4 internal communication trends to plan for in 2018

One constant, however, is that business leaders should carefully consider what they’re saying to their workforce—and how they’re saying it. Unfortunately, effective communication often gets shoved to the bottom of the priority list. That’s a huge mistake.

Your internal communications create the standard for how you want your employees to interact and how you want customers treated. Communication shapes your workplace culture. It also plays a key role in the nurturing and retention of top talent.

Of course, times have changed. Half-hearted newsletters and mass emails don’t cut the mustard anymore. If you want to achieve more substantive internal communications results in 2018, consider these four emerging trends as you craft your strategy:

1. Begin with an audit of leadership and strategy.

It starts at the top. If your leaders aren’t fully supportive of your internal communication efforts, your program will sputter. It’s crucial to win their trust by using a data-backed approach to prove the return on investment of your work. Use the ability to measure ROI as a benchmark once you identify which initiatives to pursue.