How Internal Communication can break down silos

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There have been 2 global phenomena which have led to the rise of silos within organisations.

The first was digital transformation. While this was something every company pursued, it unknowingly helped in create functional silos.

The second was Covid. That gave a massive boost to the work from home concept. The result was that while teams spoke to one another, to clients, to client prospects – they forgot to talk to other departments within the organization, leading to the growth of silos that once again. In both cases, business performance got adversely impacted.

So, what is a silo? And how can internal communication practices help break them down?

A silo occurs when employees within specific locations, teams or business functions focus almost entirely on their own tasks and goals, with minimal internal communication and collaboration with other teams. This means skills, knowledge and resources get concentrated and aren’t shared across the organization. Instead, individual departments frequently use different systems that don’t communicate with one another, leading to disastrous effects at times. 

Agility, efficiency, productivity, end customer satisfaction, alignment on progress and goals, miscommunication and conflicts, less engaged employees, decreased innovation and a toxic company culture are some obvious casualties of working in silos.

If you have identified any or some of the above as being prevalent in your organisation, here are some suggestions where you can lead and ask the internal communications team to break these silos.

1. Establish team-wide communication channels and workflows

•   Use workplace communication apps, which are readily available. These will enable you to customise chats and channels
•   Establish regular meetings to facilitate cross-department and cross-hierarchy updates. For example, monthly company-wide calls and weekly account catch-ups help coworkers align on goals and progress.
•   Clarify how and when the leadership team communicates updates. For instance, some announcements might be sent to all employees via a chat app, whereas others may trickle down from managers to team members in weekly meetings
•   Feedback: Prescribe how teams and individuals should provide feedback on ongoing work. For example, they might add real-time comments to collaborative documents, respond to live polls in a company-wide channel, or submit anonymous survey responses to HR

2. Provide team collaboration training

•  Collaboration training offers team members communication skills and strategies, helping reduce silos. This could be done by the internal communications team, or using a specialised communications consultant
•  Provide real-world project scenarios requiring different skill sets and specializations, and coach team members on planning, delegating, and executing collaborative tasks

3. Form cross-functional teams and provide training

•  Encourage collaboration between departments to create cross-functional teams. Once again, you as the leader can guide the internal communications teams to put together how best communications between cross functional teams can help

Breaking down silos can help improve teamwork, product development, and employee satisfaction. It can also help organizations better understand employee communication and workflow needs. In fact, the role of internal communications in breaking down knowledge silos is of critical importance for any organisation. Internal communications serves as the bridge that connects different parts of an organization, ensuring that knowledge flows freely and effectively. By fostering a culture of openness and transparency, internal communications can break down silos and create a more collaborative and efficient workplace. Here is how:

1. Facilitating information sharing

One of the primary functions of internal communications is to facilitate the sharing of information across departments. This can be achieved through regular updates, internal newsletters or a centralised Intranet platform where all employees can access the latest company news and resources.
By promoting a transparent communication strategy, organizations can ensure that everyone has access to the same information, reducing the chances of silos forming.

2. Encouraging cross-departmental collaboration

Internal communications can play a significant role in fostering collaboration between different teams and making people more connected. A large majority of people (63%)surveyed in a Forrester study said that they spend too much time searching for the right people to help them. 

By organizing cross-departmental meetings, workshops, and projects, companies can encourage employees to share their knowledge and expertise.

This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to innovative solutions that wouldn’t be possible if each team operated in isolation. Moreover, it helps employees understand the broader context of their work, making them more engaged, and invested in the company’s success.

3. Aligning Organizational Goals

Low-alignment organizations have a big disadvantage to high-alignment ones. According to LSA research

•  30% of low-alignment organizations indicated unsatisfied customers, while 97% of high-alignment organizations indicated satisfied customers.
•   Highly aligned organizations increase revenue 58% faster and are 72% more profitable than unaligned organizations.
•  Effective internal communications ensure that all employees are aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives. When everyone understands the company’s vision and mission, they are more likely to work together towards common goals.
•  Regularly communicating the organization’s strategic direction helps break down silos by reminding employees that they are all part of the same team, working towards the same objectives and feeling a sense of belonging

Breaking down silos in any organization is not an easy task. It requires engagement from every department, and strong leadership to support change. 

Eliminating knowledge silos is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. It requires a commitment to fostering open communication, encouraging collaboration, and using the right tools to facilitate information sharing.

Organizations that prioritize internal communications are better equipped to break down these barriers, leading to a more innovative, productive, and connected workplace.

By understanding the importance of internal communications in breaking down knowledge silos, companies can create a more inclusive and collaborative culture. This not only enhances employee engagement but also drives organizational success.

Internal communications is concerned with improving the flow of information through your organization. Done well, it can help break down silos by providing platforms for sharing knowledge and making cross-team connections. 

For example, by crafting and cascading leadership team updates, running conferences and workshops where siloed teams get to meet, and providing tools like a social intranet to support intra-team conversations. 

Use different channels to engage people in different ways. For example, don’t just issue a printed newsletter and expect everyone to read it.

Sum things up in a vox pop video from your CEO or an animated explainer. Host a live stream where people can ask questions and also make it available to watch on demand.  

The opportunities are endless.

And good internal communications can make a difference!

 

To get in touch for our services or any other communication requirement, please contact + 91 842 581 4016 / 17 or simply drop an email at solutions@ticworks.com.