As I’m sure you know, communication is essential to the smooth running of any business, and the options for different channels are vast. While some methods of communication will work better for certain business niches, there are some universal channels which have proven to be highly effective in any environment. Here are some of the best ways to keep all your employees in the loop…
In-Person Meetings
Despite the way communication technology has exploded over the past decade, there are times where you simply need to meet with your employees face-to-face. One great way of applying this is starting each working day with a casual stand-up meeting with as many employees as possible. Keep it short and concise, and discuss any kind of development that needs to be discussed in the presence of all departments. This is a sure-fire way to ensure that everyone stays on the same page, and has the same information by the time you dismiss everyone. Discuss strategy changes, tweaks to your best practices, how on-target you are for reaching your business’s milestones, and anything else that you feel is relevant. Just make sure you’re not dragging these meetings out and hurting productivity.
Instant Messaging and Group Chats
One of the fastest and most modern ways of communicating with teams of your employees is through a reliable instant messaging app. The best chat apps marketed to businesses today combine text and voice chat, video chat, and file sharing all in one place. There are even interfaces designed specifically for risk management strategy, like the one here. Start browsing instant messaging programs, find one that suits your tastes, and then start using it for any discussions that don’t require long, drawn-out explanations or time-consuming emails. This one tool can be an absolute godsend when your customers need quick questions answered, or you need to start a conversation with a specific team or group. Obviously, there are certain shortcomings, and things can be lost in translation over text compared to in-person discussions or talking over the phone. However, instant messaging can still be a highly efficient and convenient way of keeping your employees in the loop.
Set Up a Company Intranet
Having a business intranet can solve all kinds of communication problems that small businesses commonly face. It will allow you to store information and documents that employees ask for regularly, such as request forms for time off, the paid holiday calendar, and a schedule of big events. As I’m sure you know, if one little nugget of information passes by the wrong person, it can cause major issues for all other areas of the business. Set up a company intranet portal, and it might just become a highly effective central point for delivering relevant, consistent, and timely information to anyone who needs it. Aside from broadcasting information to employees, these tools can also be used by employees for sharing information on individual projects and keeping their close colleagues updated.
If you’ve been wishing you had better ways of keeping your employees in the loop, I hope these solutions have helped!
