In a previous post, the focus was on improving communications with customers. However, customers are not the only group having problems focusing. Great demands for attention are also being placed on your employees. Often, these demands can cause your messages to be overlooked by some, and as a result, your staff members can wind up inadvertently working against each other. The following tips can help you improve your internal communications.
- Use the telephone whenever it seems best. Modern technology has made it easy to communicate through emails, voice mails and texts. However, there are times when the best form of communication requires you to have a two-way phone conversation. Perhaps you need to discuss a sensitive matter, or you feel that the employee could benefit from additional guidance.
- When sending emails, be sure to use the subject line effectively. Your employees probably receive several dozen emails every day. Make it easy for them to recognize important messages requiring their immediate attention. Place words such as “Urgent,” “Handle immediately” or “Crisis” in the subject line to grab their attention. For routine matters, choose subject lines that reflect priority accordingly, such as “Need by next Friday” or “Before the next staff meeting.” Employees can prioritize emails by subject line, reading the most critical ones first if their time is limited on a particular day.
- Give employees regular feedback. This is especially important for new or young employees. All employees perform better when you provide clear expectations and keep them informed about what is happening with the business. However, younger employees in particular enjoy feedback from their supervisors or managers. New employees may be a bit insecure or still trying to adapt to their duties and the company culture.
- Facilitate collaborative efforts. A project management platform that doubles as a social collaboration platform makes it easy for employees to share work and track progress. Each team member has access to documentation and data needed for the project as well as a platform for communicating with their teammates.
- Give employees an online forum for communicating with each other. A company social forum lets them share information, such as advice from a seasoned veteran or job vacancy announcements. Employees can post requests for advice or feedback, often gaining the benefit of experience provided by another employee working thousands of miles away.
If you need additional help with your internal communications, the team at PhaseAlpha has the experience and skills you need. We would be happy to discuss your specific requirements. You can send us an email (info@phasealpha.com) or call us at 913-648-9200. We look forward to helping you solve all of your technology issues.