3 Tech Tools for Greater Internal Communication

How to boost communication within your team

12:57 22 April 2021

A lack of efficient communication is one of the major factors holding teams back from being as productive as they should be. And until you figure out how to improve your internal communications, you’re going to struggle to produce consistent results.

 

The Power of Smooth Internal Communication

 

We can all agree that communication is a healthy thing. It’s the bread and butter of healthy relationships and organizations. Unfortunately, we don’t always understand the specifics of why internal communication is so important, which causes us to neglect it. 

 

In light of this, here are some of the biggest reasons why it matters:

 

• Internal communications keep your team on the same page by letting them know about new policy changes, upcoming events, and the overall health of the business. 

 

• Internal communications provide context for your employees. Rather than piecing together little bits of information from different sources, they’re able to develop a holistic view of your organization and everything that’s happening throughout the company (not just in their little corner or department).

 

• Internal communications keep employees engaged and help them feel like a meaningful part of the organization. (Because communication goes both ways, a healthy strategy helps employees feel heard and valued.)

 

Those are just a few key points. In reality, a smooth internal communications strategy affects every aspect of your organization (from people to processes and everything in between). 

 

Try These 3 Tools For Better Internal Communication

 

Improving your internal communications requires a multifaceted approach. And while there are tons of different processes and improvements you can implement, sometimes a simple shift in the technology you use can fundamentally revolutionize how you do things. 

 

Here are three highly-recommended options:

 

• SMS

 

Text messaging is something you’re almost certainly familiar with in your personal life. If you’re like most other Americans, you send dozens of texts on a daily basis. It’s a comfortable and personal form of communication that also happens to be very convenient. But have you ever considered using it in your business?

 

According to TextMarks, you can “improve productivity, morale and overall workflow in your business or organization by including text messaging in your internal communications. Send company updates and event reminders, notify staff of emergencies, coordinate work schedules, provide education on HR policies and benefits, and ask for employee feedback.”

 

Best of all, their research shows that SMS has a 98 percent open rate, roughly five times the open rate of emails. This has a lot to do with the fact that 91 percent of people have their smartphone within reach 24/7.

 

While you never want to bombard an employee’s phone and overload them with irrelevant communications, sending the occasional company update, reminder, or request via SMS is a great way to ensure it gets seen. 

 

• Intranet Solutions

 

If your team doesn’t already have an intranet solution in place, now is the time to usher your organization into the 21st century. Intranet software is basically like your team’s own private internet. It connects your employees (from anywhere in the world) and creates a centralized workspace where you can share and access files, store documents, communicate with one another, and stay up to date on company news and happenings. 

 

With so many different intranet solutions on the market, you’ll have to do your due diligence and look for the one that’s best for your organization. Consider each platform’s features, as well as the reliability of the company behind the product. (Make sure you’re using a system that’s built for the long run.)

 

• Project Management Applications

 

If you have a smaller business with just a few team members, you might not need an intranet solution just yet. However, you can always benefit from a project management application. These simple tools help you organize files and communication on a project-by-project basis (so that nothing gets lost in the shuffle). Here’s a list of good options.

 

Boost Your Team’s Efficiency Starting Now

 

Efficiency doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not something you stumble upon and magically put into practice. Even with the best team, you still need specific processes and technology in place to consistently meet your goals. And while it's going to take a lot of work and discipline to revamp your entire internal communications strategy, the hope is that a shift to one (or more) of these tools provides a solid framework to build on. 

 

Give them a try and see what you think!