16 Best Internal Communication Tools: How to Choose?
Try Publicate For Free Today
Start Now
The impact of internal communication tools in an organization can be the difference between success and failure in many aspects of business.
They act as the wheels that set collaboration and communication into motion - both of which have a dramatic effect on efficiency, productivity and team morale. With these key factors, selecting the best internal communication tool or tools for your organization is absolutely paramount.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the best internal communication tools in an organization, why they matter, and how you can choose the right ones to help achieve your business goals.
From emails to messaging, social media and intranets: modern operations couldn't be complete without a range of internal communication tools. Put simply, these tools make it easier for businesses to keep their workforce in the loop.
By providing numerous channels for staff to exchange information, the best internal communication tools enhance productivity and efficiency at any organization.
Internal communication is undeniably essential, but never has it been more vital than in today's rapidly changing corporate environment.
One of the best internal communication examples is email newsletters, with their ability to bridge different levels of the organization and facilitate discussion among multiple departments, and serve as the lifeblood of clear, consistent, and timely messaging throughout the company.
Now more than ever, building a great internal newsletter can be simple thanks to easy-to-use email builders. Email builders like Publicate are equipped with templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and analytics to help you improve your communications along the way.
In the ultra-competitive, fast-paced business world, having reliable internal communication platforms is a must. Think of them as that integral piece which holds an organization together and allows it to run like clockwork. So why are these tools vital to company success?
Let's explore further.
Internal communication tools don't just help us keep in touch; they open the door for teamwork and collaboration.
Streamlined information-sharing means we can break down walls, improving cooperation among team players, departments, and even between staff and the management. This impressive alliance inspires fresh ideas, guiding teams to quickly bring them to fruition.
These tools aren't just about passing on messages; they're providing a platform for people to connect. They foster a culture of transparency, giving an accessible outlet for every team member to get engaged in the conversation and share their thoughts or ideas.
Internal communication tools are like grease on the wheels of productivity. By making communication processes simpler, they can help you to avoid potential snags and miscommunications, resulting in a much smoother workflow and improved efficiency.
These channels create clarity for everyone involved, allowing companies to squeeze out every ounce of productivity from their most valuable resource: time.
Ensuring effective communication is key for establishing clear channels of communication for sharing crucial updates and decisions to the workforce.
Formal communication, such as emails, newsletters, and reports, are integral components of internal comms, but meetings and presentationsare also an important part of disseminating information within a company.
These are thoughtfully structured communications that are held in a formal setting to get the message across effectively.
The importance of informal communication in the workplace should never be overlooked. These casual exchanges - be it virtual chats, emails, watercooler conversations or social media discussions - build strong relationships between colleagues, bring a sense of belonging, and can even help spur innovative ideas.
In order to have a successful internal communication strategy that works for everyone, formal and informal exchanges must both be taken into consideration.
Poor internal communication can really take its toll on a company. From stagnating efficiency to impacting employee engagement and turnover, there's no doubt that the downstream effects are massive.
Without effective communication, organizations can be thrown into a world of perplexity and loiter.
Poor communication or its absence can result in employees haplessly paddling against the current trying to finish assignments without proper instructions or aimlessly wasting time on trivial tasks; ultimately leading to decreased productivity.
Improving internal communication is essential for keeping employee morale high.
Without meaningful dialogue between colleagues, confusion arises – and that can lead to a sense of not belonging or lack of appreciation across teams; inevitably resulting in droopy spirits and dissatisfaction with the job.
Poor communication, which continues to drag on and never seems to improve, leads to high levels of frustration among staff.
When employees don't feel respected or heard, their motivation drops and turnover tends to skyrocket – resulting in far greater costs associated with recruiting and training new employees.
With effective communication essential for your organization to stay on track, choosing the right tools is vital. To make sure you have a handle on it all, we've broken down 16 of the finest options out there.
So no need to stress—each tool comes with its own unique advantages and potential drawbacks that'll help you in deciding what's best suited.
Crafting visually stunning emails with ease is made possible through an email builder platform like Publicate. This solution stands out for the hundreds of customizable templates, smooth connection to other applications, and detailed analytics to keep an eye on engagement and feedback from your users.
To ensure that you choose the best email builder, we recommend selecting one that comes with all the tools you need – be it custom templates, branding options, or direct integration with Gmail and Outlook.
Internal newsletters keep everyone in the loop with company news, policies and successes. But if they’re not interesting enough, they can be a pain to read - or even just skimmed over!
A dud employee newsletter is definitely not something that'll get people excited about keeping up on their work-related stuff.
