Creating a Winning Internal Communication Plan 🗣️📈

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Communication is inevitable. Whether we’re talking, staying silent, gesturing, or showing facial expressions, even our absence says something.

So, everything we do (and don't do) is a form of communication. But what's the best way to communicate? And how do you ensure it’s effective within your company?

The key is a well-crafted internal communication plan.

In this piece, we'll break down what internal communication is and share strategies to help you create the ultimate internal communication plan.

Let’s dive in.

🗣️ What is Internal Communication?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of planning, let’s take a moment to understand what internal communication actually means and why it’s crucial for your company’s success.

Internal communication is all about sharing information and ideas within an organization through various channels and platforms. It connects employees at all levels, whether through official channels or casual water cooler chats.

The main goal? Ensuring everyone is in the loop, engaged, and aligned with the company’s mission and goals.

📋 Types of Internal Communication

You can categorize internal communication based on its purpose (informational, cultural, transactional) or its direction. The latter might be more familiar to most people.

For example:

• ⬇️ Top-Down Communication: Information flows from management to employees, like announcements, directives, and policy changes.
• ⬆️ Bottom-Up Communication: Employees provide feedback to management.
• ↔️ Horizontal Communication: Peer-to-peer communication across departments or teams.
• 📝 Formal Communication: Structured channels like meetings, reports, and official emails.
• 💬 Informal Communication: Unofficial interactions that can significantly impact company culture.

🗺️ What is an Internal Communications Plan?

An internal communications plan is your strategic roadmap for connecting with your employees. It details key messages, channels, timing, and methods for measuring effectiveness.

This plan is essential for keeping everyone informed, engaged, and aligned with your goals.

🤔 Why Have an Internal Communication Plan?

You might wonder why you need a formal internal communication plan. Since it’s impossible not to communicate, why not let it happen naturally?

Considering the various types and methods of communication, especially in larger companies or those looking to grow, having a well-thought-out communication plan is crucial. For example, onboarding new HR employees is much smoother and more efficient if there’s a clear understanding of what needs to be communicated, how it should be communicated, and the appropriate tone.

Additional benefits of a strategic internal communications plan include:

• 🎯 Alignment and Focus: Keeps everyone moving in the same direction, ensuring communication efforts support overall business goals.
• ⚙️ Efficiency: Saves time and resources by avoiding redundancies and miscommunications.
• 📈 Employee Engagement: Keeps employees informed, connected, and motivated.
• 🛡️ Crisis Management: Helps manage information flow and maintain employee trust during times of change or crisis.
• 🌟 Reputation Management: Consistent and positive messaging shapes your company’s internal and external reputation.

Clearly, an internal communication plan is an investment in your company’s success. It helps you build a strong, engaged workforce and achieve your business objectives.

💡 Challenges of Internal Communications

Everyday problems in corporate communication highlight the need for a well-structured internal communication plan. Issues like language barriers, cultural differences, and outdated technology are common.

Information overload is also a frequent issue. Good intentions don’t always lead to good outcomes. Constantly updating your company intranet with news can overwhelm employees.

That’s why a strategic approach is key!

📚 7 Steps to Create an Internal Communication Plan

Here are seven steps to guide you through the process:

1️⃣ Step: Conduct an Internal Communication Audit

Before crafting your plan, evaluate your current communication practices to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, and analyzing communication metrics (e.g., email open rates, intranet engagement).

Questions to consider:

• How do employees currently receive information?
• What communication channels are most effective

• Where are the gaps or redundancies in communication?

2️⃣ Step: Define Your Communication Objectives

Set clear, measurable goals for your internal communication strategy. Use the SMART framework:

• Specific: Clearly defined and focused.
• Measurable: Quantifiable with specific metrics.
• Achievable: Realistic and attainable within given resources.
• Relevant: Aligned with overall goals and objectives.
• Time-bound: Set with a specific deadline.

Example Objectives:

• Non-SMART goal: Improve employee communication.
• SMART goal: Increase employee engagement scores by 20% over the next year. Ensure 95% of employees read the monthly newsletter. Improve response rates to internal surveys by 30%.

3️⃣ Step: Identify Your Target Audience

Segmenting your internal audience is crucial for delivering the right messages to the right people. Different departments and roles within your organization have unique communication needs and preferences.

Think about your company’s various departments. For example, the communication needs of your engineering team might differ from those of your sales team. Engineers may prefer detailed, technical updates via email, while the sales team might benefit from dynamic presentations and quick updates through instant messaging apps.

Considerations:

• What are the communication needs of different departments?
• How do communication preferences vary among employees?
• Who needs to be informed about what, and when?

Here’s a sample layout for identifying your company’s target audience:

4️⃣ Step: Develop Your Content Strategy

Ever find yourself in a management meeting, endlessly debating whether to share information, who should deliver the news, and how it should be communicated?

