Intangible benefits (V). Two-way communication, a way for the active listening of the staff
The descending internal communication model is the most used by Spanish companies. In fact, only one in five companies has a two-way model that really considers that internal communication is everyone’s business, which is why they decide to give their staff a voice. This is the case of ICM, where it is intended that the receiver and the sender continually exchange roles.
At ICM, there has always been a good will to facilitate communication between all members of the organization. However, this is not enough per se. Aware of this, some different channels to try to create a true dialogue have been created in our company.
“Ideally, Communication within an organization is a shared task,” says the study State of Internal Communication in Spain 2021, by Dialenga. That is, everyone communicates within the organization. And even more so in companies where, like ours, there is a two-way communication model. However, the same does not occur as in ICM in other Spanish companies, since “it is the option used by one in five companies”, according to the aforementioned study. “Downward communication continues to be the most used model (42.5%). A model that is more present in low digitization environments, characterized by the fact that it relies less on technological tools and relies more intensely on email and verbal communication”, he adds.
Regarding internal communication tools, the IV Study of Internal Communication in Spanish Companies, carried out by the Observatory of Internal Communication and Corporate Identity, confirms that “the intranet is the most valued, with 89.9%. The employee portal, thanks to its potential, is progressively replacing traditional channels, such as the printed magazine (75.6%) and bulletin boards (58.3%). The great challenge now facing him is to develop the potential offered by the intranet as the main tool for internal communication”. A challenge also shared by ICM, in trying to make it the nerve center of communication in the company. Hence, the continuous effort to identify how to eliminate possible barriers that prevent reaching all staff.
For its part, the latest study presented by the Association of Communications Directors (Dircom) maintains that “the assessment of communication by internal stakeholders is growing (61%) (…) which demonstrates its strengthening and consolidation in recent years ”. Figure that, in the previous report, carried out in 2017, stood at 57.9%. This reinforces ICM’s goal of continuing to improve internal communication in our organization.
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