{"id":45279,"date":"2019-01-09T13:43:54","date_gmt":"2019-01-09T18:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/?p=5081"},"modified":"2024-03-15T07:59:44","modified_gmt":"2024-03-15T11:59:44","slug":"5-key-questions-for-your-internal-communication-audit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/5-key-questions-for-your-internal-communication-audit\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Key Questions for Your Internal Communication Audit"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve resolved to be a better communicator, you\u2019re not alone. Whether it\u2019s family or friends, colleagues or clients, communication is always a highly rated area for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

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No surprises here: You can\u2019t improve what you don\u2019t understand! If you\u2019re struggling with communication issues, start off the year with a communication audit. The same principles apply all communication situations, but we\u2019ll stick to two types: internal (employee) and external (customer).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Who needs an internal communication audit??<\/h2>\n

Globally, <\/span>21% of internal communicators acknowledged<\/span><\/a> that they don\u2019t use any form of formal planning. If your inboxes and calendars are overflowing, you probably saw that statistic coming! Compared to the resources and strategic planning dedicated to client-facing communication, internal processes are often a bit more ad hoc and reactive.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An internal communication audit can take any number of forms (you have to start somewhere!) but <\/span>an anonymous survey<\/span><\/a> can be a good start. You need candid feedback to make real decisions — otherwise, it\u2019s just an empty exercise that perpetuates the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

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No matter your style, be sure you\u2019re addressing these key questions:<\/p>\n

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1. Are you getting the information you need — when you need it?<\/h2>\n

This is a great place to start. You might set this up on an agreement rating scale or a multi-part <\/span>grid question<\/span><\/a> that includes multiple sub-questions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you find out that all of your employees are getting the right information in a timely fashion, you may breathe a sigh of relief. Still, don\u2019t stop there!<\/p>\n

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2. How would you rate the communication you currently receive?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Get specific with a multi-part grid question that takes a closer look at a few different areas. Among other elements, you might ask employees to rate their satisfaction with the amount of information received, its frequency of delivery, accuracy of content, and relevance of material.<\/p>\n

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\"Internal<\/p>\n

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3. What are your preferred sources of information?<\/h2>\n

Even the best content won\u2019t make a difference if it\u2019s delivered on the wrong channel. Remember:<\/span> Not everything requires an email<\/span><\/a>! From Slack to Whatsapp to <\/span>Salesforce<\/span><\/a> to — gasp! — real life interaction, mode matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Again, you may choose to break this down to better understand where people go for information about their own projects, the company as a whole, training and development support, and other kinds of critical information that support healthy employee engagement, productivity, and retention.<\/p>\n

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4. What do you want to know, and when do you want to know about it?<\/h2>\n

Think about the many, many times you\u2019ve clicked to unsubscribe from an email list, only to be presented with a long list of options. Special offers? Monthly newsletter? Daily tips? So many opportunities for information — or overwhelm!<\/p>\n

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In your internal communication audit, a Matrix Grid<\/a> might be a good choice here, offering the chance to both rank the value of a variety of topic areas and then identify the preferred frequency of delivery.<\/p>\n

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Google Alerts<\/a> offer a perfect example, albeit email-focused: The information you want, delivered on your preferred schedule. Nice! Do you offer your employees the same options?<\/p>\n

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\"Does<\/p>\n

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5. Within internal resources and channels, how easy is it for you to find what you\u2019re looking for?<\/h2>\n

Remember: Not all communication efforts are direct. You\u2019ll improve productivity significantly by improving your policies and processes regarding information delivery and storage. Whether you\u2019re big on Drive or SharePoint or you\u2019re shuffling through filing cabinets, systems make self-service simple.<\/p>\n

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Once you\u2019ve got your internal communication in order, you\u2019re ready to up your external communication game, too! Next time we\u2019ll tackle communication audits for clients and other external audiences<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Want to run your own internal communication audit? Let us show you how<\/a> to make it happen! Better yet, let us manage your project<\/a> for you. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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Ready to get started? Learn more about Sogolytics today!<\/p>\n

Schedule a Demo<\/a><\/div>\n