What to remember
Internal communication is the backbone of any successful business. It is not limited to the transmission of information; it nourishes corporate culture, shapes the employee experience and strengthens the employer brand by creating a sense of belonging. Faced with the diversity of solutions available, it is important to choose the right internal communication tools to meet today's challenges, able to connect teams, to disseminate the right information, at the right time, to the right person.
Instant messengers
Instant messaging is now essential in the digital ecosystem of businesses. With the generalization of remote or hybrid work, these synchronous communication tools have become structuring for ensure the fluidity of daily exchanges. They ensure instant and scalable communication, from informal exchanges to the monitoring of key projects, with the possibility of targeted notifications, limiting information overload.
Thanks to services, such as Slack, Microsoft Teams or even Google Chat, it is possible for customer service to share crucial information in real time, for example, to project teams to coordinate the progress of tasks and to anticipate incidents without having to multiply unnecessary emails or meetings.
Video conferencing tools and webinars
The democratization of videoconferencing has upset internal uses. It makes it possible to multiply interactions, even at a distance, and tohumanize communication through image and voice. Remote employees can thus maintain social ties and cohesion, regardless of their location.
Various internal communication tools, such as Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, offer possibilities for recording sessions for asynchronous viewing, sharing your screen, managing raised hands, managing sub-group rooms to boost exchanges... They are often used for managerial meetings, annual interviews, training webinars, training webinars, strategic management communications or onboarding new employees remotely.
The Intranet
The Intranet knew how to reinvent himself to become a real collaborative portal : deployment of a new product, dissemination of procedures, creation of an FAQ database fed by the teams, inter-service exchange areas, space dedicated to nomadic or on-site workers. It centralizes all the resources necessary for employees: documents, HR services, HR services, news, procedures, etc. The most recent solutions go further by integrating corporate social network and Digital Workplace functionalities.
There are several collaborative platforms such as LumApps, SharePoint, or Notion which make it possible to centralize information, a real gain of time in the search for documents or knowledge, but also to create personalized and secure spaces for each employee, and thus facilitate onboarding or even continuing training.
The internal newsletter
The internal newsletter represents a proven asynchronous communication format. It stands out thanks to its simplicity, its capacity for customization and its reduced cost. We appreciate it because it allows reach the entire company at regular intervals, promoting a sense of belonging and cohesion, in particular through the valorization of individual or collective successes, portraits of employees, summaries of events, strategic vision, etc. You can use several communication tools internal to set it up: Brevo (ex-Sendinblue), Mailchimp...
The internal journal
More comprehensive and more inclusive than the newsletter and with a strong institutional stamp, The internal journal conveys corporate culture and values initiatives. In digital or paper versions, the corporate journal is an opportunity to give your teams a voice, while promoting corporate culture. It is the ideal communication tool to unite and inform all staff. For example, you can discuss strategic decisions by senior management, external communications operations and economic results, but also the organization of internal or external events.
Internal podcasts
Real fundamental trends in the field of communication, Podcasts are now available in business. This audio format, which is particularly flexible, boosts your internal communication while emphasizing authenticity and proximity. Highly appreciated by your employees for their more informal and humane character, podcasts have the advantage of being shared on mobile, and therefore of being available at any time.
A podcast can be an opportunity to broadcast weekly newsletters, interviews with managers, feedback from field experiences, reports on company jobs, sharing regulatory news or health/prevention advice. It is also an ideal format for raising internal awareness on topics such as well-being at work, diversity or managerial innovation.
Document management and sharing tools
Document management and sharing tools occupy a central place in organizations, promoting productivity and collective efficiency, regardless of the location or hours of employees. Modern solutions, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Trello, Asana or even Monday, are intended to be collaborative, interconnected, and accessible everywhere.
These platforms make it possible to centralize versions and speed up processes by improving traceability. Here you can easily create, store, share, and co-edit files from any connected device. The history of changes ensures accurate monitoring, and access rights can be finely configured. In addition to sharing documents, some of the tools promote the visualization of tasks, the distribution of roles, and the planning and reporting of the progress of projects.
