How do you adjust your internal communication to different groups?

Absolutely agree with the importance of "knowing your audience"! However, we seem not to consider the sheer volume of messages the audience receives. Frontline employees, in particular, are inundated with communications from multiple levels of leadership - CEOs, VPs, General Managers, Managers, their direct supervisors, alongside multiple department updates and town hall meetings. This can overwhelm and distract frontline employees from their primary production goals. Therefore, it's essential to balance the volume of communications to respect their time and workload. Effective communication is not just about crafting the right message; it's also about choosing the appropriate medium and timing to support, rather than disrupt productivity.

I think an internal communication matrix can also be a valuable tool for tailoring communication to different groups within an organization. As part on an internal communication strategy or approach, It helps in structuring key messages , ensuring that messages are targeted, relevant, and effective for specific internal audiences. It also provides guidance for which communication to use, frequency, level of authorisations and who says what to who.

You also need to consider the information and answer, "What does this audience need to do with this?" Context is key. For example, a CEO may need a concise top-line that can be shared with a Board. An executive team may need a version that results in confident go I no-go decision making. A department leader may want context for a decision they can share with team members so they're prepared to answer questions such as, Why is the decision being made? How does it affect me and my role?

There can be one overarching organizational newsletter/communication platform however having purpose-built groups, newsletters, teams groups, share point sites, etc. are a must too to share customized and super relevant content.

Audience has to be key. So often people say ‘this is what I want / need to tell staff’, but the question should be ‘what do staff want / need to hear or know’. If we start from that perspective and then add the correct channel, method and people to that, there is a much higher chance that staff will actually hear, feel, know whatever you’re saying!

One thing I've found very useful is talking to each other - over the phone, over VOIP, or in person. We don't do enough of this. Indeed we should use the different electronic media for formal communication or to confirm and summarize discussions. However, best way to get clarity, infuse empathy or translate urgency is to have a discussion - especially on important small issues!

My top 3 points of consideration for effective internal communications: 1. Multiple channels - emails, intranet, SMS/WhatsApp, internal social media platforms, focus group discussions, information cascade from managers, townhall meetings, etc. 2. Multiple message formats - texts, images, videos, infographics, posters, table/pocket cards,etc. 3. Multiple feedback options - on the spot checks, formal and informal interviews, surveys, emails, etc.

If you have segmented your audiences, and understood their needs and how the subject matter will impact them, then this needs to be reflected in the communications.

The set of communication channels to be reviewed on annual bases by the communication team and in collaboration of all members of the organization to check on the effectiveness of each channel and further decide upon continuity of such means of communication, improve, and or dismiss.

Evaluating the nature of the message and the specific characteristics of each audience segment is essential in choosing the appropriate channel for internal communication. Aligning the complexity, urgency, and confidentiality of messages with the features of each channel, communication becomes a tailored experience, promoting enhanced understanding and engagement.

I totally agree that you should adapt your tone according to the message, audience and desired outcome. Whatever tone you adopt though, it should always remain authentic and true to your company values.

Tone is everything, whether in person, in written communication, or in any other form. We express our point of view and how we want others to perceive it through tone. But many times the purpose of tone is to make it accessible to various audiences and make it relatable.

The only thing for sure is: E-Mail is dead. But with the rise of social networks also the diversity and needs for internal communications has gone wild. There’s no one channel to reach all employees and with that any iComms Manager is challenged to produce many different formats for the messages you want to get through. If you can choose an app for iComms and employer branding go for it. It can also help with your external communication by company ambassadors. If you don’t have that luxury make use of Teams or Slack or similar, build a great info hub on your intranet for those who want details and spend enough time to use video, podcasts and other modern formats to reach your employees.

The formal tone is dictating all activities within the organization channels of communications, such approached is sustained. However, a friendly means of communications has always been practiced during the daya to day interaction, meetings and gatherings.

