12 Essential Internal Communication Tools Every Company Must Have

There are more remote workers than ever before. That is why it’s essential for internal communicators to introduce innovative internal communication tools and tactics that boost employee engagement.

Table of Contents

Internal Communications

Internal communication is a way of communicating the separate story of an organization. It contains the voices of every person who works there. This means of communication depends on the openness and transparency of all participants. Many companies use internal means of communication to achieve this goal.

Benefits

Internal communication and employee engagement go hand in hand. Companies often do not understand how important these two ideas are. A good corporate culture, in which employees feel valued and appreciated, is often a key element in attracting top talent. It’s also an important factor in keeping team members happy and productive in their work.

Functions

Internal communication has four key functions within the company:

Keeps employees informed.
Allows information to flow efficiently between employees and between employees and management
Helps to build positive morale among staff members
Allows management to address employees’ questions and concerns

Types

Not all companies are the same, which means that different types of internal communication may work for individual businesses. The list below sets out several types of internal communication examples used by companies today. How many of them do you already use? Which ones are you interested in applying to your business?

Company Leaders:- Someone has to share news about the company with its workers. This includes new strategies and directions it will be taking and announcements of various kinds of wins and losses, personal and professional milestones for employees, etc.
Resource Materials:- The company should have specific policies and procedures that it follows. This knowledge base should be available in one place where employees and managers can access them as needed.
Project Collaboration:- Employees need organized ways to discuss the work they are doing and get tasks accomplished. Updates are usually not the best way to accomplish this.
Informal Sharing:- Peers need to be able to ask questions and support each other professionally and personally. This type of employee communication is important in developing an atmosphere of employee engagement and positive business outcomes.

Best Internal Communication Tools for your Company

#1. Intranet

The intranet is one of the most important software for internal communications. It is used for knowledge sharing across large groups of employees. A team or department can use a company intranet to share relevant documents, articles, charts, etc.

One of the most important benefits of an intranet is that it connects all employees from multiple locations. Your intranet easily allows workers in satellite offices and those who work from home to stay up to date on company news and events.

#2. Mobile Intranet App

Nowadays remote or work on the road practices are more common than ever. All employees must stay connected, including those working from a home office or in the field.

A great way to ensure that your employees have constant access to corporate information is using an intranet mobile application, allowing employees to engage no matter where they are using a mobile phone, tablet, or desktop computer.

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This option is especially important for your frontline workers. Your representatives will have access to information at all times, like contact details, locations, purchase history, etc. And at the same time, they will receive real-time updates, which helps them make informed decisions and provide better customer service.

#3. Internal Newsletters

Internal newsletters can now be shared with employees in a digital format, highlighting the latest news and valuable content. Newsletters allow internal comms teams to incorporate a variety of assets and updates, making it one of the most commonly used tools for internal communications.

An important thing to remember is that people don’t always have time to read long text blocks. Adding photos, graphs, or videos to your company newsletter will make it more engaging and memorable.

You can also use the newsletter to recognize employees’ accomplishments or the success of team projects. Modern technology makes it easy to share newsletters, via email or company intranet boards on both desktop and mobile devices.

#4. Employee Surveys

How do you find out what employees really think about policies or the new training methods at your company?

It’s simple, just ask them what they think! But how do you ensure they feel comfortable to freely share their opinion? Try with small steps. Introduce regular anonymous employee internal surveys.

Using online tools allows employees to express themselves openly, and you are taking advantage of a very effective feedback management tool. Once the results are in, they can be used to identify gaps, launch change management processes, or luckily confirm that your employees are satisfied with their status quo.

#5. Collaboration Tools

Online collaboration tools are growing in traction every day. They are enabling employees to connect and exchange while combining professional relations in a more social way.

Collaboration tools provide for more effective teamwork and are a powerful tool to link teams from different departments or even time zones and enable them to work together.

It is also very handy when small or big groups need to track task progress and depend on good synchronization to reach their common goal.

#6. Instant Messaging Tools

Instant messaging is a handy tool to have in place for your employees at all levels. It can be used to send quick messages between team members to ask questions, confirm meeting dates, and clarify any other points that may be unclear.

Don’t overlook this effective internal communication solution, especially when you have team members who are working remotely. It may not always seem practical to pick up the phone for a quick question, but instant messages are a convenient way to quickly exchange information.

#7. Community Channels

Do you have employees in your business who have expertise in specific areas? Give them a chance to shine by sharing information on dedicated community channels.

This is an example of an internal staff communication tool that gives your workers a platform to discuss new developments within their area of expertise.

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The community channel can also be set up around a practice hub so that team members can collaborate easily.

Junior members of the company can benefit from the experience of more senior members with problem-solving, and senior staff appreciates collaborating with younger employees.

#8. News Center

Employees should not have to find out what is happening in their company by reading long email threads or various group conversations.

Streamline company information within a centralized News Center to keep employees always up-to-date. Include company updates, press releases, and any other news affecting your industry.

Add updates on assets, blog posts, social media activity, and all new projects your company is working on.

#9. Employees Experience Tool

The best communication tools are the ones that can be customized to suit the needs of the company and its employees.

For example, you may want your employees to sign into their company computer to see their daily schedule, work email, and the last several documents or apps they worked on prominently displayed.

The employee should be able to see their business apps on display. There should also be a global search function that looks across e-mail, blog posts, articles, and other media for search terms.

#10. Branded Tool

How important is it to you that your internal communication software is personalized to suit your company’s brand?

Don’t overlook the importance of having a customized look to the platform your employees log in to daily. Designing a unique and personalized platform improves employee’s engagement and stimulates their interactions within the platform.

#11. Content Approval Workflow

One of the great things about the internet is that it gives a voice to everyone in the organization.

Though, if your employees are going to share information on behalf of the company, it’s natural that you want to install a verification or content approval process before the communication is shared with the rest of the company.

You can define different contributor groups and grant the access they need. A good practice is to assign a global content administrator that has access to all publications and can ensure the validity of the shared information.

#12. Analytics

Often return on investment for internal communication is hard to track. You need to be able to measure results to determine which of your internal strategies are giving you the best results.

Cloud-based communication platforms often provide integrated analytics that provides you regular upgrades on the performance and adoption of your software.

Use your data to drive growth and improve employee interaction with the internal communication tool you installed for them.