By Amanda Lima
Measuring results is always a challenging situation when, many times, we are talking about unattainable goals, very common within the communication universe. Satisfaction among employees of a company, for instance, is one of the “measurings” that we wish to evaluate as result of an internal communication plan. It seems a rather thankless task, but there are a few effective methods to materialize the impact of communication actions oriented to internal public.
We have already gathered here a few advices of how to introduce internal communication strategies in an enterprise and how to apply them effectively. Therefore, I’ll limit myself to punctuate that investing in this tool represents a strong and essential means of creating an open, welcoming and intimate relationship with one of the most valuable components of any business: the employees.
Evaluating the impact of the produced content for the company’s internal audience – newsletters, newspapers, murals, house organs – allows the strategic structure of communication plans. Hence, we enhance the motivation and feeling of belonging of employees. It’s worth having in mind that, immersed in a digital reality of wide social network usage, each employee is also a content producer and a spokesperson of the company they work for.
Generally, there are two methods that allow us to qualify the results of actions in internal communication: internal researches and management and analysis tools. The first ones are applicable when reaching quantitative goals is intended – when the intention is reducing the turnover of employees in a one-year period, for instance. The second ones allow the analysis of the impact of the actions in a more quantitative and subjective way, connected to the satisfaction of employees, for example.
Check below four practical tools to measure the quality and efficiency of internal communication actions:
- Organizational climate researches
Very common within Human Resources teams, the internal researches can help measure how much the developed strategies in internal communication of a company are affective. A good survey must take into account the plan that motivated the action, as well as its goals. Elaborate essay or multiple choice questions that qualify the reception of the disclosed information.
- Engagement index
Any internal communication strategy should not stop at the end of the event or in the disclosure of a newsletter, for example. Investigating how the employees are getting involved with this content or action is also necessary. Gather data, structure interactivity networks, such as prizes, contests or quizzes, for example.
- Productivity analysis
Motivated professionals are certainly more productive. Examining the company’s numbers after the implementation of communication strategies may help chart a few conclusions about the effectiveness of the actions for a more engaged team, with a strong organizational culture for the consolidation of a competitive enterprise.
- Feedback
Many organizations mess up when they do not provide the internal audience the chance to share their opinions. Therefore, creating feedback networks allows the employee to feel more appreciated by the company and also provides the communication team one more source of data.