Streamlining Internal Communications: 10 Must-Try Tips

Imagine if you had the right systems and processes in place so you could always find the exact information you needed when you needed it most! There’s nothing worse than not being able to find a document you need to get a task done or having to go through a long list of colleagues just to find the answer to a simple question. This is where internal communication comes into play. Failing to streamline internal communication may result in missed deadlines, reduced productivity, poor employee morale, lack of innovation, customer dissatisfaction, missed opportunities, and miscommunications. Prioritizing communication and creating a culture of accessible, transparent information helps to mitigate these risks while benefiting an organization’s overall performance and success. In this article, we’ll detail 10 must-try tips that will change the way your organization communicates, saving everyone time, energy, and resources.

• What does it mean to streamline internal communication?
• Why is it important to streamline your internal communication?
• 10 tips for streamlining internal communications

What does it mean to streamline internal communication? 

Streamlining internal communication refers to the process of optimizing and improving the flow of information within an organization to ensure that the right message reaches the right people at the right time, through the proper communication channels. Key aspects of streamlining internal communication include identifying and leveraging appropriate communication channels, defining clear communication objectives for each message, ensuring that the message is delivered promptly to the appropriate audience, using clear and concise messaging to minimize misunderstandings, and providing employees with the appropriate resources and training to ensure effective communication. 

Why is it important to streamline your internal communication? 

Streamlining internal communication is essential for fostering collaboration, reducing misunderstandings and the spread of misinformation, and creating a cohesive work environment. A streamlined internal communication process ensures information is conveyed quickly and efficiently to the appropriate parties, reducing delays, avoiding wasted time on unnecessary follow-ups, and improving overall efficiency within the organization.

10 tips for streamlining internal communications 

• Assign a directly responsible individual (DRI)
• Invest in an internal communication tool
• Take meeting action items
• Foster transparency
• Establish communication practices in your onboarding process
• Set and track goals
• Document decisions
• Use confirming language
• Start a company newsletter
• Create communication guidelines

1Assign a directly responsible individual (DRI)

Similar to a point person, a directly responsible individual (DRI) is a person within an organization who is responsible for the success or completion of a particular task, project, or initiative. The concept of assigning a DRI emphasizes the importance of holding one person accountable for a specific task, ensuring this person takes full ownership over the task that is assigned to them. In addition to taking ownership of the task, the DRI acts as the primary point of contact for the task or project. They are responsible for answering any questions and providing any relevant updates on challenges or progress, ensuring that everyone involved is informed and on the same page. 

2Invest in an internal communication tool

Streamlining internal communication can be difficult, which is why it’s important to use all the tools you have at your disposal. Internal communication tools make it possible to exchange information quickly and efficiently and typically house features that help create a centralized hub for company information. Additionally, internal communication tools often gather real-time insights that make it possible to inform future strategies with concrete data. 

Fellow is an internal communication tool like no other, empowering users to improve internal operations and boost employee engagement by making it possible for leaders, managers, direct reports, and peers to collaborate on meeting agendas, assign action items, get suggested conversation topics, and exchange feedback in real time. 

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3Take meeting action items

Assigning action items provides clear expectations for what needs to be done, who is responsible for a task, and when it must be completed, leaving little to no room for miscommunication. Recording action items also helps teams reduce unnecessary communication, resulting in less time wasted and less communication overload. If teammates require additional information or have questions, they can simply refer to the master list for clarity. This means that responsibilities are clearly defined upfront, increasing the likelihood of tasks being completed on time. 

If you struggle to foster accountability within your team after assigning action items, it may be time to leverage a meeting management tool like Fellow. Fellow makes it possible to keep the momentum going after each meeting by providing you with one easy-to-use tool you can use to assign, visualize, and prioritize all meeting action items in one place.

4Foster transparency

A transparent work environment lies at the center of an organization’s internal communication efforts. A transparent environment will create a more positive and cohesive work environment, align employees with the organization’s mission, and enable better decision-making and crisis management. Additionally, transparency helps foster trust among teammates and management. When employees can speak freely and trust management to share factual information, whether or not it may be good news, this trust creates a more positive work environment. Transparent information also ensures that all employees have access to the same information, reducing the spread of gossip and misinformation. 

5Establish communication practices in your onboarding process

Establishing communication practices during the onboarding process will set the tone for the employee’s entire stay within the organization. Failing to implement proper communication practices during the onboarding process will result in confusion right out of the gate, whereas taking the time to properly brief all incoming employees on communication guidelines and rules right away will ensure they’re equipped with the knowledge necessary to prioritize effective communication. All incoming employees should know exactly where to find the information they need and who to ask for additional support. 

6Set and track goals 

Did you know that you can stay on top of your team’s goals by clearly recording, defining, and tracking the progress of your objectives and key results (OKRs) in Fellow’s Objectives tool? With Fellow, setting and tracking goals is as simple as defining a cycle, adding your team’s objectives, specifying your key results, and staying on track by adding an Objectives tab to your team meetings. The best part? You can quickly review your objectives during your team meetings by adding your objectives to your meeting agenda. This means you can easily review progress, resolve challenges, and keep all your OKRs on track. As progress is made on each objective, the overall progress bar will change from orange (0%) to green (100%), making it easy for everyone to visualize and track success over time. 

7Document decisions

Documenting decisions is a crucial part of streamlining internal communication. When there is a thorough record of all internal decisions, it helps create an organized and well-informed communication environment. In addition to streamlining internal communication, documenting decisions will improve collaboration, reduce redundancy and wasted time, and help to create a culture of accountability. By taking collaborative meeting minutes with Fellow, you can keep an official record of the discussions and action items generated during meetings so you never have to worry about forgetting an important detail again. 

8Use confirming language 

Using confirming language is a simple technique that you can leverage to streamline internal communication. Conforming language eliminates the risk of miscommunication by repeating or reiterating what you’ve learned or heard at the moment. By confirming what the speaker said, you determine that you’ve understood and that you value their input or opinions. This encourages open and honest communication and helps foster a positive and respectful work environment. Remember, if employees feel valued and respected after each interaction, they will be more likely to engage in future opportunities. When used correctly, confirming language can enhance relationships, promote more effective internal communication, and foster a supportive and understanding environment. 

9Start a company newsletter 

Starting a company newsletter is an excellent way to centralize information. Circulating a company newsletter will provide you with the means to provide company updates and initiatives, ensuring everyone within the organization has equal access to timely and relevant information. Instead of employees searching through multiple channels for the information they need, they can expect to receive consistent and regular information through the company newsletter. This consistency ensures that information is dispersed regularly, reducing the risk of miscommunication or employees feeling left out or misinformed. Your newsletter should leave employees feeling informed, engaged, and aligned with the organization’s objectives. 

10Create communication guidelines

Communication guidelines are principles or best practices agreed upon by an organization that strives to streamline internal communication. These guidelines ensure there is no guesswork when it comes to respectful, appropriate communication in the workplace. Common guidelines include practicing active listening, being clear and concise, avoiding assumptions, using respectful language, considering timing, being open to feedback, avoiding gossip and emotional reactions, and clarifying expectations when necessary.  

Are you prepared to level up your internal communication game? 

Streamlining internal communication can be difficult without a game plan, which is why we’ve taken the time to round up the best tips and tidbits of advice. Considering these tips will ensure you have the knowledge necessary to streamline internal communication from here on out.