How to Tell When Your Internal Communications Are Broken

Internal communications are an important part of any modern business. From discussions within teams to transferring information from one to another, having reliable channels of communication is crucial for any business and success can even depend on it.

Small businesses in particular are prone to struggle in this area. The transition from startup to small business can be a very difficult one, and ensuring your communication channels evolve with you is essential.

But how do you know if yours need fixing?

How long does it take?

One of the most important parts of communication is ensuring that you can get information quickly and that it's accurate when you do receive it. If you have a message that you need everyone in the company to get, your channels should make it possible for all staff to get it at the same time. It's no good having people in one department having details about a big company change hours before another. Software like Slack or something as simple as a company email group can make it much easier for information to get to the people who need it.

Does it work for everyone?

More than ever, professionals are accessing information in different ways. Some of your workers may use laptops, while others use their smartphones to keep up to date with work matters while they're on the move. You need to make sure whatever channels you are using for internal communications are working for everyone in your company.

If your regular newsletter doesn't display on mobile devices, a huge chunk of employees may be missing out on the information you want them to access.

Is it accessible?

A study from McKinsey highlighted how much time is wasted because employees are looking for the right information. You need to make sure your internal communications are accessible and easy to find for everyone in your company. If you have software that only some people know how to work, or if your emails just go straight into the depths of their inbox, it's useless.

Communication channels need to make it easy to prioritize and find the information that is most important first.