Internal communications are essential for building trust, collaboration, and engagement within your organization. But how can you craft messages that are both professional and human, without sounding too formal or too casual? Here are some tips to help you balance tone and touch in your internal communications.
Before you write anything, you need to have a clear idea of what your tone and voice are, and how they align with your organizational culture and values. Tone is the attitude and emotion you convey through your word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure. Voice is the personality and style that make your communications unique and consistent. You can create a tone and voice guide to help you and your team follow the same principles and standards.
When defining your tone and voice for internal comms, do a quick check to make sure it's also aligned with your company's external brand. Nothing is more bizarre than employees seeing your company represented one way in the market and to customers but experiencing it a different way internally. Lean into your partners in the Marketing and Employer Brand teams. Look at their brand guidelines or employee value proposition resources and see if your tone and voice feels like it comes from the same source.
To balance professional tone and human touch in internal communications, it's important to remember that you are communicating with real people who have feelings and emotions. While it's important to maintain a professional tone, it's also important to use language that is warm and approachable. One way to achieve this balance is by using a conversational tone, being empathetic, and showing appreciation for your colleagues. Remember to be clear and concise in your communication, while also being personable and relatable.
I was working with a new team member on some new strategies. I realized this was different from what he was used to and it required his buy in to get the results we were hoping for. While you want to make changes in order to make a greater impact, I also like to ask the person how they feel about it. Understanding the assignment is one thing, but asking how they feel about it is another and it will also provide you an instant answer as to whether this change is going to effectively happen.
Put yourself in the shoes of your audience. Be sure to consider how what you are saying will impact them, and make sure you haven't filled your content with corporate jargon or superfluous information.
Write how you speak (at work). It’s so easy to fall into the trap of being too formal. Long sentences full of jargon and abbreviations are a barrier for busy audiences.
Different situations and audiences may require different levels of formality and intimacy in your internal communications. For example, you may use a more serious and authoritative tone when announcing a policy change, but a more friendly and conversational tone when sharing a success story. You should always consider the purpose of your message, the expectations and preferences of your audience, and the context and channel of your communication.
Remember you are customer zero. Consider the communications you received that made you feel seen, heard and valued. The more you remember employees are a unique stakeholder who can drive culture and organizational outcomes, the better you can craft your internal communications strategies.
Knowing your audience and being agile to them is one of the most powerful tools to comms. Because you know what will resonate and how the audience thinks, you'll be able to tailor your message to them. Simplicity may be key, but knowing someone's language to begin with, whether its empathy, logic, etc., - that is invaluable.
Your internal communications should always be simple, clear and have a call to action. It should be jargon free and should be easily understood by every member of your target audience. Ensure that your tone of voice is brand compliant, authentic and simple. That is the best way to keep your comms professional and authentic.
Foi ainda na faculdade que aprendi a importancia primordial para a efetividade da comunica??o perguntar, em primeiro lugar, com quem estou falando. Os tempos mudaram, a tecnologia evoluiu, mas perguntar quem é o seu público é o primeiro e mais essencial ponto de uma comunica??o assertiva.
This is where variety comes into play. Reach your team where they are - whether it's Slack, email, or any preferred platform. Mix up your communication format to cater to diverse learning styles.
One of the best ways to balance professional tone and human touch is to use plain and positive language. Plain language means using simple, clear, and direct words and sentences that are easy to understand and follow. Positive language means using words and phrases that convey optimism, appreciation, and respect, rather than negativity, criticism, or blame. By using plain and positive language, you can avoid confusion, jargon, and ambiguity, and create a more engaging and respectful communication.
Le meilleur langage est celui qui parle au c?ur. Le ton hyper corporate et chargé en tournures est inutile. Tant qu'on fait preuve de respect dans sa communication on satisfait au double objectif de rester professionnel et humain.
Speaking from the heart is one of the best ways to get your point across. Eliminate jargon and write in a way that conveys your personal tone as a leader. Employees know right away when you're not being authentic.
