3 Low-Cost, High-Impact Internal Communication Tools for Small Businesses

The workforce is in a constant state of flux. Technological disruptions, talent shortages and an increasingly competitive economic environment require small businesses to be more efficient than ever. To keep up with the pace, small businesses must embrace new internal communication tools and strategies to drive productivity and profitability. Here are three must-have tools for small businesses looking to get ahead of the curve.

Small businesses are the largest employers for the American workforce, employing nearly 50 percent of American workersOpens a new window . They are indeed the backbone of the U.S. economy. However, small business owners have a challenging task of managing multiple roles and business requirements that fall under their preserve. In many small businesses, functions like HR, finance, and IT are all looked after by the business owner. This problem is further compounded by the increasing business competition, acute talent shortages, and a complex regulatory landscape. So, how can small businesses overcome these obstacles to focus on business growth and expansion?

Also read: How to Enhance Internal Communications

The answer is effective internal communication. While internal communication might not be the silver bullet that will solve all business challenges, effective internal communication ensures that your employees are working collaboratively towards a common goal. It develops a cohesive culture and enables employees to make the right decisions in line with the organization’s goals. This, in turn, leads to greater efficiency and productivity and improves customer service. These outcomes are essential for long-term business success.

Unfortunately, many small businesses have very limited resources to communicate with their employees. Most do not even have a dedicated internal communications team or an intranet. Fortunately, there are some low-cost, high impact communications tools that small businesses can take advantage of.

Also read: Three Barriers to Internal Communications Measurement

Here are three tools that can help small businesses establish effective internal communication practices:

1. Intranets: While intranets have been around since the late ‘90s, they haven’t enjoyed the same popularity with small businesses as they have with larger organizations. Moreover, the proliferation of workplace collaboration tools like Slack, Trello, and Dropbox have overshadowed the humble, old intranet. The average SMB uses anywhere between three to six tools for collaboration between teams. However, multiple tools also prevent information to flow from one team to another without manual intervention seamlessly. Intranets, on the other hand, allows businesses to host multiple collaboration tools under one dashboard, providing a seamless transmission of data from one team to the other. In addition to reducing app fatigue, and boosting productivity, intranets are also more cost-effective.
   You could be spending as much as $100 per month on apps like Slack and Basecamp for a 10-member team. Considering the cost of other business apps for appointment scheduling, CRM, and emailing, the price can easily add up to hundreds of dollars. At the same time, an umbrella solution like Office 365 can cost around $200 for the same ten-person team and offers a host of other benefits. Investing in an intranet can consolidate all your collaboration tools on a single platform which will also help you scale.
2.  Mobile applications: As Millennials and Gen Z make inroads into the American workforce, a mobile-first approach to workplace communication is crucial for organizations of all sizes. In fact, a recent surveyOpens a new window unraveled that over 72 percent of employees use text messages to communicate for work. By leveraging the right mobile platform, small businesses can easily share important information and connect employees without compromising on security. Mobile apps can provide information like company news, transport options, parking information, corporate directories, and other information through push notifications, iBeacons and QR codes. Mobile applications also enable personalization to drive value addition.
   By incorporating mobile applications into daily workflows, small businesses can realize improved productivity and better engagement.
3. Employee newsletters: While many will have you believe that email is no longer a relevant workplace communication tool anymore, you know that email is here to stay. Although underutilized or even outright ignored, emails can prove to be a powerful tool for boosting productivity and morale in the workplace. A well-crafted internal newsletter can help break barriers between employees, reduce inbox overload by communicating information that would typically require multiple emails, and reinforce your employer brand and culture.

Also read: Is Your Internal Communications Strategy Evolving With Tech?

Internal communication is all about setting a standard for your organization in how you communicate, and what tools you use across the board as a company. You must clearly define what tool to use for document sharing, what application to use for casual banter, and what tool to use for transmitting sensitive information. Providing your organization with an effective internal communications strategy is a business imperative to inspire and align your employees with broader business objectives.

How is your small business dealing with internal communications? Drop a comment in the section below. We’d love to hear from you.