How can you support employee development with internal communications?

Although there may be some overlaps in learning needs, it’s never a good idea to use broad strokes in ascertaining what these are. Internal comms is best placed to support L&D functions by setting up forums such as manager training so that the managers themselves can collect this info during 1-1s. This is far likelier to yield useful insights that you can use both in career development support, L&D and IC.

In order to identify needs of your audience conduct persona mapping. Find out what matters to your people and understand that this will vary at different stages of tenure in the organisation. There is no one size fits all and it is important to personalise content and experiences wherever possible, made easier through technology.

It's key to also consider multiple channels and alignment to overall organizational, team, or individual goals when providing learning resources. Positioning learning resources in context and thinking like a marketer to connect them to a variety of moments of need can be more effective than simply pushing/promoting a catalog of offerings. This often requires establishing a strong relationship and collaboration with communications teams - both at enterprise level and within businesses/functions - to get connected into broader campaigns where it may make sense to cross-reference learning resources and align them to a broader message (and every L&D strategy should include dedicated communications planning).

We must be cautious not to inundate our employees with an excessive amount of systems and technologies. While it's essential to use various media types across learning resources based on; subject material, audience, content, and learning time, strive to personalise these resources and content delivery methods where ever possible. Remember L&D team and Internals comms teams will need to work closely together as what could be classed and learning content could be better placed inside simple comms to your people. Learning to drive a car is not the same as knowing what route to follow, sometimes the learning can come in the forms of simple comms, reminders/hints or steps.

The main objective of internal communication is to make information transparent and to generate connection and proximity between company and employee, as well as between employees. This is why it is an important celebratory tool for generating motivation. A very interesting way of using internal communication to motivate is to create a rewards program, where participants accumulate points based on their engagement and participation in internal company actions. In this way, we can celebrate the achievements of the employees who have participated most in the internal learning programs applied, offering prizes to the best and spreading the word throughout the company, encouraging more people to take part too.

For example; Through internal newsletters, emails, or company-wide meetings, take the opportunity to spotlight individual or team achievements. For instance, recognize an employee who completed a significant training program. By making these accomplishments visible, you not only inspire others but also reinforce the connection between individual growth and the overall success of the organization.

By creating a culture in our organisations where our people feel empowered to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and experiment with new approaches we can unlock new potential and start to look at problems and opportunities differently. Encouraging open and transparent comms, providing opportunities for cross-functional teamwork, and encouraging diverse perspectives are all key in nurturing a collaborative and innovative environment.

Here are some practical tips based on my experience. While they may be simple to put into action, consistently following them can be challenging. However, if you manage to adhere to these, you'll significantly contribute to both the workforce and the organization overall. ? Celebrate milestones: When someone nails a new skill, shout it from the rooftops (metaphorically, of course). This inspires others and shows what's possible. ? Make mistakes learning fuel: Ditch the fear of feedback. Treat it like rocket fuel for growth, not criticism. Deconstruct only if you are ready to rebuild. ? Shine a light on champions: Recognize colleagues who champion feedback and leaders who dedicate time to coaching. They pave the way for everyone to thrive.

Souvents lorsqu'on est promu responsable, nous sommes formés dans la communication verticale qui circule de haut en bas entre différents niveaux mais on néglige la communication ascendante,? permettant aux employés de transmettre leurs idées, leurs propositions pour se sentir utiles & impliqués et contribuent dans la resolution des problèmes ou dans le développement des projets, appeler aussi le système démocratique. Un système qui supprime les barrières hiérarchiques. Personnellement, je me suis beaucoup entra?née pour adopter ce genre de communication et le meilleur moyens était à travers des brainstorming qui m'ont permis d'avoir une grand cohésion entre les entités que je chapeautais, une souplesse et une grande créativité.