Nailing it requires effective content creation that broadcasts all the great things going on without making them feel overwhelmed by updates sent too frequently.
Using an email builder enables you to build newsletters fast, with hundreds of fully customizable templates that maximise engagement so you can spend more time focusing on the content that matters to achieve the highest success rates.
Rewarding and recognizing employees for their hard graft is key to employee motivation. It boosts morale and creates a positive atmosphere in the workplace. However it comes with a caution as there always remains the risk of unhealthy competition or unfair favoritism rearing its head.
Make sure you proceed with tact and think through the reward system to ensure everyone feels cared for and appreciated.
Employee apps are fast becoming the way of the future, providing an accessible portal for work resources that can streamline workflow and boost output.
However, becoming proficient in their use will require some upfront investment in employee education. With many apps using intuitive designs, the need for complex onboarding should be minimal while productivity will be increased.
Surveys offer staff the chance to anonymously give their input and enable decision-makers to gain useful insights.
But pinning down high response rates and analyzing the results fairly can be a challenge. With each employee having their own opinion it can be hard to navigate and choose solutions that will make everyone happy.
It can be entertaining to get information through internal videos, as they make comprehension and recall easier. Although creating these might take resources and time, could impose restrictions for some organizations.
The intranet is an extremely valuable resource for businesses, providing a centralized hub of information, resources and communication platforms. Streamlined access to these tools means tasks can be completed quickly and efficiently, maintaining a consistent flow of data throughout the business.
Though very beneficial, managing and regularly updating an intranet requires specialized IT support while a lack of organization can quickly turn it into an inefficient mess.
Video conferencing tools help us bridge geographical divides so we can get personal and work on projects collaboratively. But technology doesn't always play nice, it could fail when you least expect it, leaving you in an awkward spot in the middle of discussions.
Real-time, informal communication pathways such as Slack or Teams are able to create an atmosphere that is apt for helpful conversations, allowing people to pass along their know-how, manage queries promptly, and exchange instantaneous feedback.
To ensure these ways of communication don't lead to reduced productivity due to excess distractions, they ought to be supervised properly.
These days survey software is the go-to for simplifying those insufferable tasks like creating surveys, dishing them out and then trying to make sense of all the data. They really come in handy when you need to get feedback from employees - although be aware that how you design it can influence the accuracy of what comes back.
Employee-centric social media is a great way to bring people together and build connections on the job, strengthening that sense of community within the organization. However, it can lead to unprofessional behavior if boundaries aren't maintained, which is not exactly a picture perfect situation.
Onboarding tools take fresh recruits by the hand and help them through the very beginnings of their job process; they guarantee a good start that'll make sure everyone's up to speed. That is, if these tools possess high quality info that’s really pertinent - cause without it, all their efforts will be in vain.
Internal job boards are a great way to give employees the chance to move up within the company. They can provide visibility into roles and initiatives that could potentially bring new and exciting opportunities.
Unfortunately, there is the potential for competition between employees when going after the same openings.
Keep up with the fast-paced world of business with instant messaging tools like Slack - quick questions, vital updates, and high-speed decision making all play a part in successful communication.
But without specific rules in place, these platforms can cause unexpected disruptions and misunderstandings due to the lack of context or tone in text-based conversations. Taking some extra time to set out clear expectations can help increase productivity and clarity at work.
Keeping track of multiple projects becomes a breeze with a collaboration tool like Asana and Trello. Working together is made easier through task tracking, document sharing, and team communication centralization allowing for improved productivity.
But with too many activities in progress, these programs can quickly become chaotic, potentially causing misunderstandings or the overlooking of tasks. To avoid such pitfalls, creating an organized system is key.
Leveraging digital signage is a great way to deliver crucial information, updates, metrics and more to employees.
However, it's paramount to consider proper placement when deploying these solutions to ensure greater visibility. In a remote or hybrid context, business owners may have to tailor their digital signage formats in order to keep up with the efficacy and attention of employees.
All businesses can benefit from choosing and optimizing the best internal communication tools. When carefully implemented, these can offer a more unified, productive, and inclusive working atmosphere.
To get started, we recommend selecting an email builder, such as Publicate, to efficiently compose engaging newsletters. This step can initiate the domino-effect of enhanced collaboration, streamlined processes, and ultimately, organizational success.
Implementation of the best possible tools not only drives greater innovation and efficiency - it marks the way towards a healthier company culture for everyone involved.
Ready to give it a try for yourself? Feel free to try Publicate and take advantage for the free 14 day trial.
