Employee communications has a long history of being an underdog in communication circles.
How many people do you know who start off their comms career aiming to be the head of employee communications? For that matter, how many people actually know what they’d be doing if they were in this role?
Few universities offer an employee communications curriculum and there hasn’t been a clear path for future leaders to be drawn into this field where strategy, leadership, culture and talent collide.
Well, the times they are a-changin’.
Shifts in external influences, technology and employee expectations, compounded by a very competitive talent environment, have put a premium on the employee experience.
These catalysts have sparked a radical transformation in the communication landscape and employee communications roles are emerging as the best-kept secret powering some of the most successful companies.
There’s a reason business leaders are upping their investment in employee communications: When done well, they have an outsized impact on business performance. Employees who understand their business’ strategy, are clear on the role they play driving its success and are connected to the culture, are more likely to invest discretionary effort because they feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. It’s no surprise that there’s a strong correlation between communications, employee engagement and business performance.
In just about every organization, employees are your most important audience. If you get it right with them, you get a ripple effect with the other audiences you care about — customers, shareholders, media, key business influencers and potential employees.
So what does it take to win employees’ hearts and minds so they’re inspired to do their best work?
Be sure your employees are the first to know
Trust and personal accountability are built by being treated like an insider, with early access to transparent information about your business strategy and performance. Your team needs to hear news from you first, and the tougher the news, the more important this is. We also need to move as fast as the world around us. Emerging technologies help make this possible, but more than anything this takes a mindset of putting your employees first. Sharing timely context on top-of-mind issues helps cut out distractions and put the focus on moving your business forward.
Make it personal. Nobody wants to hear from The Company, the HR Department, or The Office of the CEO. We’re all people, and our communications need to reflect our humanity. We need to talk like people, share emotional stories, and invest in face-to-face communications to build personal connections.
Ground everything in your culture
Make it personal. Nobody wants to hear from The Company, the HR Department, or The Office of the CEO. We’re all people, and our communications need to reflect our humanity. We need to talk like people, share emotional stories, and invest in face-to-face communications to build personal connections.
Invite employees into the conversation
You’ve hired amazing talent into your company. It’s a missed opportunity not to tap into their ideas to help solve business problems, drive innovation, and build a company they want to be a part of down the road. Be sure to make the time to let them know the impact they’ve had so they see the payoff from participating.
Engage your employees to build your brand
Nobody knows your company better than those who spend their days immersed in your business. The good news is that according to the Edelman Trust Index, employees are also your most trusted and credible influencers. They need three things to be your best storytellers — a strong belief in what you’re doing, access to the inside scoop, and trust to share your company’s story in their own words, on their own terms.
The top companies to work for today use employee communications to build an engaged organization filled with people who understand your business and are inspired to bring their best; companies that thrive in the future will need to do the same to stay competitive. As this shift continues to take hold, employee communicators will be in pivotal leadership roles that shape
To download a full copy of the 2019 Relevance Report, click here.