The idea box
The idea box is one of the oldest internal communication tools, but it is still generating a lot of enthusiasm. Entirely unnamed, it allows your employees to express themselves in complete confidentiality, thus encouraging them to be more transparent on various subjects: collection of ideas to improve the quality of life at work, suggestions for the layout of spaces, proposals for processes or new services, collection of opinions on internal tools, participation in CSR policy...
Not only she Enhance your image of manager concerned with the problems encountered within the company, but it constitutes a way to become aware of the concerns of your employees.
The polls
The polls are still among the simple and effective internal communication tools. Every voice is taken into account, you So reinforce their sense of belonging to the group. You can ask your employees about various topics: satisfaction with the new premises, prior consultation before adopting a managerial innovation, evaluation of QVT (Quality of Life at Work) systems, etc.
Whatever your objective, the survey, paper, oral or digital (via tools such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Survio or SurveyMonkey), is a means of communication that has the advantage of centralizing the responses of your teams. It allows the rapid and fully centralized collection of opinions, but also facilitates quantitative and qualitative analysis thanks to the automatic production of reports.
Digital signage
Digital signage is one of the most unifying internal communication tools, bridging the gap between the physical world and the digital world. It makes it possible to engage all employees, whether they are on site, in the factory, in the workshop or in the offices, for example, in order to send them personalized information in real time.
Digital screens can broadcast a variety of visual content : strategic information (objectives, key figures, developments, performance dashboards), operational messages (safety instructions, alerts, planning), internal communications (birthdays, results, portraits, weather alerts, internal offers, etc.), educational or institutional videos, educational or institutional videos, project highlights, infographics, etc.
Digital signage is also a way of modernise your brand image using a connected and innovative internal communication tool, and promotes better appropriation of messages via varied and dynamic formats.
These interactive messages easily arouse the interest of teams and capture the attention where the employee is located, including in the production, reception or break area. Digital signage screens allow for segmented communication, targeted by site, department or group, which bridging the divide by informing unconnected teams at the computer station: field technicians, workers, warehouse workers, etc.
With a solution like Cenareo you can manage the distribution of your content easily on any type of screen. The platform makes it possible to centralize and program the display of content remotely, on one or several screens, in real time.
What are the criteria for choosing the right internal communication tool?
Faced with the diversity of available solutions, it is necessary to evaluate internal communication tools according to several criteria in order to choose the ones that are most suitable for your company.
1. Adaptability to the size and needs of your business
A relevant tool in a start-up will not necessarily be adapted to a multinational company. Choose scalable platforms that can grow with your needs and integrate into your existing digital ecosystem.
2. Ease of use by users
The ease of handling guarantees quick appropriation. Opt for ergonomic interfaces, multilingual if necessary, with accessible training materials.
3. Integration with other tools
Check compatibility with your office suites, calendars, business tools and HR software packages. Open APIs and interoperability are major assets for streamlining the flow of information.
4. Data security
The protection of internal information (confidentiality, access management, backups) is crucial, especially since the entry into force of the GDPR. Ensure the compliance of the provider and the location of the servers.
5. Cost and return on investment
Evaluate the overall cost: license, deployment, maintenance, human resources mobilized. Compare it to the time saved and the expected impact on productivity and cohesion.
6. Mobile and multi-channel accessibility
In an age of digitalization and hybrid work, employees expect to be able to access internal communication tools everywhere and at any time. Choose solutions available on smartphones and tablets, compatible with all types of devices, and capable of operating both in application and in web versions. Multi-channel tools maximize the reach of messages.
7. Analysis and reporting capacity
Measurement can also be an important point in choosing your internal communication tools (rate of openness, interaction, participation in surveys, feedback...). This makes it possible to effectively manage your internal communication strategy and to adjust your actions.
8. Cultural adaptation and personalization
Each company has its DNA, its culture, its operating methods. An adapted tool offers customization options (branding, configurable access rights, creation of sub-groups or subsidiaries, etc.).
