How to Create a Successful HR Communication Strategy 

Everyone knows Human Resources play a critical role in the functioning of a business. How else are you going to hire new people, ensure paychecks arrive, and deal with the day-to-day logistical obstacles that pop up at every company?

But not everyone knows that without the proper communications strategy in place, all those HR efforts are bound to fall flat. In this article, we’ll discuss why a strong communication strategy matters for HR, and how to begin putting one into place. 

The Benefits of Implementing an HR Communication Strategy

It’s simply a fact: in today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, effective communication is crucial for the success of any organization. Human Resources (HR) play a pivotal role in ensuring that communication flows smoothly within the company. And by implementing a well-defined communications strategy, organizations can reap numerous benefits. Such as? Well, here are just a few:

Enhancing Employee Engagement & Employee Satisfaction

A robust HR communication strategy establishes a direct line of communication between the HR department and employees. This fosters a culture of transparency, trust, and open dialogue, leading to increased engagement and satisfaction. When employees feel informed and involved in decision-making processes, they are more likely to be motivated and productive.

Strengthening Internal Collaboration and Teamwork

An effective communication strategy facilitates seamless collaboration among employees and teams. By providing clear channels of communication, HR ensures that information and updates are shared promptly, allowing for better coordination and teamwork. This leads to improved project outcomes, higher efficiency, and a cohesive work environment.

Aligning Employees with Organizational Goals

Through strategic communication, HR can effectively communicate the company’s vision, mission, and goals to employees.

By creating awareness and understanding of organizational objectives, employees can align their efforts and contribute towards achieving these goals. This alignment promotes a sense of purpose and direction within the workforce.

Improving Change Management and Adaptability

Change is inevitable in any organization. An HR communications strategy helps facilitate smooth transitions during times of change, such as mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring.

By providing timely and relevant information, HR enables employees to understand the rationale behind changes, alleviating uncertainties and resistance. This promotes a smoother transition and enhances the organization’s adaptability.

Supporting Learning and Development Initiatives

HR communications play a vital role in disseminating information about learning and development opportunities within the organization.

By providing employees with regular updates on training programs, workshops, and skill development initiatives, HR encourages continuous learning and professional growth. This fosters a culture of personal development and empowers employees to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Enhancing Employee Well-Being and Work-Life Balance

An effective HR communications strategy also addresses the well-being and work-life balance of employees. By providing information on wellness programs, employee assistance services, and flexible work arrangements, HR supports the holistic well-being of employees. This promotes a positive work environment and contributes to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

In short, implementing an HR communications strategy brings numerous benefits to organizations.

From enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction to promoting collaboration and aligning employees with organizational goals, effective communications is a cornerstone of success in today’s competitive business landscape. By prioritizing and investing in strategic HR communications practices, companies can unlock the full potential of their workforce.

How to Develop an HR Communication Plan

So how do you actually make it happen? Good question. Obviously, developing a comprehensive HR communication plan is crucial for organizational success.

This plan serves as a roadmap, guiding HR professionals on how to effectively communicate with employees and foster a culture of transparency and engagement. So to get things started, here are the key steps needed for developing an HR communication plan:

Define Your Employee Segments

Understanding your audience is the first step in any communications strategy. In this case, your audience is your employees. Segment them based on their roles, departments, locations, or any other relevant factors. This will allow you to tailor your communication to suit the specific needs and preferences of each group.

Define Your HR Communication Channels

Identify the channels through which you’ll communicate with your employees. These could include email, company intranet, team meetings, business communication tools, or one central location like a company bulletin board.

The choice of channel should align with the preferences of your employee segments to ensure effective delivery and reception of messages.

Determine the Communication Costs

Consider the costs associated with your chosen communication channels. This includes both the monetary costs and the time investment required from the HR and communications teams. Budgeting appropriately for these costs ensures that your HR communication plan remains sustainable in the long term.

Set a Timeline

Establish a timeline for your HR communications strategy. This should outline when and how frequently you will communicate with different employee segments. Remember, good communication is ongoing and consistent, so aim for regular interactions rather than one-off messages.

