Developing an Internal Communication Platform for Your Business
Communication is one of the most important components of running a successful business, in fact, studies show 85% of employees feel most motivated when they get regular updates on company news.
Importance of Having Your Own Communication Platform as Your Business Grows
As your business grows, communicating effectively with your entire team can become increasingly difficult. That’s why it’s imperative you develop an internal communication platform. These platforms will allow you to message employees collectively or individually and manage schedules among other things all tailored to your specific needs. In order to get the most effective communication with your employees, it’s important to develop your own internal communication platform rather than using a service. Before you get started on the development, here are some things to think about:
- Your company needs: Every company is different and because you’re customizing your platform you can tailor it to perfectly meet the needs of your employees.
- How: Think about how your platform will be used. Can employees access it from home? Desktop only? A mobile option? Can they communicate directly with you? With their team? With colleagues in other departments?
- Wants: Before you get started, it’s important to survey your employees. See what they’re looking for in a communication platform and how it will best serve them. Ask them about the biggest communication challenges they face at work, where do they hope to see improvements, and why. It’s also a good idea to test the product with some employees before you roll it out completely
Benefits of an Internal Communication Platform
As more workers transition to remote work, having an internal communications platform is more important than ever. Workers need a reliable method to communicate that they know is secure and where they will get timely responses and be able to facilitate brainstorming and conversation.
Productivity: First of all, it’s known that when employees feel seen and have effective methods to voice their concerns, they are more productive. An internal communications platform is a perfect conduit for that kind of communication. The less time your staff has to spend on logistics and figuring out how to communicate, the more time they will have to devote to their tasks.
Streamline: Keeping with the theme of productivity, when communication is streamlined onto one app or webpage, employees don’t have to spend unnecessary time switching tabs or apps to communicate. The communication is done effectively and they are free to move on.
“No Such Thing as a Stupid Question”: There’s something about being behind a keyboard that makes people more confident. With the use of an internal communications platform, employees will feel more confident to ask questions they may be fearful of asking in person.
Company Culture: The more employees have a streamlined place to communicate, ask, and answer questions, the more open and friendly the environment will become. Employees will feel more at ease sharing ideas and getting to know their colleagues.
Introducing the Platform
Once you have worked with the developer and created the platform, it’s time to introduce it to your employees. This can take place as a video, a slideshow of screenshots. Then, employees should create their profiles and log in. During the training, be sure to give employees ample time to play around and navigate the features of the new site. Allow time for questions as well.
The Feed
Perhaps the most important part of the internal communication platform is the front page feed. This is where you will publish newsletters, announcements, achievements, updates, and anything else you wish to share with employees.
Chat
Another important component of the internal communications platform is the chat feature. This is, of course, how employees can instantly communicate with their peers and bosses. The chat should be divided into 1:1 direct messaging and group chats so that brainstorming and teamwork can easily be facilitated remotely.
Planning
Another important tool on the platform is planning. You can display an event calendar so employees don’t miss out on corporate picnics or important deadlines for signing up for health insurance or even an employee’s birthday. Meeting management software is also key, this enables the employees to easily organize and schedule meetings.
These features are just a few available on internal communication platforms that will change the communication culture at your company. As you read, the platforms are expansive and can help with so much more than just chatting. After the development and introduction of the service, you will notice a positive change in company communication and culture.
