Internal Comms

Employer branding, and, more generally, talent branding, are hot topics in HR circles these days.

But there’s one noticeable flaw in the thinking behind much employer branding: It’s focused on getting candidates to apply, not keeping them. You think about that.

Most employer branding focuses on the “buying” part of the process – attracting candidates and getting them to buy into the company. But, what about the “selling” part? What about keeping candidates – and making sure they stay?

Maybe it’s time for companies to turn their attention to talent retention – to building cultures that keep great employees.

And, maybe, that’s even more important now. Think about how talent acquisition’s changed over the last decade. Think about how recruiting’s become a lot less “active” and a lot more passive. Think about how social media has totally changed the way candidates look for jobs.

Think about how companies are using automation to source candidates.

Think about how companies are now supplementing their hiring process with chatbots and other automated tools.

Think about how candidates’ relationship with companies is changing.

Think about how candidates are now actively searching for companies and jobs – and then trying to negotiate for the best deal.

Think about how candidates now expect companies and recruiters to share information. Think about how candidates now expect more transparency from companies and recruiters.

Think about how candidates now use things like Glassdoor and social proof to evaluate companies and jobs.

Think about how candidates now expect companies to know their market value.

Think about how candidates now expect companies to negotiate salaries.

Think about how candidates now expect companies to offer them a variety of perks, benefits, and rewards.

Think about how candidates now expect more from their relationships with companies.

Think about how candidates now expect companies to treat them like customers.

Think about how candidates now expect companies to offer things like autonomy and flexibility. And, think about how candidates are taking control of the process.

Now, think about how these changes are affecting candidates’ perceptions of companies.

And, think about how candidates are evaluating companies and what those perceptions will mean for talent acquisition.

Here’s the thing: The focus on talent acquisition isn’t going away any time soon.

And, that’s not a bad thing. Companies still need to hire great talent.

But, companies also need to start focusing on talent retention. Because, the talent acquisition process isn’t what it used to be.

And, that’s a problem. Because, it’s putting companies at a disadvantage in the battle for talent. That’s something companies can’t afford to ignore.

So, let’s turn the tables. Let’s talk about talent retention.

Let’s talk about how companies can build cultures that retain great employees. Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures that attract great talent.

Let’s talk about talent retention.

Let’s talk about how companies can build cultures that retain great employees.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures that attract great talent.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures that inspire people to bring their best to work.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where people actually have fun at work.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where people love coming to work.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where people come early and stay late.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures that foster innovation.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where employees are actively engaged.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where people are willing to take on new challenges.

Let’s talk about how companies can create cultures where people bring their whole selves to work.

Often, these organizations are so busy trying to create a culture that they’re missing it. They spend so much time and effort ‘doing’ culture, that they actually end up killing it.

Many companies focus on just doing culture. They focus on developing programs that make people feel good.

But they miss the point that culture is not designed, it’s grown.

Culture is not something we can create. It’s something that evolves. It’s shaped by what we do and don’t do. It’s shaped by what we value and what we overlook. It’s shaped by how we treat people and how we react to their behavior. And it’s shaped by what we reward and what we ignore.

How do we create this type of culture? It starts with leadership—it’s not about investing in culture but investing in leadership.

Culture isn’t something companies can create. It’s created by leaders. Culture is shaped by leaders’ values, their actions, and their attitudes about people. It’s shaped by how leaders act when times are tough.

Leaders influence culture. They influence how people feel about coming to work, about the work they do, about the organization’s mission, about their colleagues, and about themselves. And successful leaders understand that culture is not something you design, it’s something you grow.

I always tell my clients that culture isn’t something you can buy. It’s something you earn. And the way you earn it is by shaping it every day.

So what does a winning culture look like? Many companies try to mimic the culture at Google, Facebook, or Netflix.

Companies don’t become great because of what they do. They become great because of who they are.

And great companies are great because they’re great places to work. And great places to work are created by great leaders .

And great companies have great cultures because their leaders shape it every day.

The companies that are winning are winning because they’re investing in leaders who create great cultures and are investing in the people who help those leaders shape those cultures.

So what makes great leaders? Great leaders believe in people.

Great leaders believe that people can do great things. Great leaders believe in people. And great leaders act on that belief. Great leaders invest in their people.

Great leaders don’t only invest in their people, they inspire them.

Great leaders don’t only inspire people, they empower them.

Great leaders don’t only empower people, they give them the tools to succeed.

Great leaders don’t just give these tools, they inspire people to use them.

What are you doing to build a culture where key talent WANTS to stick around?

