Over the years some have found that HR communication has become somewhat synonymous with flat messages, full of corporate jargon that take up space in their inbox and rarely entice the recipient to open, let alone read it…
Until now. With all the developments in modern technology HR departments all over the world should be jumping at the chance to revamp their image, get on board and make some electrifying changes!
HR deal with some of the most exciting and positive aspects of any company; recruitment, training, bonuses, reward, the list goes on. So why wouldn’t you take an inspiring and stimulating approach to your internal business communication?
With the introduction and acceptance of a variety of employee communication platforms into the office world, from good old email to social networking sites, intranets and working forums, HR departments now have a choice about how to connect with their employees.
Importantly, employers also have to remember that with all that choice of channels, employees also have the choice in how they want to receive and engage with your communication – so it isn’t just about what you’d like to do.
Effective communication between employer and employee is paramount to any business; it won’t only improve employee engagement and motivation but also drive performance. To get your message heard you need to stand out from the crowd. How do you do this? Here are a few top tips for you:
- Look and feel – the visual and creative identity of your communication is the surest way of making it stand out, be noticed, engage employees and should help communicate your messages in its own right.
- Tone of voice and copy – call to actions, upbeat, inspiring, appropriate for your message and business, clear and succinct and hopefully personal too. The tone has to reflect your business, its culture and people and should be unique to each of you.
- Clear strategy and plan – there is nothing worse that receiving ad hoc messages that are inconsistent to one another and don’t link to each other, employees should be able to understand and see your plan in action.
- The communication channel – using channels that are relevant to the employees and when they will want to receive such communication, this could be print but it could also be digital or mobile.
Your HR communication needs to appeal to employees – they have to want to read or listen to it. These top tips will set you on the right path. But don’t just take our word for it – hear from HR Directors how they have been doing it.
Chris Hopkins is managing director of employee communications and marketing agency, Caburn Hope.
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