Depois de conhecer bem o público com quem você fala (cargos, gera??es, localidades etc.), e saber como se comunica (matriz de canais estruturada e tom d voz adequado a cada público), o mais importante dentro da estrutura da Comunica??o Interna é a humaniza??o e protagonismo do colaborador. Enxergo, hoje, os colaboradores como principais defensores (e detratores) da empresa/marca, por isso, precisam ter voz ativa, e n?o somente receberem informa??es e conteúdos de forma passiva. Eles precisam participar de forma direta e contribuitiva, serem influenciadores e influenciarem também. Ao envolver os colaboradores, você mostra que valoriza suas opini?es, aumentando a confian?a e o engajamento, e promovendo um ambiente colaborativo e inovador.

Before hitting send, evaluate: Does this communication contribute to knowledge, drive the business forward, Empower and inspire success? If not, consider skipping it to avoid message overload."

Through daily exposure to the member of the organization and providing a free space for self expression, interact in finding the best for the organization and contribute in decision making provides more confidence to staff member as a valued asset within the organization structure.

Communication must connect points and make this connection as clear as possible to the workforce. eg: How xxxx helps the company achieve 2024 financial target and why is it good for you… Employee engagement will only happen where they recognize themselves, when they feel part of something…

Any communication without proper messaging setting the tone and value is futile & it always has to be a two way communication. Then only it's a success.

There's a satisfying quality to measuring impact, the a-ha moments, the unexpected victories (or disappointments), or validation that you were on the right track. It should be ongoing. On a day to day basis, you could look at engagement on your staff platforms, newsletter or email clicks, for example, along with longer lead metrics like survey to give you a more holistic view. It's crucial to gauge the sentiment of the workforce and tailor your response accordingly.

This is probably my favourite part of my communications job - measuring impact. It really adds another level to understanding your audience. You can start to ask more questions - why was there such high readership but such a low click rate? What has previously worked for this audience? Where did people stop engaging and what could the possible reasons be?...

Setting the parameters of success or discussing the desired outcome for any communication is not only critical but also important to understand & evaluate the success of any campaign. Hence, measurement cannot be at the end in fact it has to start with before any campaign

Protect the audience - always. Just because someone wants to communicate to employees doesn't mean the employees need to hear it. As an Internal Communications professional, it's your role to match the business need with the audience need and interest. You can check a box saying it was done, but it will ultimately lead to information overload and tune-out. Instead, evaluate with empathy for the audience in mind. Just because someone asks for something doesn't mean they get it. Redirecting people, including executives, is a critical component of the job. Protect the audience.

A comunica??o nunca é sobre você e sim sobre o outro. Para ser um bom comunicador você também deve adotar a habilidade da empatia e da leitura de ambiente. - Onde eu estou? - Com quem eu estou? - O que eu vou comunicar? Essas s?o três perguntas importantes que te ajudam a construir a sua narrativa/storytelling! Além disso, é extremamente legal você tentar ao máximo envolver a outra pessoa na conversa mostrando para ela que existem benefícios dela estar se comunicando com você e sendo receptora da sua mensagem! Com esses passos você vai adaptando a sua comunica??o com diferentes grupos.

A lot of times, people will think that what they are trying to communicate is a priority and as much as the information is important, it's essential that internal communications leaders prioritize the importance and urgency of e-blasts to staff. Over-communicating tends to lead to lower engagement. Being strategic and studying previous communication KPIs are important factors in deciding how to prioritize future initiatives.

Para adaptar la comunicación interna a los distintos grupos, primero hay que tener una estrategia organizacional con objetivos claros. Y valores culturales definidos. Luego tener un método de selección de grupos de personas con criterios específicos. Apelar a la creatividad para el dise?o de mensajes y para que se fortalezcan relaciones sanas. Y por último, medir y revisar las prácticas de comunicación.

Saber cómo expresar ante los grupos de interés, conocer sus percepciones a través de charlas no planificadas y de esa manera saber cómo realizar las comunicaciones.