3 Internal Communications Mistakes to Avoid During COVID-19

 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, many organisations are communicating with their staff regularly. For many, the communications are more regular than usual. In this critical and sensitive time, it’s important to remember how to manage your internal stakeholders as you communicate. Avoid these 3 common internal communications mistakes:

 

Mistake 1: Spamming your staff on any and every platform.

Organisational communications should be streamlined and organised strategically. This is still true, despite the time-sensitive nature of COVID-19-related information. Avoid placing notices on any and every platform, just because it’s possible. Not only is this disruptive to productivity, but bombarding your staff with news and messages has a negative impact on mental health. Formalise your communications channels and disseminate messages systematically.

 

Mistake 2: Sharing unverified information.

At a time like this, even the most well-meaning messages or phrases can convey information that is inaccurate and harmful. In a health crisis, the quality of information can be the difference between life or death. Avoid hitting forwards, copy and pasting content from others, or communicating hearsay to your employees. A content and information shared should be in line with company policies and verified with independent trusted sources. In the case of COVID-19, this includes referring to sources such as the World Health Organisation.

 

Mistake 3: Disregarding Communication Basics

The basics remain relevant during extraordinary times and following them safeguards your brand’s reputation. Your communications should still be formatted appropriately and presented in a layout that increases engagement and retention of the message. Language, tone and writing style are critical for presenting the information clearly, and in a way that prevents panic while encouraging buy-in. It may not seem necessary to follow the usual rules but remember- good communication is important and could even save lives. That means it’s important to give even more care and attention to detail.

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