Build a Mutual Understanding

Encourage two-way or upward communication. Employees should feel comfortable sharing their ideas, feedback, and concerns. This mutual understanding can significantly improve HR communication and engagement.

Strategize an Onboarding Process for New Employees

Your HR communication plan should include a comprehensive onboarding process. Ensure that new employees understand their roles, the company culture, and where they fit within the organization. This early communication sets the tone for their entire tenure.

Identify Your Internal Champions

These are influential individuals who can help drive your communication efforts. They could be managers, team leaders, or highly respected colleagues. Leverage these individuals to disseminate information and foster a culture of open communication.

Define Clearly Your Employee Value Proposition

Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP) is the unique set of benefits that an employee receives in return for the skills, capabilities, and experience they bring to your company. Communicating this clearly helps to align individual goals with organizational objectives.

Make Company Culture the Focus

Your company’s culture should underpin all your communication efforts. Whether it’s celebrating achievements, sharing company news, or discussing challenges, always relate it back to your core values and cultural pillars.

Create a Long-Term Internal Communications Strategy & Plan

Your HR communication plan should not be static. It should evolve with your organization and adapt to changing circumstances. Regularly review and update your plan to ensure it continues to meet the needs of your employees and organization.

By following these steps, HR departments can create an effective communications plan that enhances employee engagement, fosters a positive workplace culture, and ultimately contributes to organizational success.

Tips to Improve HR Communication in the Workplace

Why is a communication strategy so critical for HR? Simple. Because effective communication is the bridge connecting employees to the organization’s strategic plan, business objectives, and culture.

Without a strong strategy in place, all of those things will begin to suffer. With that in mind, here are some valuable tips to enhance HR communication in your workplace:

Create an All-In-One Communication System

Implement a unified communication system that allows for easy dissemination of key messages and company news. A centralized system ensures consistency in communication and keeps all employees informed.

With a communication platform like Sociabble, for example, all employees can stay connected to company information, either via desktop access or a mobile app.

Communications can be organized by themed channels, making access easy, and audience targeting can ensure the right people receive the information they need. And all of this is accessible via a single, centralized hub.

Align Employee Goals With Business Purposes

Employees should understand how their individual goals contribute to the overall business objectives. Regularly communicate the organization’s strategic plan and show how each role supports it. This alignment fosters a sense of purpose and motivates employees to perform at their best.

With Sociabble, receiving upward communication and feedback is made easy for admins and executives. Reactions and comments on posts, combined with survey and quiz features, enable management to keep their finger on the pulse of employee comprehension and alignment, and to adjust their communications strategy accordingly. 

Make Internal Communications Documents Easily Accessible

Ensure that employees can easily access important documents, such as policies, procedures, and guidelines. This could be achieved through a shared drive or a dedicated section on the company intranet. Easy access to information empowers employees to find answers independently and reduces the burden on the HR team.

With Sociabble’s “Service Desk” feature, employees can easily send requests to managers with just a few clicks, making it easy to manage access and workflow. And with Sociabble’s Media Drive, users have access to a single, secure document repository where they can instantly access files they need, as well as pre-approved content for sharing. 

Leverage Metrics for Success

For example, a Human Resources team might use metrics to track and improve open enrollment activity. By analyzing these metrics, they can identify bottlenecks, make improvements, and ultimately achieve higher levels of employee participation. This data-driven approach can be applied to other areas of employee communications too, beyond simply improving HR communications.

Sociabble’s full panel of analytics empowers admins to monitor results and make the proper fixes to maximize performance. Data is available regarding audiences, channels, content, users, time period, campaigns, etc.

It paints a clear picture of what kinds of content and targeting is working, and what needs improvement, with the ability to slice and dice data based on YOUR needs. Plus, multiple filters and the ability to add multiple criteria allow for extreme specificity and precision. ​

Prioritize Productivity

Improved productivity is a common outcome of effective HR communication. When employees are clear about expectations, receive timely feedback, and understand their roles, they are more likely to work efficiently. Regularly communicate performance metrics and progress towards goals to keep productivity high.

