No matter the size of your business, creating a strong, positive company culture is essential for success and longevity. The effects of a toxic work environment can lead to a lack of productivity, unhappy employees, and even high turnover rates. Furthermore, it can create a negative reputation for your business, making it harder to find top talent when you’re recruiting and hiring. Thankfully, promoting company culture is easier than you might think, and it starts by improving your internal communications. 

Effective communication within the workplace is essential. Not only does it keep everyone on the same page and help to ensure no one is “left out,” but it provides the space necessary for employees to feel creative and inspired, to collaborate on projects, and lean on each other’s strengths to get the job done. 

Let’s discuss some of the benefits of effective communication, how it can improve your company culture, and what you can do from within to boost internal/interdepartmental communication so you can start to see results quickly. 

What Are the Benefits of Internal Communications?

We touched on some of the negative issues your company can face when you don’t prioritize a healthy work environment. But, what are some of the benefits your business can enjoy when you do? 

First, you’re likely to see improved employee retention. A positive, communicative workplace environment can create a familial atmosphere with your team, making them more loyal to your company and the work they do. With that in mind, your team is also more likely to be productive. They’ll take pride in their work and they’ll want the company to be successful. Additional internal communication benefits include: 

  • A more efficient workflow;
  • Data transparency;
  • Improved trust between teams;
  • Effective risk management;
  • Conflict avoidance.

Most importantly, however, improved internal communications can have a positive effect on the mental health of your employees. Not only does strong communication increase efficiency and clarity, but it sets the tone for a healthy work-life balance. You’ll need to set the tone for positive communication and make sure your team knows that when they’re “off the clock,” they need to enjoy their time at home with friends and family. At first, that might seem counterproductive. However, when you prioritize your employees’ mental health as well as communication efforts, you’ll quickly see fewer employee absences, reduced risk of burnout, and work getting done faster regularly. 

How To Improve Your Communication Efforts

Improving interdepartmental communication efforts is not only easier than you might think, but it can end up being a lot of fun. It allows you to showcase the personality of everyone in your business, and can spark creativity while promoting a more relaxed environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. 

Some of the best ways to improve internal communication right away include: 

  • Starting a company newsletter;
  • Encouraging growth opportunities;
  • Providing time for recognition and making sure the entire staff knows about it.

As a leader within your company, it’s important to set an example with your communication efforts so you can implement policies everyone can follow. Encourage people to ask questions, especially managers and others in leadership roles. Adopt “open door” policies so your team always feels like they can talk to you. Use project management software and chat tools to keep everyone in the office connected throughout the day, and train your team on the best practices for how to use those tools. 

Don’t Forget Your Remote Team

Remote work has been on the rise for quite some time, but it saw a huge boost in popularity throughout the pandemic. Because so many employers and employees began to see the benefits of working from home, there are plenty of businesses across the country still allowing many of their employees to work remotely. If that’s the case for your company, it’s just as important to make sure your work-from-home team feels included in your communication efforts. 

Some of the potential drawbacks employees face when working from home include: 

  • Isolation and loneliness;
  • Lack of inspiration;
  • Reduced communication;
  • Low productivity.

Those issues can be largely mitigated if you prioritize keeping your remote workers “in the loop”. Thankfully, technology has made it easier than ever for everyone to stay on the same page no matter where they are. 

To keep your remote team from feeling bored, burnt out, and lonely, utilize communication tools that can be accessed anywhere. Platforms like Slack or Microsoft office can be great tools for keeping teams connected. Using cloud-based services can also make it easier for remote workers to access documents as needed. 

It’s also a good rule of thumb to host video conferencing calls at least once a week, if not more often. These calls essentially put everyone on the same page and can be an effective way to hold meetings where everyone shares their input whether they’re in the office or not. Video calls can also be used to “check-in” with your remote team, and make sure they’re not feeling any communication gaps. 

When you prioritize internal communications, you’ll boost company culture and create an environment that inspires and excites your employees. Keep these ideas in mind to improve your culture and communication efforts, and you’re bound to see results quickly.