Otro factor importante en la comunicación interna es la transparencia con la cual te comunicas con tu audiencia. La gente aprecia la honestidad en la información que les compartes y sienten que no hay nada oculto o data incompleta. La transparencia genera cercanía y confianza y la audiencia lo agradece.
I believe “human” and “professional” are not at odds with each other. Nowadays many companies have adopted a more casual tone in their internal comms. Writing as if they are speaking to the audience in front of them. Use jargon free language, simplify complexity particularly when your communication needs to land in different countries and with non-native speakers. My test- if you have to read a sentence a few times back to yourself- the message could probably be split or simplified.
Think of it like this: When you're talking to your team, you want to be professional, but not robotic. Keep it real by understanding who you're talking to and what makes them tick. Share stories, say thank you, and recognize how people feel. It's about creating a vibe where everyone feels like they belong and matter. That's the secret sauce to awesome internal communication!
Another way to balance professional tone and human touch is to show empathy and emotion in your internal communications. Empathy means putting yourself in your audience's shoes and acknowledging their feelings, needs, and perspectives. Emotion means expressing your own feelings, opinions, and values in an appropriate and authentic way. By showing empathy and emotion, you can build rapport, trust, and loyalty with your audience, and make your communication more human and relatable.
You cannot fake empathy. When I'm working with a leader on their message, I will interview them before I start crafting their communications. I will ask why this matters, how they feel about it, how they expect others to react. It's often those questions--and hearing their unedited feelings in a familiar, safe space--that unlock the emotion for a message. Taking the time to do this can prevent the message from sounding overly corporate or detached.
3 simple rules and you'll be fine. #1 Always see the person #2 Put yourself out of the equation #3 Find out what really matters
La empatía no significa ponerse en el lugar del otro tal y como hemos leído muchas veces; si no, significa tener la capacidad de entender lo que la otra persona siente aún sin estar cerca de su condición o situación. Teniendo el concepto y entendiendo lo que significa la empatía, es más sencillo para las personas ejercer esta conducta.
Most writing fails because the writer assumes people make decisions for rational reasons. Just give the information, facts and figures and all will be fine. Spoiler alert: That won’t work. There’s plenty of research that shows people make decisions for emotional reasons and THEN rationalise them afterwards. Emotion comes first. And the internal process justifying the decision to act on your words comes second. If you can connect with the emotions of your reader (anxiety, boredom, curiosity, etc.) your writing will have real impact.
Empathy and emotion are the unsung heroes of 'sticky' communication. As complex beings, we crave emotional connection, for better or worse??. This applies to storytelling in communications. While much of the content I come across excels in conveying facts, hitting all the right 'marketing' notes, they often lack depth. This stems from a tendency to prioritise brevity and safety, particularly in the world of B2B. Yet, behind every 'B' is a human with emotions. That's why I advocate for honesty, emotionality and humanity in writing. This creates a real and memorable experience for the person on the other side of the screen. Even if they aren't your ICP, they'll likely appreciate the authenticity and may share it with someone who is??
A third way to balance professional tone and human touch is to use stories and examples in your internal communications. Stories and examples are powerful tools to illustrate your points, demonstrate your values, and inspire your audience. They can also make your communication more memorable, interesting, and personal. You can use stories and examples from your own experience, from your colleagues, or from your customers, as long as they are relevant, credible, and respectful.
Storytelling is the simplest yet the most powerful communication tool. Words paint a picture in the hearts and minds of your audience. The power of the story unlocks something inside each one of them. Stories drafted with care create a stronger connection with the audience. Personna storytelling has a greater impact and helps them relate to the purpose of our communication.
A história tb tem o papel de construir o campo do possível e ajudar a definir os contornos da cultura organizacional. Normalmente contamos histórias que refor?am comportamentos, tabus, ideias, ritos de supera??o. Ela, portanto, acelera o aprendizado do grupo sobre o que queremos para o futuro.
