The C-suite should pay close attention to how they communicate and should be aware of the implications of improper or ineffective communication. Executives are faced with several challenges when it comes to effectively talking to their employees, from growing employee turnover rates to a quickly changing work landscape that centers around a digital workplace. In this decade, perhaps more than ever, the stakes are high; and a good employee experience begins at the top. This blog will discuss why it’s paramount for your leadership team to understand the importance of communication, the role they should play in communication, and the far-reaching consequences of failure.
The importance of effective leadership communication
Effective communication is one of those things that isn’t necessarily noticeable unless it’s absent. Like a crucial gear in a clock, while it may seem like a little piece, its absence will throw off the precision and effectiveness of the entire machine. Here are the top 3 reasons having an effective workplace communication strategy is the crux of a better organization.
1. Employee retention
Your leadership team is likely increasingly focused on retaining and attracting new talent as we continue to see trends that show how more and more workers are quick to “jump-ship” and move from organization to organization. Targeting your communications efforts to make progress on inclusion and diversity can be the key to driving retainment, as discussed in Gallagher’s 2022 report. Only 22% of organizations make an effort guided by an overarching strategy or workforce data, according to the report—which makes retention of women especially challenging. Using data and a clear overarching strategy that incorporates multiple communication channels and an active approach is one of the main ways your organization can enjoy high levels of employee retention.
2. Future-proofing your organization
Effective workplace communication is about more than just supporting employees and organizations in their day-to-day work. It can also help your organization be one step ahead and ready for the future, both by providing a platform for change management and a highly flexible, adaptable, and scalable workspace to meet new priorities, challenges, and opportunities.
We live in volatile times; a solid internal comms strategy can help future-proof your organization and be ready for whatever the world throws your way. Innovation is an aim for most leadership teams, but many need help implementing processes to support innovation. Some intranet software, like Intranet Connections, has features that can ask employees to submit ideas for new products and services or how to meet particular organizational challenges. Other employees can then provide feedback and vote for the best ideas which can then be implemented. This approach results in gathering game-changing ideas and is also great for staff engagement.
3. Improve employee experience to improve customer experience
As we have already seen, investing in an intranet can lead to an improved employee experience. Research at MIT has shown that companies with strong employee experience also have higher levels of customer satisfaction than those that don’t. When your employees are happier and enjoying a working environment with less stress and higher productivity, it is reflected in the care and service provided by customer-facing staff, particularly in high-touch sectors like financial services, retail, hospitality, and leisure.
How leadership teams and executives impact internal comms
As the leader of an organization, you are responsible for creating a culture that results in a high-functioning, productive, and healthy work environment. Integrating inclusion and diversity (I&D) is a significant responsibility for leadership teams and is often overlooked—with only 21% of C-Suites counting I&D as one of their top priorities.
However, incorporating I&D into business strategy is a tricky balancing act, as even the most sincere and well-intentioned efforts can be seen as performative. To avoid this, I&D strategies should be supported by clearly defined purpose statements, as stated in Gallagher’s 2022 report.
This point also ties back to the increasing retention and attraction of new talent in today’s labor market. According to Gallagher, “interest in working for an organization with a strong ethical purpose is rapidly rising, and for some employees, the qualification is non-negotiable.” By investing in a more diverse and inclusive communications strategy, you are creating a workplace that automatically incentivizes people to remain at your organization and for new talent to not question whether working for you is morally responsible.
The consequences of failing to employ an effective leadership communication strategy
Suppose your leadership team cannot employ, endorse, and maintain a communication strategy focused on providing a solid employee experience and support I&D. In that case, you risk a toxic and flailing workplace. Retention would fall, as would the number of ethically and morally minded new hires. Key groups that are the future of the workforce, such as women and minorities, will not want to work at your organization. Creating employees genuinely passionate about your brand and company will be more complicated—but will ultimately affect your customer experience and your bottom line.
Find out how leadership teams can benefit from IC’s internal comms solution
At IC, we’ve spent over 20 years providing software for organizations interested in creating a happier and more productive employee experience. Book a demo today to find out how our solution can help your leadership team maintain an engaged and efficient workforce. Or, if you’re not yet ready for a demo, check out our intranet guide for executives!
