According to studies by Gallup, 74 percent of employees feel like they’re missing important company information and news. Similar research shows that less than half of employees can describe what their company does.
Internal communication tools are critical to overcoming these roadblocks in your company. Let’s look at 5 of the best tools for internal communication.
- Company Newsletter
A company newsletter is a good way to share news and information that affects everyone in your company. This could be a printed newsletter or it could be distributed electronically, either through your company’s intranet or via email.
You can publish a newsletter on whatever schedule makes sense for your business – weekly, monthly, or quarterly. You could even go with a random schedule, publishing a new issue when there’s enough information to justify it.
Email is one of the oldest internet technologies that are still in wide use but there’s a reason for that — it works.
Dealing with too much email can be overwhelming sometimes but even so, it’s a good way to communicate quickly. One of the advantages of email over some other messaging technologies is that it’s asynchronous.
In other words, the recipient isn’t expected to reply immediately. They can respond to the message when the time is right.
If you’re worried about email being too plain-looking, take a look at these free memo templates that will add some flair.
- Chat and Collaboration Software
Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams go a step beyond email into full-blown collaboration tools. They still let you communicate back and forth with someone, similar to email, but you can also share files, collaborate on documents, and set up voice calls and video chats.
These tools are perfect for bringing people together when they’re working remotely. They can simulate a lot of what you can do if you were all sitting around a conference table in the office.
- Digital Signage
If most of your employees are working in the office, digital signage can be a good way to communicate important information. These screens can be placed in high-traffic areas where as many people as possible will see them.
- Video Conferencing
The COVID pandemic created a lot more remote working environments than we had before. While there are lots of benefits to working remotely, it makes it harder to meet with your coworkers to discuss projects.
Video conferencing tools like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams let you see people face-to-face without being in the same place physically. All you need is a webcam and microphone to get connected to the rest of your team.
Make the Most of Your Internal Communication Tools
Your internal communication tools are a critical part of keeping your employees in the loop and feeling like they’re part of the larger team. And if they’re working remotely, it’s even more critical. Don’t overlook these important tools.
Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful posts about running a successful business.