One way Sociabble helps to encourage high performance is through its peer-to-peer recognition and praises features, which empowers employees to recognize and congratulate their colleagues on a job well done.

It boosts morale and increases team spirit, while also reinforcing company values and promoting business best practices. 

Encourage Communication

There’s no doubt about it: workplace communication is becoming challenging with so many people working remotely. It’s increasingly difficult to keep a sense of alignment and a common mission in place. This is why HR needs optimal communications for maintaining the sense of connection and common purpose that can easily be lost. 

Sociabble can assist with this thanks to features like Sociabble Enterprise Video and Live events. Everything from everyday business chats to town halls and coffee breaks can take place live and via a video connection, with the possibility to leave comments and emoji reactions. It brings people together and enhances understanding and retention, at a time when much of the workforce is doing their jobs remotely. 

Improve Employee Engagement

A well-implemented communication strategy can significantly boost employee engagement. Regular updates, recognition for good work, and opportunities for feedback make employees feel valued and involved. It can also increase employee retention rates and create less turnover.

To accomplish this, consider using tools like Sociabble’s employee satisfaction surveys or other online survey modules to gather employee feedback, gauge engagement levels, and identify areas for improvement.

Include All the Workforce

Companies only work if everyone is on the same page. You need to establish a common sense of identity, a common culture, and general alignment on which direction the company is headed.

This is especially true for frontline workers, who are often away from the main office, and cut off from many messages due to a lack of desktop or professional email. 

With Sociabble, a mobile app with branding options can keep frontline workers just as informed and engaged as office employees, with all the same tools and information streams available to them on their mobile devices.

They feel like they’re part of the same team, working towards the same goals, and interacting with the same content as everyone else at the company.

Collectively, when implementing these tips, organizations can create effective HR communication strategies that strengthen the connection between employees and the company, enhance productivity, and foster a positive work culture. We’ve seen them work time and time again in internal comms initiatives.

Case Study: How Pierre Fabre Optimized Their HR Communication Strategy with a Single, Unified Platform

Pierre Fabre is a leading French pharmaceutical and cosmetic group created in 1962 and based in Castres, in the south of France. The group employs nearly 10,000 people in 43 subsidiaries around the world, marketing medicines, family health products, and dermo-cosmetics. 

In recent years, however, like many companies in the pharmaceutical & cosmetics sectors, the Pierre Fabre Group has faced numerous communication challenges, which led it to undertake a profound transformation of its organization, starting with a new initiative in 2019 to address ineffective communication. And one of the major obstacles to tackle was the uneven presence and usage of communication tools.

There was no common hub, for HR messaging or internal communications in general, and a single solution was sought to unify the various information streams, and to keep all employees connected and feeling like part of the same team. 

Previously, there had been significant disparity in Pierre Fabre’s internal communications. Many employees in the organization received little or no HR information.

Factory operators, logistics teams, medical sales representatives on the road and sometimes even an international subsidiary received unequal information from the Group.Stéphane Puyou, ComTech Manager for Pierre Fabre

Sometimes, employees even found out about the Group’s news on external channels, via social networks in particular. The Pierre Fabre Group decided to work together with Sociabble to create their own centralized employee communication platform to keep them connected to the critical HR and internal communication updates that they needed.

In only the first few weeks, the new platform radically changed the Pierre Fabre Group’s internal communication, making it more visual, more interactive, and more relevant to users.

Instead of long files or articles that are not adapted to their needs, employees now find shorter, targeted publications, already sequenced for them to read. They also discover a much more local communication stream, reflecting news that’s close to them, available right on their mobile devices.

Use Sociabble to Communicate Effectively with All Your Employees

At Sociabble, our expertise is in helping companies to unify their internal communication and bring their workforce together.

To accomplish this, we provide a cutting-edge platform backed up by training, support, and consulting services, taking into account the unique needs and specialties of each individual client.

We’ve worked with industry leaders like Coca-Cola CCEP, Renault Group, and L’Occitane en Provence, and we’d love to discuss adding your company to our roster of satisfied clients. To learn more about how Sociabble can help, just sign up for a free, personalized demo, we’re always happy to chat!