Effective internal communication can improve productivity by 35% — that's a finding of a McKinsey study. Internal communication plays a crucial role in keeping employees receptive to critical messages relating to strategy and organisational culture. And with the workforce demographics having changed considerably in recent decades, communicators have to also change tack while connecting with employees. They have to bear in mind that a significant section of the "target audience" had been weaned on Nintendo and X-Box making for intriguing psychographics.
Every organisation has an agenda to communicate. However, all of what is offered is not easily digested. Communication is effective when those it is targeted at are not aware of it.
Internal communication should be something employees look forward to. So, let it celebrate their successes. Not just the message, but the medium matters too, especially in this age of the millennials.
● The newsletter is passé. Modern-day intranets offer a quick ‘window-to-the-world-with-a-flavor-of-the-organisations’ platform, and this right up millennial street.
●Two-way communication ensures a win-win for both parties involved. Though this statement may sound implausible, ‘contentious’ and ‘controversial’ are good even if they spark a wildfire.
● Make it as good as instant coffee. Millennials are bombarded with click-bait 24/7, which makes them ultra-savvy. In their world, viral is the name of the game and global fame can come to that 20-something sitting near the coffee machine, with an air of insouciance.
Employees influence the outcome of any business or organisation. Yet, talking to them doesn’t have to be a serious affair: You’re likely to see better results if you keep it funky and friendly and follow some of these tips:
● Find your voice: There is no mileage to be derived from an alien syntax. If you are an ice-cream manufacturer, sound like one. The nuances are many, but for the communicator that hits the right note, there’s music to be had.
● Understand the employee: The Human Resource context prioritises a holistic approach of understanding the mindsets and angst of employees
● Avoid communication overload: every day, millennials are bombarded with messages from those pushing their agenda, so there’s no value sending in more wheel-barrows of messages their way. Keep it short and simple.
● Think CEO-in-jeans: The employees need to hear important messages from the company but ‘authority’ is not hot today. Trade polyester for denim!
Here is the conclusion of the matter.
Millennials think different and favour social media. Listening to them, engaging with them and building a vibrant dialogue are key to boosting morale at the workplace.
(Rajeev Gonsalves is senior director – corporate communications at Omega Healthcare)
