the company. Likewise, marketing specialists or publicists need to ensure that they’re not bombarding their clients with too much information, and understand how they work best; the writers need to turn in well-written work in the voice of the client with a deep understanding of their industry; and so on. Although the ultimate goal is to make more money, by phrasing it as “client retention,” it becomes more obvious what each team and individual needs to do to meet that goal.
Collaboration and teamwork
Effective internal communication can help ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals, providing a common understanding of organizational objectives and priorities. This fosters collaboration and teamwork, as employees are better able to work together towards achieving shared goals. Internal communication can help break down silos within an organization and therefore break down barriers between departments, enabling employees to work together more effectively and share knowledge and ideas.
Interestingly, according to 86 percent of company leaders, the primary cause of workplace failures is a lack of collaboration. Companies that promote increased collaboration and communication notice a decreased employee turnover rate by 50 percent. In this same survey, employees stated that they prefer a collaborative workplace culture, rather than one where they feel isolated and are largely left alone to do their job.
Moreover, collaboration tools have made it easier for employees to stay connected with their colleagues and managers, regardless of their physical location. By enabling employees to communicate and collaborate in real-time, collaboration tools help foster a sense of community and belonging — even among remote workers — by making it easier for employees to work together on projects and tasks, share ideas, ignite creativity, and more.
Collaboration helps create an environment primed for innovation and creativity. By promoting a culture of open communication and encouraging employees to share their ideas and suggestions, internal communication can help foster innovation and creativity.
It’s important to note that employee engagement is not to be confused with the employee experience. Employee engagement refers to the level of commitment, motivation, and emotional investment that employees have in their work and their organization. In comparison, the employee experience is a broader concept that encompasses all of the interactions that an employee has with their organization, from the initial hiring process to the exit interview. This is why it’s important to create an effective internal communication strategy that considers the entire employee journey at your organization, including employee engagement, creating a positive workplace culture, and instilling a sense of collaboration and teamwork.
The great thing about today is that creating an effective internal communication strategy to create a positive employee experience is easier because of technology. Advances in technology have made it easier than ever for organizations to communicate with their employees. Essentially, effective internal communication is not just a nice-to-have for organizations, but a must-have for creating a thriving employee experience that can ultimately lead to greater business success.
Jaime McMahon is the Chief Digital Officer at LineZero, a technology company focused on enabling organizations to unlock their digital potential. With extensive experience in the technology industry, Jaime has worked with businesses of all sizes to drive growth through digital transformation. Jaime is a highly sought-after speaker on a range of technology solutions and has delivered talks hosted by industry leaders such as Microsoft, Facebook, and VMware throughout North America. His passion for democratizing technology and shifting the perception of its role in business from a cost-centric focus to a strategic enabler of positive outcomes is evident in his work. As Chief Digital Officer at LineZero, Jaime is dedicated to leveraging technology to help businesses achieve their goals and optimize their operations. His expertise and leadership have positioned LineZero as a trusted partner for organizations seeking to drive innovation and growth through digital transformation. With his deep understanding of the technology landscape, Jaime is committed to providing tailored solutions that empower businesses to thrive in today’s digital age.