I agree whole heartedly with the comments I was reading here. It's so powerful how you can reach people with the right story and tone. It really can be so transformative and make the words jump off the screen/page when you get it just right. Take the time to map out the story and pathway of your content.
When communicating a message or initiative I like to explain how this will impact their job on a day to day basis. “￡xxm invested in xxxxx” is great but what does that mean for their role? How does it make their role more efficient? Easier? Will they get training? Will it mean greater output which means greater profit and therefore profit share? These things mean something more to them and will engage them on a different level. What works in he board room might not work on the shop floor.
Stories make it personal. They put a face to your message and give it real context and meaning. If you're sharing a story or experience of a real person, let them tell it in their own words. Their experience is real. Don’t over-edit, you might lose the important bits that make it human!
A final way to balance professional tone and human touch is to ask for feedback and input from your audience. Feedback and input are valuable sources of information, insight, and improvement for your internal communications. They can also show that you care about your audience's opinions, ideas, and suggestions, and that you are open to dialogue and collaboration. You can ask for feedback and input through surveys, polls, questions, or invitations to reply or share.
communication involves always feedback, because communication should be two ways, no matter if the communication is internal or external. Then the feedback can be defined qualitatively: the feedback can be auditing, measuring, empowering, constructive, destructive. Always listen to the feedback in its real sense is a key to build the professional co-operation and relationship in a constructive way.
Internal communication experts have a very tough task if they don't have the support of the leadership of the business to be open to receive feedback from employees. Some leaders are fearful of any feedback, not realizing it directly impacts the culture. It is the job of the communications expert to advise leaders on this important element that should be driven from the top.
Feedback should be funneled back to the person, team or department that is responsible for the decision that is being communicated. Do not shield them from negative feedback, and also don't withhold positive feedback. Use this to start a conversation. A survey or poll is no match for an informal coffee meeting so people can explain their feedback in detail.
In case of suggesting a change or a new plan , a new approach or alternative way of doing a task..or rolling out a new system or procedure.. It is highly recommended to be polite and provide comfort to reader by using words like "seeking suggestions on new plan..or how about doing things in a different way". Will get higher participation from colleagues .. If possible use technology and ask gor a quick 5 question survey and a reward for best suggestions
It's crucial to request feedback to understand what your target audience wants to see or read. This also provides a more personal tone to the brand, demonstrating that communication is not one-sided. It's always important to understand who the message is for, their preferences, ideas, and opinions.
simple from my end, be authentic, no corporate mission statements & BS, your people don't want to hear this, they want authentic, real & powerful stories & updates. Don't be afraid to be informal!
This question suggests that having a professional tone and human touch are at odds with each other. This is a false dichotomy. A professional tone should always have a human touch because professionals are humans! It doesn’t matter what your job is, you’re always communicating with humans. So understand your audience, what drives them and how they like to communicate in the specific environment you’re dealing with, bear in mind cultural nuance and off you go!
In my experience, get rid of what you may have once thought of as “professional tone.” Colleagues are going to tune out or gloss over things when it feels too corporate, overly polished or jargon heavy. Internal comms shouldn’t read like a press release. Colleagues crave authenticity - so just write in your own voice and challenge your leaders to do the same. Show vulnerability, empathy and a desire to have a conversation that is two-way. With AI, it’s going to be even more important to be authentic. Anyone can generate communications with the click of a button. The challenge on us, as communicators, is to make it real and make it resonate. We should ask: What can we bring to internal comms that a machine cannot?
Words are often misunderstood when spoken in a 'language' that the speaker is not connected to. I have always struggled when I've tried to cloak my authentic self with words that suit the audience.
Dedique tempo às pessoas. Nossa rotina é puxada e muitas vezes nos for?amos a resolver problemas e dilemas rápido demais. Conex?es verdadeiras levam tempo e valem muito a pena. Uma pergunta a mais, a demonstra??o de interesse genuíno, estar por inteiro no momento da troca transformam qualquer "chronos" em " kairos".