Ever found yourself feeling left out at work?

Ever pondered about projects or the rationale behind workplace decisions?

It’s like navigating through a busy city, right?

Effective communication channels are essential for information exchange across departments, from leadership to employees. So, how does this crucial information flow smoothly within an organization? Here’s where the role of an internal communication manager (ICM) shines through.

They act as the bridge connecting management and employees, making sure everyone is informed and aligned on shared goals. Keeping internal communication consistent and transparent is essential for creating a positive work atmosphere.

What Exactly Is an Internal Communications Manager?

An Internal Communications Manager, also known as an ICM, plays a role in shaping how an organization communicates internally. This includes sharing company news, implementing policies promoting employee participation, and organizing cultural events.

The ICM acts as a link, ensuring that everyone within the organization receives accurate information. This practice promotes openness, fosters trust among employees, and keeps everyone focused on achieving the company’s objectives.

Their duties involve crafting messages that are easy to understand and consistent, helping employees stay informed, engaged, and aligned with the company’s mission. Whether it is disseminating announcements across the company or providing updates to departments, the ICM ensures that everyone is well-informed and working towards the goals.

Also Read: Tips For Improving Line Manager Communication

The Vital Role of Internal Communication Managers

In the fast-paced workplace, effective and transparent communication holds greater significance than ever before. Research indicates that organizations implementing internal communication strategies witness a 47% increase in return to shareholders (TRS) compared to those lacking in communication effectiveness. This outcome is not unexpected.

When staff members feel well-informed and appreciated, they tend to exhibit levels of engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction. An Internal Communication Manager (ICM) plays a role.

They serve as communicators and creators of content and even possess some understanding similar to that of a psychologist when it comes to comprehending employee requirements and preferences. Here’s an overview of their duties-

• Developing Communication Strategy: ICMs craft a comprehensive plan for internal communication, considering the best channels (company intranet, email, social media platforms) and message delivery methods for different audiences within the organization.
• Content Creation: From company announcements and policy updates to employee newsletters and engaging social media content, ICMs create clear, informative, and engaging internal communication materials.
• Employee Engagement: A key focus for ICMs is fostering a sense of community and belonging among employees. This can involve organizing events, facilitating internal communication platforms, and encouraging employee feedback.
• Crisis Communication: During challenging times, ICMs play a vital role in managing internal communication. Accurate and timely intervention is crucial and efficiently carried out by them at all levels.

The Importance of Effective Internal Communication

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Research indicates a connection between internal communication and fostering a favorable workplace atmosphere. Let us discuss how the initiatives of an ICM can impact the scenario:

• Boosts Employee Engagement: A report by Forbes found that highly engaged employees are 21% more profitable. ICMs keep employees informed about company goals, progress, and achievements. This helps in developing a sense of ownership and purpose, leading to higher engagement levels.
• Improves Morale: When employees feel like they’re ‘in the know,’ it results in trust and a sense of belonging. This can lead to higher morale and a more positive work environment. Informed employees are empowered employees. When employees are able to grasp the decisions made by the company and sense appreciation, their spirits tend to lift. This results in work efficiency, leading to lower rates of absenteeism and a friendlier atmosphere at work.
• Alignment with Company Goals: Clear communication guarantees that all team members comprehend the company’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives. This alignment helps employees work together more effectively toward achieving those goals. ICMs ensure employees understand not just their individual tasks but how their work contributes to the bigger picture. As a result, there is a feeling of purpose and guidance within the company.

Also Read: Tips to Create a Crisis Communication Plan

Internal Communication Roles and Responsibilities

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ICMs as champions are crucial to an organization’s triumph. They maintain a seamless information flow, cultivating transparency to enhance staff engagement, lift spirits, and ensure alignment with the company’s objectives. A significant 44% of employees have expressed their interest in utilizing communication tools frequently.

An ICM plays multiple roles that are primarily focused on five key areas:

1. Developing and Implementing Communication Strategy

• Defining Communication Goals: ICMs begin by analyzing the organization’s needs and setting clear communication goals. These could involve increasing employee awareness of company initiatives, boosting engagement in a new program, or improving understanding of a new policy. Survey data has shown that 86% of employees have reported ineffective communication and collaboration as the main reasons for a downfall in operations at the workplace.
• Choosing Communication Channels: With goals defined, ICMs select the most effective communication channels. This could involve the company network emails sent out to employees, social media channels, within the organization gatherings, like town hall meetings, or even video communications.

