I recently spoke to attendees of the annual it@cork TechFest on the power of collective communications. I have put together this blog to outline some of the key points. 

The business benefits of integrating internal and external communications

Aligning your internal and external communications has far reaching results, including a more positive culture, increased levels of trust and employee advocacy, as well as more effective change management. 

A communications strategy that brings together an organisation’s best thinking, both internal and external, can build brand equity and relationships, whilst also creating new opportunities that align with the overall business strategy. 

The new world of work 

As we face the new future of work there are challenges all organisations regardless of size, sector or location are going to face; purely transactional relationships, content silos, time constraints and invisible team members. Therefore, there is going to be an increased onus on organisations to really foster new ways of working that put communications at its core. We need to facilitate two way conversations, always being the source of truth for employees and have an “employee hears it first” mindset. 

This thinking is clearly supported by the results of our national survey conducted with Irish employees.  77% of Irish workers say their company’s internal communications need to be improved and 4/5 survey respondents went on to say that they don’t feel heard or have an opportunity to provide feedback within their organisation. For the full report, download our survey.

Driving effective internal communication 

So how do you improve your internal communications? We have developed a framework to guide our clients through this process. As with everything here at Springboard, we start with the business strategy and understand how our initial communications can help achieve those goals. We then recommend an audit to find out which activities and channels are working well, what employees are responding to, and what they would like to see more of. Find out more on why conducting an audit is key for effective internal communications. From these insights we work with you to develop a strategy and an action plan that will keep your employees informed, engaged and inspired. To find out more about our internal communications process click here.  

Championing internal experts 

We know that employee content generates eight times more engagement than content shared by brands (Social Media Today). Therefore, the above process is vital to identify your comms champions – employees with an affinity for creating and posting content or internal ‘Thought Leaders’, those with expertise on specific topics of interest to your audiences. As with all ways of working a clear policy around employee generated content and an approval process are important foundations but need to be simple enough that they don’t hamper creativity. 

Also, not all employees may be comfortable in this space, this is where our Employee Playbook comes in. By providing guidance and tips on content creation you will give employees the confidence and tools to build from. For more, read our case study on our work with Laya Healthcare.  

Building your reputation through thought leadership 

As you have tapped into the talent, experience and passion inside your organisation you can now leverage this network of experts externally to build trust, enhance your reputation and ultimately achieve business growth. We will guide you through the thought leadership development process to ensure successful amplification externally.  ​Ultimately building understanding, engagement and impacting the bottom line of your organisation. 

To find out more about how we can advise your organisation on both internal and external communications, please contact me on susie@springboardcommunications.ie or explore our range of services.