Communications are key to managing your business challenges
Is your organization in the process of integrating companies or business units? Coalescing a new leadership team? Embracing a new strategy? Experiencing organic growth rapidly enough to require operational expansion? Regardless of why your organization might be on a new or different growth trajectory, leaders should be completely prepared to explicitly address the what, why and when to help all stakeholders—starting with employees—best understand and navigate the how. Yet, does your organization have the right tools in place to accomplish this?
The internal communications function is critical for connecting everyone effectively, ensuring business continuity and fostering a positive culture. A proactive internal communications strategy provides a solid springboard to delivering the right messages with a lasting and positive impact, especially as a result of growth or change. However, formulating and evolving the right strategy initially requires applying specific building blocks, such as employee listening, the use of behavioral science, data and a precise, enduring narrative. Let’s take a closer look.
Conduct stakeholder listening
Soliciting real-time engagement and insights from employees gives them the opportunity to constructively and proactively shape their work experiences. In fact, research shows employees who feel they are heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to contribute to their work and perform their best. Our own proprietary Business of Motivation research report indicates that less than half of employees are fully engaged in their work and an estimated $8.1 trillion is lost globally in business because of a lack of motivation. Whether company leaders “walk the halls,” convene periodic meetings (either pop-up or scheduled), solicit insights more formally through focus groups or surveys or invite employees to join a listening task force, obtaining such perspectives are key during a time of growth and change. In obtaining these voices, companies need to reflect the diversity of society to broaden the perspectives of decision-making and organizational change.
Deploying behavioral science
Behavioral science uses tried and tested methodologies to reveal how people think, feel and behave to better understand how to shape and predict their actions. It enhances communications strategies and content by unlocking how messages resonate with audiences, even when addressing and helping to course-correct barriers along the way. Leveraging data can help communicators tailor messages to employees’ mindset and readiness, while working to deliver lasting and favorable experiences aligned with the organization’s desired pathway to growth.
Building a narrative
A narrative conveys a clear and compelling vision and strategy for an organization—like a blueprint for refining communications—honing in and specifically dissecting the why. This enables employees and other stakeholders to not only align efforts but get clarity on its impact to the bigger picture. A narrative does not need be shaped from the top down, but rather reimagined based on insights and input from stakeholders to ensure their perspectives are considered. This approach better equips leaders to tell powerful and inspiring stories conveyed with clarity, transparency and accuracy, resulting in a surround-sound effect across communications channels.
Engaging employees along your new growth trajectory
A strong communications strategy is born out of employee listening and behavioral science, providing the roadmap for keeping employees happy, productive and inclined to work toward their greatest potential. The more engaged employees are during this period of growth or change for your company, the more connected they feel to their organization, colleagues and day-to-day work—and invested in future growth for all.
Is your organization experiencing growth? Looking for structured communications plan to help you get a head start? Connect with Forty1.
Richelle Feigin is Managing Director at Forty1 North America, part of Inizio Engage XD.
