Is it time for an internal comms audit?

You have your weekly email updates, there is the leadership newsletter (is that still going out regularly?), and you have those monthly video calls. But not everyone loves presenting on video, and sometimes the leadership updates can be an overwhelming flood of numbers and jargon. 

And suddenly the meeting rooms are starting to feel smaller and smaller as more and more have joined the team. 

And those lunch-and-learns are getting more and more difficult to organise.

And maybe not everyone needs to join every call, but if you make them optional then important updates might get missed. 

And how can you even know if what you are saying is being heard? Are leadership updates and company announcements supposed to feel like shouting into the void?!

And…oh, wait? What was the original question?!!!

It can be overwhelming - you just want the right information to the right people at the right time, right? Easy. 

Not simple, but easy.

An internal communications audit is what you need.

What is it?

Like any audit, it’s taking a step back and getting a holistic view of what you currently have, identifying what’s working and how you do more of that. And spot what is not working as you need it to, and either change it or replace it.

By taking an overall view of how information is currently flowing in your company, you can get clear insights into how to make communication within your company more effective.

Step 1 - Why now?

So, the first thing to ask yourself is, why do we need to do this right now? Has the company undergone a lot of growth or restructuring recently? Is there a fabulous new change coming up and you want to make sure the lines of communication are ready for it? Or, was there an internal change recently that ended up causing a lot more confusion than was necessary and highlighted the need for a change to you?

By identifying why you need a comms audit right now, you can clearly set out the objectives. There will not only help guide the process, but it also means you will know if your audit has been successful. 

Step 2 - Get the gang together

Who needs to be involved? Well, you, obviously. A business leader is important, to not only be in a position to make the changes identified, but also to give the audit the weight it needs. If you have anyone from your marketing, great. Also, team leaders, anyone who makes up part of the communication trail. And also, your employees, the people who will be on the receiving end of the new and improved communications. By identifying and engaging with the audience from the beginning, you are getting valuable feedback on what works and why. Finally, a communications expert, either internally (lucky you!) or externally. If you need external advice you can reach out myself here at The Comms Thread and I will be happy to consult with you.

Step 3 - Choose your weapon

Surveys, feedback forms, questionnaires, observations, focus groups, open ended questions, closed ended questions - it’s all really helpful, and can give you amazing insights when used correctly.

Step 4 - Gather that data!

Using both your new methods, along with doing a deep analysis of existing communication channels. And don’t forget to gather qualitative data on your more informal channels!

Step 5 - Interpret your findings

Regather your team, some large cups of coffee and get stuck in! Look at what the data is telling you as best you can with an open-mind; sometimes we can be too close to the work to do this. An outside perspective can really help - get in touch!

Step 6 - Get to work

Now for the fun part - make a plan that works! Remember, it needs to Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based, or SMART!

What does that all mean?

Specific - remember our fabulous first step, our why? What is the issue you were setting out to solve. Solve it.

Measurable - can’t measure it, can’t improve it. It can be the amount of emails that are being sent every week or every month, or it can be more about your teams feedback and feelings. 

Achievable - I am all for ambitious targets, I really am. However, you have to look at this audit alongside everything else that is happening in your company right now, and how it ties back to our initial ‘why’.

Relevant - not just to the why of the audit (though of course, that’s important), but also the overall mission and values of your company as a whole, now and for the future.

Time-based - and when does it all need to be done by? By setting a time to get it done you have a time to check in, review and keep the motivation for the audit up!

Step 7 - Reenforce, review and re-audit

Make the audit and it’s finding part of your company's regular schedule. Don’t wait for a crisis to occur or a period of massive growth or change; a communications audit is a lot like a plunger, have one before you need one! 

If you have any questions about how to do an internal communications audit for your company or team, just reach out and The Comms Thread is here to help.