Simple steps to create a culture of communicating at your company
The Importance of Communication
Scandia Partners is a family-focused office. That means we are committed not only to dollars and cents (which we are) but to the individual goals and success of each of our businesses and their respective leadership teams. One thing we find is that in many cases, particularly with startup companies, internal communication among team members and from the top can be a challenge.
Some leaders and managers make the mistake of implementing a culture of secrecy and suspicion at the top. They believe that keeping individual team members in the dark about certain projects or the status of certain departments is a positive way of managing. Transparency and open communication are at the forefront of all of our businesses. It’s important to say more than you have an “open-door policy” -- you need to model this in your actions. Regularly scheduled group meetings, memos or correspondence can help keep the team in the loop about what’s going on.
Many of our businesses have successfully implemented internal communication tools. From e-mail newsletters to using a group-work app like Slack, if you make it easy for your team to communicate they will be more productive and efficient in the long run. Communication tools are not only important internally, but it’s also important to keep an open line of communication with customers. Make sure you have a plan for communicating building or business closures to guests via social media like Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Keep an active list of current and former customers to send e-mail correspondence. Some of our businesses have even implemented text tools for things like reminders and surveys.
If you like what you’ve heard so far, check out our past blog at this link on building a strong company culture and consider reaching out. Culture and communication exist in tandem and can improve morale and longevity within your team.