2. Content Creation and Delivery

• Creating Engaging Messages- Internal Communications Managers (ICMs) focus on developing captivating stories that connect with staff members. This entails crafting concise and interesting messages tailored to groups within the company. Whether it is sharing updates from leadership informing about policy modifications or highlighting employee appreciation initiatives, ICMs ensure the delivery of the message.
• Addressing Diverse Learning Preferences- Acknowledging the learning styles among employees, ICMs leverage a range of content formats. This can involve written materials such, as articles, blogs, interactive videos, and visually appealing infographics.

3. Employee Engagement and Feedback

• Engaging the Workforce– Maintaining different levels of employee engagement is a key focus area for Integrated Care Managers (ICMs). They implement strategies such as conducting staff surveys, organizing town hall gatherings and utilizing networking platforms to promote open communication.
• Attentive Communication- ICMs proactively gather feedback from employees through surveys, group discussions and suggestion boxes. Subsequently, they take action to resolve any issues raised by employees and ensure that their perspectives are acknowledged by company leadership.

4. Change Management Communication

• Communicating Change Effectively: Change can be disruptive, so clear communication is crucial. ICMs effectively communicate upcoming changes within the organization, addressing potential anxieties and concerns.
• Supporting Change Adoption: They provide clear timelines, explain the rationale behind the changes, and offer support resources to ease the transition. This helps employees understand and embrace the change.

5. Internal Branding and Culture Building

• Encouraging Mission and Principles- Internal Communications Managers (ICMs) play an active role in advocating for the company’s mission, vision, and values. They utilize communication platforms to emphasize these beliefs and help all team members grasp the significance of their contributions, to the broader goals.
• Nurturing a Sense of Pride and Inclusivity- Through recognizing company accomplishments and sharing stories of employee achievements, ICMs cultivate feelings of pride and belonging within the workforce. This creates a culture where employees feel respected and acknowledged.

Also Read: Fighting Burnout With Employee Communication Strategies

Essential Skills and Qualifications for an ICM

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To succeed in the role of an Internal Communications Manager (ICM)- having a set of skills and qualifications is essential. With these qualities, ICMs contribute to connecting leadership with employees, promoting openness and involvement, and advancing the success of the organization. The role of an ICM requires a mix of capabilities and credentials. Here are some noteworthy areas to focus on:

• Strong writing and editing skills: ICMs are tasked with creating brief and compelling communication materials for audiences. Strong writing and editing abilities are crucial to guarantee that messages are organized and grammatically correct for connecting with the target audience.
• Content creation expertise (various formats): Today’s communication landscape demands versatility. Effective ICMs possess the ability to create compelling content in various formats beyond just text. Creating video scripts producing infographics and developing interactive content tailored to different learning preferences is essential to engage employees.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills: Internal communication managers serve as a link connecting management and employees. They must possess communication skills, the ability to listen attentively to staff issues, convey details in a simple manner, and establish good rapport with stakeholders at every organizational level.
• Project management and organizational skills: Creating and executing an elaborate communication plan demands careful preparation and coordination. Internal communication managers demonstrate proficiency in overseeing projects, handling tasks, simultaneously meeting deadlines, and ensuring the progress of communication efforts.
• Ability to analyze data and measure the effectiveness of communication strategies: In an era focused on data, evaluating the effectiveness of communication is vital. Individuals, in communication roles must feel at ease examining information gathered from surveys, website visits and social media interactions to gauge how well their plans are working and to make informed choices, for enhancement.
• Up-to-date knowledge of internal communication tools and technologies: The field of communication is always changing. Professionals in this area keep up with the tools and technologies to stay ahead of the game. These could include social collaboration platforms, employee engagement apps, or content management systems to optimize communication strategies.

Also Read: Creating a Positive Work Environment: Tips for Frontline Team Leaders

In Summary

An Internal Communication Manager (ICM) is vital for establishing a strong foundation for the organization. They serve as the spokesperson for leadership, ensuring that employees are well-informed and involved. They develop a communication plan, produce materials that encourage dialogue and keep up to date with the trends in the industry.

If you’re looking for resources to positively impact your company culture and enhance employee happiness, the Employee App is the choice for you. Contact us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is internal communication important?

Effective communication plays a role in enhancing employee involvement, motivation, and synchronization with the company’s objectives. Employees who are deeply committed are significantly less inclined to seek opportunities, reducing turnover rates by 87%. 

2. What are the core functions of an ICM?

ICMs develop communication strategies, create content, promote employee engagement, manage change communication, and build internal brand culture.

3. What skills are essential for an ICM?

Strong writing, content creation expertise, communication & interpersonal skills, project management, data analysis skills, and knowledge of internal communication tools.

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