Don’t let poor communication hurt your organization

Internal communication is the lifeblood of a company. It ensures everyone is connected and headed in the same direction, driving toward the same goals. When it’s effective, communication can also improve employee engagement, directly impacting retention.

Employee feedback gathered by Energage show communication is hurting.

Employees want to feel in the loop, and that has suffered during the pandemic. Nationwide, 70.3% of employees tell Energage they feel well- informed about important decisions at their company. That compares with 71.3% who felt well- informed a year ago.

And communication goes both ways. These days, employees are feeling leaders are not as clued- in about what’s going on. Nationwide, 69.7% of employees felt senior managers understand what’s really happening at their company, compared with 71% a year ago.

When employees feel included in important decisions, they’ll feel like a true partner in the business. They’ll feel more connected, too. Because when employees understand the

“why,” they’remore likely to align with your organization, even if they don’t fully understand or totally agree with how you’re going about things.

Here are six tips to ensure employees are feeling well informed:

• Overcommunicate! Because different people have different communication styles, share information in as many ways as possible, and don’t forget to share the “why.”

• Check for understanding on both sides.“What I heardwas …”“What can I clarify?”

• Quick documentation can do wonders for communication. Get it in writing!

• True communication is always a conversation. Employees should have an avenue to provide feedback and get their concerns addressed.

• Set aside time to decide how to communicate as well as what you communicate. A well- considered message can make a huge difference.

• Make a habit of formalizing what you plan on sharing after leadership meetings. Howdo you know if your employees feel well informed about important decisions? Ask them! Next, set a plan to communicate important decisions effectively throughout the organization, from the top to the front line. Be sure to include all stakeholders in important decisions. There will be a lot more buy- in to decisions that people felt involved in making.

Done right, you’ll notice employees aremore receptive to change, more likely to participate, and more willing to give their best each day.

Bobhelbig is media partnerships director at Energage, a

Philadelphia- based employee survey firm. Energage is Thedenver Post’s partner for Topworkplaces.