Let’s save you from those heated discussions. Establishing a clear content strategy for internal communication is the way to go. Here’s how you can structure it using the 5 Ws and an H:

• Why: Why is this decision being made? Why now? Why should your employees care?
• What: What’s exactly going on? What’s in it for the employees?
• When: When did it happen? When will it happen? Communicate the concrete timelines.
• Where: Where will this decision have an impact? Where can employees find more information?
• How: How was the decision made? How will it be implemented? How will it impact employees?
• Who: Who made the decision? Who’s in charge? Who can employees approach if they have questions?

Further communication tips:

• Get straight to the point: When sharing news, provide the essential info upfront.
• Be transparent: Honesty is key. If things aren’t going well, share the facts and your plan to fix them.
• Keep it simple: Avoid jargon that can confuse people. Use clear, straightforward language.
• Include a call to action: Encourage employees to engage with the content, whether it’s giving feedback, attending a meeting, or simply acknowledging the info.
• Follow up: After sending a message, check to make sure it was received and understood. This could be a quick survey or a brief team discussion.

5️⃣ Step: Select Your Communication Channels

Imagine this: a delivery person hands you a beautiful bouquet. Hidden inside is a letter, which turns out to be a termination notice from your landlord.

It might sound dramatic, but it highlights the importance of choosing the right communication channel. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. The message should fit the platform and audience.

Here are some options and when to use them:

• Email

  • Best For: Formal and detailed messages.
  • Use When: You need to share comprehensive information, official documents, or updates that employees can refer to later.
  • Tips: Keep emails concise yet thorough. Use bullet points and headers for easy reading. Ensure the subject line clearly reflects the content.

• Intranet

  • Best For: Company-wide announcements and resources.
  • Use When: You want to make information accessible to all employees, like policy updates, company news, and important resources.
  • Tips: Keep the intranet organized and easy to navigate.

• Meetings

  • Best For: Interactive discussions and immediate feedback.
  • Use When: You need to tackle complex issues, brainstorm, or provide a forum for employees to ask questions and give input.
  • Tips: Prepare an agenda to stay on track. Encourage everyone to participate.

Other channels, like social media, printed materials, or instant messaging, might not be right for every company. To choose the best option, consider these questions:

• What type of message is it? Formal or informal?
• Who needs to receive this message?
• What are their communication preferences?
• Are they working remotely or in the office?
• What’s the main goal of this communication?
• Do you need feedback or interaction from the recipients?
• What tools and platforms do we have available?
• Do employees know how to use these tools effectively?
• Is this a one-time communication or part of a regular update?

A perfect communication channel for most companies is the knowledge sharing platform Confluence. Spiced up with the social intranet solution Mantra, you have everything you need for any kind of communication method united in one single source of truth.

6️⃣ Step: Create a Communications Calendar

As your company grows, having a communication plan becomes even more essential. Whether you're sharing updates about sick days, vacations, or welcoming new team members, it's crucial for everyone to know when and how to share information. A clear internal communication strategy ensures everyone stays on the same page.

Here’s a sample template for a communications calendar:

Feel free to adapt it to suit your specific needs. Remember, effective internal communication relies on timely updates and a well-thought-out strategy to prevent information overload.

7️⃣ Step: Evaluate and Improve

Developing an internal communication plan is an ongoing process. To ensure your strategies stay relevant and impactful, you must consistently evaluate and refine them. Begin by establishing clear metrics to track your progress.

Key Metrics to Track:

• Email open and click rates
• Intranet activity (e.g., page visits, comments, likes)
• Meeting and town hall attendance
• Survey feedback and participation
• Social media engagement

A continuous improvement cycle for an internal communications strategy could look like this:

• Gather Insights: Conduct regular surveys to understand employee perspectives on current communication channels.
• Analyze Data: Examine email open rates and intranet usage statistics.
• Identify Opportunities: Recognize areas where communication can be enhanced, such as shifting from lengthy emails to video updates.
• Implement Changes: Make adjustments based on findings.
• Monitor Results: Track the effectiveness of new approaches

Creating a well-structured internal communication plan is crucial for organizational success. Communication is inevitable, so make it intentional, clear, and aligned with your business objectives. By following these seven steps, you can build a robust plan that keeps employees informed, engaged, and motivated.

🌟 The Right Communication Makes a Difference

Effective communication is essential. Our internal communication plan makes it achievable.

The right communication channels can be a game-changer.

Platforms like Confluence and Mantra can streamline your process, ensuring everyone is informed, aligned, and driven towards shared goals.

Unlock the potential of unified communication with Mantra and witness the transformative impact of a well-executed communication strategy.