At the end of every year, many of us pause for thought. We look back, ask ourselves what was good and what can be even better. In corporate communications, this is also the perfect time to pause and look at whether our channels still suit us, whether they are fulfilling their purpose, reflecting our culture and contributing to dialogue within the organization. So the question is: are we still a match?
In many companies, there are channels that worked excellently for a while, were almost indispensable, but are now barely effective or are no longer suitable for the form of exchange required in the future. Just as people in relationships or teams must harmonize, communication channels must also resonate with the organization. If they no longer meet the needs of employees, they lose their power – and we lose valuable energy and time.
Each channel (ideally) has at least these three functions
It becomes particularly clear in change processes: communication channels are not just “broadcasting platforms”. They are an important orientation aid for employees and therefore an indispensable control element for those responsible for communication.
The channels are intended to provide orientation and guide people through the uncertainties of everyday working life. They should open up real dialog spaces in which voices are heard. And they must convey energy – pick up employees with their emotions, inspire and motivate them.
If channels cannot (or can no longer) achieve this, change processes are at risk.
| Function | Function Description | Effect |
| Orientation | Classify, prioritize, condense | Creates security and trust |
| Participation | Open up spaces for dialog, allow feedback channels | Creates a sense of belonging |
| Energy | Emotion, role model, conveying meaning | Strengthens motivation |
In good times and bad
Major transformation projects and crises have become a constant companion for many organizations. Whether through supply chains, market changes, political developments or the climate – hardly any area remains the same. In all this change, well-established and well-maintained channels are our lifeline. A precise resilience design is needed so that they can continue to be effective under stress. This can and should be designed with foresight. It involves aspects such as:
- The pulse rate, which is shorter and more frequent in times of crisis.
- The tone, which must be empathetic but not appeasing or trivializing.
- The responsibility that lies less with the program itself, but rather with the attitude towards the topic.
- The focus. It makes more sense to Concentrate on 1-2 main channels and let all others refer to them.
On your marks, get set, go! The race for attention
In a world that is constantly flooded with information, attention is the most valuable commodity. Every message, every piece of information requires energy that can only be used once and is in strong competition with, for example, the picture galleries from the specialist departments or videos from HR. The task of communication is therefore to channel this energy.
What do we really need?
Every communications manager should now critically review their own channel portfolio:
- How many channels and formats do we actually have? Do our target groups still have an overview, or is the sheer volume overwhelming?
- Which channels provide orientation?
- Where does real dialog arise?
- Which ones do we use for positioning and change management?
- And which formats transport energy and help us through difficult times?
Only when all the questions have been answered and we realize that the Kulturimpact channel diversity target group approach still fits are we still a match and can look forward to another year full of joint communication projects.
Do you want to scrutinize your channel and format landscape and would like an external view or would you like to work together to bring structure to what has developed in your internal communication in recent years? Then get in touch with us and we’ll take a look together at what is and could be: hello(@)montua-partner.de