"Internal communications is the name we have given to a growing discipline that examines, and adjusts the way in which communication can and should work inside an organisation. It's the process of managing the internal conversation in an organisation. And to do that you need all sorts of skills: organisational development, industrial psychology, leadership communication, change management, new media, old media, etc. The goals of internal communication are to boost employee relationships, build an informational bridge between superiors and subordinates, inform the latter about company goals, plans, changes, visions, etc. Internal communication should encourage feedback from employees of lower rank: staff is kept informed and thus more involved in the company’s activity."Internal communications, also known as employee communications, is imperative in the changing business environment. As companies focus on retaining a contented workforce given changing values and demographics, they have to think strategically about how they communicate with employees through internal communications. A strong internal communications have always generated a more engaged, productive, and loyal workforce, the bursting of the dot-com bubble, the collapse of several of America’s most respected firms, and the proliferation of outsourcing jobs to foreign countries in recent years have further necessitated strong communication channels between management and employees to win employee trust and loyalty.
Corporations are recognizing that employees have more to do with the success of the business than any other constituency. Managers need to recognize that, if they provide information to employees and also listen to them, those employees will be excited about their work, connected to the company’s vision, and able to further the goals of the organization.
The best way to assess the effectiveness of a company’s internal communication is through a “communication audit”. It covers the following subjects:
• Communication Philosophy
• Objectives and Goals
• Organization, Staffing, Compensation
• Existing Communication Programs
• Personal Communications
• Meetings
• Attitudes Toward Existing Communications
• Needs and Expectations
When implementing an internal communication program, it is important for management to take into consideration the importance of up and down communication. Holding meetings with large groups of employees is only one means of ensuring employees have access to senior management. In these face-to-face meetings, employees have the opportunity to ask management questions in an open forum. Additionally, offering employees an online dialogue appeals to those who are not comfortable to stand up and ask questions in a public forum. Online communication is increasingly important in companies. Intranets are an important way to communicate with employees; they provide a fast channel through which companies can reach their employees quickly and broadly. Creating employee-oriented publications means to not only focus on online methods, but also on print communications. Internal branding is important to building morale and creating a workplace where employees are committed to their jobs. Management should try to sell the company to its employees in the same way as it sells its products to customers. Finally, senior management should consider the importance of company grapevine, an informal communications network including everything from private conversations between employees to the latest stories shared in the cafeteria – should be considered as a major communication vehicle - same as official meetings.
Internal Communications in the 21st century is more than the memos, publications, and broadcasts that comprise it; it’s about building a corporate culture and having the potential to drive organizational change.
In Tata Indicom, where I did my internship, we had an informal style of communication inside the organization wherein there was a speedy transfer of information but misinterpretation of communication occured often. We used to communicate with the help of intranet, chat programs and emails mainly. Whereas in Kirloskar, we had a formal style of communication wherein there was a clear chain of command. The transfer of information though it was slow, was rarely misinterpreted. We mainly used Email, letters, notice boards, bulletins, memos etc. to communiate with each other in Kirloskar.
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