5 reasons big companies need to focus on communication

Corporations and employees must have cultures that create strong communication to ensure the highest quality work, ideal productivity levels, and operational efficiency.  Not only is there a need for communication between employees, but also with the customers and clients. In addition, proactive and frequent communication will help prevent problems that could arise during a typical workday, such as project development or product release dates. 

Communication is crucial to any company’s success — the challenge, then, is learning how to communicate effectively, especially as a large company with multinational presences. 

Why is communication such a big deal for companies?

Below is a list of 5 major reasons why you, as a big entity, should focus on communication within your organization.

#1. Increases employee engagement

A two-way internal communication channel makes people more engaged in day-to-day operations and future business goals. However, it isn’t as simple as sending out information. Instead, it is about improving the dialogue and building an understanding of the expectations between and across every level of the organization. 

For instance, some employees may feel they are not heard enough and are constantly looking for opportunities to contribute to the company’s success. They want to have a say in the major decisions of the company. Simply put, they want to feel empowered to create and innovate. In this case, it’s important that the organization provides opportunities for upward communication, as well. 

Further, it is observed that if an employee doesn’t feel engaged, they don’t think twice before leaving. Therefore, internal communications are vital. They make people connect. No wonder, then, the companies are adopting new managerial strategies such as hackathons, reverse feedback, and reverse mentoring for boosting employee engagement. 

#2. Create stronger team bonds 

Building a stronger team is nearly impossible without a good communication infrastructure. It helps connect employees regardless of their geographical location. For example, instant messaging tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams allow for instantaneous communication with individuals or groups with relative ease. This allows for increased speed and efficiency as teams try to solve problems or look for guidance; it is often faster and easier to send quick messages than a phone call or virtual meeting. 

This type of communication platform also offers the opportunity for individuals and teams to communicate in fun ways as well. For example, some companies may set up specific shared channels where members are encouraged to drop photos of their pets throughout the day. This allows employees to engage in both personal and professional ways, supporting stronger bonds across the business. 

In these times, when most companies are now working remotely,  transparent and instant communication daily helps connect all remote workers. It is also the reason virtual telephony is catching up with companies the world over. These business phone numbers provided by the VoIP services providers help employees collaborate more easily, as well. 

#3. Avoid unintended miscommunication

Things may not always go as a business may have planned. M&A takes place, teams are restructured, individuals are moved around. Learning about any prospective change from an external source can shake an employee’s faith and trust in the company. 

Decisions like these require cautious handling because announcements about such big changes can make some employees uneasy. Instant communication is key. More and more big organizations are realizing the importance of quick action and responding accordingly. 

Good communication also helps in keeping things transparent. This is vital when you need to tell employees what has happened, who will be affected, and what it means for the organization in a delicate tone. Doubts and concerns are a natural reaction to big news and must be handled empathetically, especially in layoffs. 

A solid and consistent internal communication strategy will ensure the company avoids unintended consequences of miscommunication. 

#4. Boosts Productivity

Four out of five employees think that good internal communication improves their job performance. This is another reason companies focus heavily on communication. 

Effective internal communication ensures that employees share knowledge across the organization easily and that they feel comfortable proactively challenging the status quo and bringing new ideas to the table. Creating this type of culture helps to instill a company-wide mindset of problem-solving, openness, and ultimately more productivity in the long run.

For example, a brainstorming session is only as good as the bad ideas that are also brought to the table. If employees don’t feel that open communication is standard practice at their company, they will not participate in such a way that promotes a successful brainstorm session. If employees understand that psychological safety and open communication are fundamental values where they work, they will be more willing to bring all ideas to the table, ultimately allowing them to better support company-wide goals. 

#5. Improves knowledge sharing 

Another reason companies are increasingly investing in communication is to enable knowledge sharing. When employees are learning new skills, employers are forced to devise strategies that make employees share their knowledge openly. 

Research shows that employees, on average, spend a significant amount of time (almost 4.5  hours weekly) searching for the right information to perform their job. That’s over 10% of their time, per week! 

Making the knowledge accessible is a win-win situation. Knowledge sharing activity brings people of different departments together, opening diverse communication channels. The employees thus feel connected and more valued in the company. 

Successfully transfer of internal knowledge makes it easy for new employees onboarding and allows them to be set up for success on day one.  

In Summary

The size of enterprises or larger companies can make it challenging to communicate effectively. The problem is compounded by the fact that people within organizations don’t necessarily know what others are doing at any given time. Perhaps this is the reason companies have now woken up to the need for better communication and now rely on it heavily. 

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to make work friends when you work from home
• How to use virtual phone systems in 2021
• Business trends to keep an eye on
• 10 reasons IT support is important for your business