How can the HR team improve internal communication?
How can the HR team improve internal communication?
Declan Mulkeen Marketing Director of Communicaid, the culture and communication skills consultancy, since 2000 and has been the driving force behind the offshore division and the development of new learning technologies. He has an honors degree in Applied Sciences and a postgraduate diploma in Marketing Management. E-mail: cathy.wellings@communicaid.com
Effective communication, both internally and externally, is essential for any organization wishing to excel in today’s internationally competitive business environment. No longer comprised of people from just one culture,organizations are increasingly made up of employees from a myriad cultures. In this multi-cultural environment, good communication is increasingly important but also a greater challenge due to the linguistic and cultural differences that exist. Successfully communicating across the organization is contingent upon the need to know what you want to say, how to say it and who you are saying it to.
Set clear objectives
Before you create any kind of communication, whether it is an e-mail announcing a new employee, a presentation about learning and development or an internal memo to introduce new policies, it is important to have clear objectives in mind. Knowing what you want to say before you start to write will allow you to present your ideas in a clear and comprehensive manner and will ensure that you include all the necessary information.
In order to get your message across effectively and keep your reader’s attention, the information you present must also be correct and concise. While most people rely on spell check and grammar correcting software, these do not guarantee that communication is free from any grammatical or punctuation errors. Writing incorrectly will leave your reader with a poor perception of your expertise and will reduce your overall credibility. It can also lead to mistakes and misunderstandings that can have serious consequences in an HR context.
Using the right language is equally important and will help ensure that your message is conveyed in a concise manner. Avoiding jargon, using plain English and writing with impact will help ensure that all of your readers, irrespective of their background, will understand what you are trying to say. This is particularly important when implementing new policies or change across the organization.
Know your audience
How you convey your message will also have a big influence on the way it is perceived. Choosing the right method of communication, whether via e-mail,podcast or face-to-face meetings, is vital to ensuring that your message is properly received. The method you choose will also influence the tone in which it is delivered, so knowing how you want to come across, whether formal or informal, is another important consideration. An open and positive tone will help to create trust and reliability between HR and the rest of the organization.
Equally important is knowing who your audience is as this will influence not only how you should deliver your message but also how it will then be perceived,particularly by people of different cultural backgrounds who each have their own set of communication styles. Someone from the USA, for instance, would likely expect communication to be open, to the point and colorful, while an individual from France would be used to a more indirect, pragmatic and serious style.
The use of humor, level of directness and number of facts, statistics or visual effects varies depending on the culture. When composing a message to a large audience, it is important to consider these elements so that your communication is not misperceived or misunderstood. If presenting to an international group, you should also consider what kind of body language you use and what they will expect of you as the presenter. An awareness of your audience will help you tailor your message to their needs and expectations so that you convey it in the most appropriate and effective way. Knowing who you are addressing will also help you speak to their level and build a more positive and constructive relationship with them.
Empower employees
By producing clear, complete, concise and correct communications, the HR team will increase its credibility and be in a better position to improve internal exchanges across the organization. Good communication empowers your employees,increases organizational efficiency and improves relations between departments. By taking the necessary steps to ensure the effectiveness of internal communication, HR will be more pro-active, receptive and well received by members across the organization.
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