Technology And Communication

In a recent online poll conducted by http://www.internalcommunications.co.uk – an internal communication agency based in UK, asked its visitors ‘you’re only allowed one communications channel, what would it be?’ The answer, surprise surprise, was that face-to-face – backed by 52 per cent of respondents. Intranet came in second at 27 per cent, with email in third spot at 12 per cent.  Print channels scored less well – magazines and newsletters were both rated just over 4 per cent each.

Supporting more to the above statement in another finding it was reviled by the Employment Review the sister publication of Personnel Today’s that “Team meetings are the most effective method of communication for keeping employees informed on organisational issues”.

The survey of 71 organisations showed that as well as being cited as the most effective method by 35% of the respondents, it is also by far the most common, used by 85%. The second most popular form of communication was e-mail updates (83%).Team meetings and one-to-ones with line managers were rated as the most effective ways of encouraging a two-way dialogue between staff and employers, despite the rise in the number of employers establishing consultative bodies in the workplace.

Many internal communication teams still need to make the transition from being essentially distribution centers to becoming true facilitators of dialogue inside their organisations. A focus on listening is a critical to making that leap. Engagement is a social process and, likewise, effective communication relies on conversation. It is two-way. It involves talking and listening. As the Best Companies research so clearly demonstrates, it pays to be a good listener.

What we are aiming for, ultimately, is the creation of a ‘conversation culture’ – a workplace that is built on two-way discussion, dialogue and a climate of trust and openness. By creating such an environment we will play our part in the quest for engagement and help unlock the enormous performance improvements it offers.

Much has been written about communications channel preferences over the years, but it’s great to see that face-to-face continues to be viewed as the critical ingredient it is.  I still believe most organisations have a long way to go to make face-to-face as effective as it can be, but these findings are nevertheless welcome news.   To become a listening organization a strong face-to-face programme has to be at the heart of your communication strategy. That means developing line managers who are capable of facilitating great team meetings; it means making leaders visible and accessible, and it means creating regular opportunities for employees to have ‘face time’ with each other and with leaders. The style of these exchanges is, however, every bit as important as their existence.