Internal Office Communications

Introduction

Internal office communications are systematic processes that allows everyone to feel included and informed. Good internal communication is essential for any organisation and it is therefore important to create systems that lead to a free flow of not only official information, but also ideas, feelings, and a sense of shared purpose. It keeps everyone informed of what's going on and ensures that everyone has the chance to deal with good news and bad news together.

Why

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This toolkit is useful for your organisation when it:

• needs to set up systems that will lead to good and efficient internal communication.
• wants to encourage a positive work atmosphere.
• feels that it lacks in efficient internal communication.

What you can expect

In eight steps this toolkit assists you in setting up efficient internal communications. Here you’ll find a step-by-step guide, tools, examples and other resources for establishing effective internal office communications.

Step 1: Identification

• List out the communication channels currently used and for what purpose (official information such as guidelines, policies, changes in the organisation or unofficial communication such as sharing ideas and opinions etc.). 
• Watch this short video to get an idea what internal office communications is about and how to improve it:

Step 2: Analysis

• Assess how information is flowing and where there are bottlenecks.
• Prioritise which information needs to be communicated to everyone and which information is relevant only to a particular team or department.

Step 3: Assign Responsibilities

• Establish what needs to be communicated by whom.
• The human resource manager might for example inform about people leaving or joining the organisation, the executive director about a funding cut or increase, new strategies or programs etc.

Step 4: Creation of Guidelines

• Write a guideline about how internal communication happens and who is responsible to share what kind of information and through which channel.
• Do not make assumptions; it needs to be clear to everyone in the team.
• Guidelines will help new staff members understand how information is shared from the beginning.

Step 5: Creation of Systems

• Discuss with the team what other communication systems they would like to use.
• For example internal email newsletters, intranet, internal whatsapp groups, notice boards etc.

Step 6: Culture

• Establish a climate that encourages open and honest communication in all directions. 
• Key staff members should therefore be role models for the rest of the organisation in communicating regularly and clearly with everyone in the organisation.
• Watch this inspirational video from Vineet Najar about the importance of cherishing internal office communications and relations:

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Step 7: Staff Training

• Have a training with the team. This is a way to reinforce a culture that fosters open communication. For example on how to give timely and constructive feedback to co-workers, on conflict resolution etc.
• Include role plays in your training to practice different styles and kind of communication.

Step 8: Monitoring

• Continue to make the internal communication better.
• In order to do so you have to look at it regularly to identify where it is working and where it is not, and to keep working toward your communication goals.

Key To Success

• Involve the whole team into discussions about where they feel communication needs to be improved and how it can be achieved. It is always better to have different perspectives and it will create ownership in the team.
• Ensure that communication does not only flow top-down, but into all directions.
• Do not communicate only through one main channel, but combine different channels and be creative when brainstorming about new ways of communication.

Challenges

• Often the need for a good system for internal communication is felt only after several miscommunications have happened.