7 Proven Tips to Improve HR Communication in the Workplace

The Great Resignation has turned the job market on its head. Workers are looking for the best place for themselves, with many companies struggling to stay competitive and attract talent. In order to stay ahead of the game, companies need to be innovative and create a company culture where employees are happy and can grow.

Many employees are not engaged in their work, which is largely due to their company not having good HR communication strategies.

Poor communication leads to wasted time, money, and resources. When HR communication is at its best, employees know what is expected of them, and they are more engaged and productive, increasing the bottom line. 

Benefits of HR Communication in the Workplace

HR communication is critical for a company to achieve its goals and objectives. When HR effectively communicates to employees, and those employees know what exactly is expected of them, they can ask questions and collaborate with coworkers. When employees are aligned with company goals, they are more likely to achieve them and propel the company forward. 

When communication is strong, and companies are truthful and transparent, employees begin to trust management. If employees feel that there is no communication and that the company they work for is secretive, they will feel disposable and won’t put in their maximum effort. HR communication should offer true and accurate information to employees regarding everything from benefits to company news. 

Employees need to feel appreciated and recognized for their achievements. Assuming that because you are paying an employee’s salary, they will put in their full effort is naive. Having a communicative HR team gives employees the confidence that the company is looking out for their best interest, and employees will work harder knowing they are appreciated. 

Good communication can improve employee creativity significantly, which, in turn, increases productivity. When employees know the end objective, they are free to think about numerous ways to get there rather than using the same techniques the company has previously used.

When HR communication is done correctly, each employee understands their role and responsibilities and is, therefore, able to produce results. Those results are possible because the goals were set out for each employee. 

Employees also know that if they exceed expectations, they are more likely to be promoted or gain other benefits. Having laid out a clear path for an employee gives them the drive to overcome challenges and builds company loyalty. 

Employee turnover is costly, and a high turnover rate can ruin a company’s reputation. Good communication starts from creating the job description and continues every day after. Communicating the responsibilities of the role thoroughly gives the employee an understanding of their part in the bigger picture, decreasing turnover.

HR communication isn’t a one-way street. Employees should be encouraged to speak freely to HR teams just as HR speaks to employees. One of the best ways to engage employees is to send out surveys. Surveys give employees a voice and give management insight into things they probably hadn’t thought of. Acting on that feedback shows employees they are valued, encourages more feedback and boosts morale. It’s important to find valuable ways to connect with employees. 

7 Tips to Improve HR Communication in the Workplace 

An all-in-one system is ideal when trying to implement effective HR communication strategies. An app is the most effective platform since, without the technological advantage, it’s so difficult to maintain consistent communication. 

Using an HR app gives users access to two-way communication channels, the ability to send out surveys and quizzes, and the tools needed to easily and effectively onboard new hires. 

Another important part of HR communication is having all employee data and documents safe and accessible. These documents could be everything from company policies to safety measures to benefit forms and employee data. Those that need to should be able to access it easily, but all the data should be secure, and an app can do that as well. 

An all-in-one HR communication platform also uses recognition and rewards programs to promote employee achievements and reward those employees. By highlighting those outstanding employees, others will look to them as leaders and strive to emulate their successes, further motivating employees and promoting engagement.

Leaders, whether management or not, hold a lot of weight when promoting new company policies. Getting leadership on board to use the new HR communication technology is crucial to the platform’s success. If no one is using it, do some research as to why. 

Even once leaders begin using the HR communication software, how will others know? Use the social feed on the HR communication platform to boost engagement and reward participation. When people know they will be rewarded, they are 78% more productive, and public recognition increases that number even higher.  

The social feed shouldn’t only be for recognizing and rewarding employees but also be filled with engaging content to incentivize employees to use the platform regularly. When you consider your employees part of your target audience and create content just for them, getting them to use the platform becomes easy. Remember that people are 82% more likely to watch a video than read a post. Other engaging content can be infographics, interactive newsletters, and exciting company announcements – the sky is the limit.

3. Focus on company culture 

The social feed should be more than just the company posting news; it should be an interactive place where employees can connect. When employees are communicating, they are opening themselves up to shared experiences and are creating the company culture. Companies only benefit from an open and friendly workplace where employees have a shared culture. 

A great company culture consists of a fun and engaging work environment where employees can work together and thrive. An open and inviting company culture builds trust between coworkers, management, and HR. 

Employees communicate better if they have a shared goal and shared culture. HR departments must create the company culture and act as leaders so employees can emulate the same beliefs and values.

Good company culture encourages employees to bond, leading to more teamwork and collaboration. To successfully work together, employees must trust one another to be dependable and be open to listening to each other. Employees must be comfortable asking for help or clarification when needed. When real friendships are created, employees will also be there for their coworkers to celebrate their successes and motivate them in their slumps. 

Using a social feed and chat features is just one way to get employees to communicate. Another option is to create a mentor program where employees are paired up to gain guidance. The guidance will help them excel at their job and introduce them to new people.

During onboarding is the perfect time to create a buddy system or mentor program since new employees need help meeting new people and understanding their roles. When working with a more seasoned employee, the new hires gain valuable feedback about how they’re working and what they can do differently.

Training employees on how to give that feedback is vital. HR must teach employees how to effectively communicate with one another and how managers should communicate with their employees. Managers need to be open to hearing what their employees have to say and not jump to conclusions about how to fix an issue they may not fully understand. 

HR communication is responsible for teaching these skills during onboarding. Teaching new hires right from the start how to be open and honest and giving them the tools to meet people and feel comfortable in the company provides the company with the opportunity to mold employees and build influential leaders. 

Don’t just stop with new hires; continuously check in with employees and help them excel. Refresher courses are always helpful for seasoned workers and help them to remember why they’re there. 

HR communication is most effective when onboarding to teach new employees how to get needed information, how to build strong bonds with coworkers, and how to communicate effectively within the company. Using a digital solution, you can create a functional onboarding course that employees can look back on and retake as needed. 

HR communications isn’t just the verbal exchange between employees; it includes all important information being accessible to all employees. A huge percentage of employees claim they don’t get enough direction at work, so having access to a central knowledge base helps employees understand their job and the company better. The knowledge base can include training videos, incident reports, new hire forms, and any other important document. 

HR must gather feedback from employees and make needed changes. Effective HR communication uses surveys, polling apps, and questionnaires to gather the data. The questions should include everything from work/life balance to their relationship with their manager. Employees are less likely to respond to these types of questions when the surveys are long and frequent. It’s important to find the balance between being informative and not intrusive. 

Once the feedback is gathered, it’s vital that the company acts upon the data. After all, 90% of workers said they are more likely to stay at a company that acts on feedback. A company that acts upon the data shows the employees that their opinions matter, and in the future, they will continue to contribute to the growth and success of the company. 

Surveys, and the like, are highly effective at facilitating two-way communication and encouraging company loyalty. According to a study, 69% of managers say they are uncomfortable giving employees feedback. A digital solution can help. When an employee is engaged and feels valued, they are more productive and more likely to stay at the company.

The Bottom Line on HR Communication

HR communication is vital to the success of every company. It needs to be integrated into every stage of an employee’s lifecycle in the company. Although its difficult to implement on a regular basis, a technological solution, like Connecteam, can lift some of the burdens from the HR team. 

Listening to and understanding the struggles of employees and making relevant changes can make a huge difference in the company’s bottom line. Increasing employee engagement, boosting productivity, and decreasing turnover are just a few of the many benefits of using an HR communication tool.