For most companies, the answer is nothing. Well, sort of nothing. Companies use the Internet to post updates, events, and industry information. But most of the time, internal communications are one-way, top-down broadcasts. These continuous “push” communications are disconnected from employees and thus, useless. Internal communications is simply about connecting with your company’s people in a way that encourages them to respond and act. It’s not the act of creating content to push to employees and hope for the best.

In fact, 87% of employees want their employers to initiate communications.

1. ENGAGE THEM. The key to internal communications is engagement. A one-size-fits-all approach to your internal communications simply won’t work. Engagement requires two-way communication. It’s about creating a conversation. Encouraging two-way communication allows you to listen to your employees. Are they excited about changes taking place in the company? Do they have any questions? Are they confused about what’s happening? When you take the time to ask the questions and listen to the answers, you learn about your future internal communicators. These are the people likely to spread the word.

2. BE CURIOUS. The more you know about the people and the community you serve, the better you can engage. This can be accomplished through surveys, social media, and focus groups. When you identify what employees are interested in, you can craft your internal communications with their preferences in mind.

3. TELL STORIES. We share stories in our personal lives. We tell them at work. Stories help us relate and connect with each other. Your company’s story can be a powerful tool in delivering effective internal communications. Storytelling increases engagement, trust, and morale. Over time, your stories will organically bring employees together creating a shared experience.

4. GET SOCIAL. Social media is about sharing and engaging. It should be an integral part of your internal communications strategy. Encourage employees to share news and information from your company. Content shared by employees is more likely to reach and be appreciated by other employees. You can also share great industry information. This helps employees stay informed about what’s going on in the world beyond your company.

5. START THE CONVERSATION. Internal communications shouldn’t be a one-way broadcast. Employees should feel comfortable contributing information and asking questions. Social media is a great way to encourage behind-the-scenes conversations. Social media can also be a great way to facilitate conversations between employees. With social media, employees can connect with each other to discuss work challenges.

6. TAKE STOCK. Measurement is critical to success. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you ever know when you get there? Measurement provides a benchmark and helps you understand if what you’re doing is working. Gathering metrics ahead of time gives you an idea of what measurements you should track. Knowing what success looks like will help guide your internal communications planning efforts.

7. COMMUNICATE WITH PURPOSE. The ultimate goal of internal communications is to help employees do their work better. When you deliver internal communications, ask yourself: Will this help employees (or customers) do their jobs better? Use this purpose to drive your communications planning.

8. BE CONSISTENT. For internal communications to have a lasting impact, they must be consistent. Consistently sharing information and resources allows employees to build their knowledge over time. Your internal communications should also feel consistent. The tone, language, and medium should be the same from one communication to the next.

9. MAKE IT PERSONAL. To be effective, internal communications need to connect with employees on a personal level. Use employee data to tailor your message, such as their work location or discipline. When customers or potential customers interact with employees, they’ll get the feeling they know each other. This makes them feel more comfortable with your brand.

10. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Stick to the basics to avoid overwhelm. Use simple, straightforward language. The purpose of your internal communications is to give employees the information they need to do their jobs. Don’t get bogged down in industry jargon and technical language.

11. MEASURE THE IMPACT. A critical part of any successful communications strategy is measuring its impact. Measuring your internal communications lets you understand if your efforts are paying off. Reporting and analytics give you a clear understanding of how your internal communications are performing.

12. BE TRANSPARENT. Transparency builds trust. If employees can’t trust their senior management, how effective can their internal communications be? When employees feel they can trust the people running the company, they’re much more likely to turn to each other for help, advice, and support. This builds trust.

13. KEEP IT FRESH. It’s easy to let internal communications slide. They take a back seat to deadlines, meetings, and everyday work. It’s important to remember that internal communication doesn’t end just because your latest internal communication has been distributed. Internal communications isn’t a one-and-done activity.

14. CULTIVATE A HIGH PERFORMING CULTURE. Your employees are your company’s most effective brand ambassadors. Internal communications helps create an environment where people WANT to stick around. Internal communications also helps you identify emerging internal communicators. These are the people who become your internal ambassadors. Your internal ambassadors are your most powerful communicators. They have the most knowledge and understand the company culture best.

15. BE FLEXIBLE. It’s important to remember that internal communications isn’t perfect. It isn’t a one-way conversation. Don’t expect to get it right the first, second, or even third time. It takes time to develop effective internal communications. Effective internal communications aren’t set in concrete.

They require monitoring, tweaking, and in some cases, even starting over.

What then are you waiting for? Go on. Start the conversation.