Email. Private Social Networks. Instant Messaging. Intranets. You can’t blame the lack of tools for the lack of internal communications. In fact, employees today are more likely to feel they are in a state of information overload vs. a state of unknown.

That’s why it’s important for today’s internal communications professional to utilize the right tools to get the attention of employees. Tossing information at employees and assuming they’ll understand it is a non-starter. It’s important to communicate with them in a way that guarantees they’ll get it - otherwise, you run the risk of employees overlooking or ignoring information that is critical to their and the company’s success.

Modern internal communications teams rely on audio and video to interact and engage with employees. A private podcasting program is one of the most secure, succinct, and personal ways to deliver information to your dispersed and growing workforce. It’s also a popular consumer medium already - 51% of Americans have listened to a podcast before and 37% of podcast listeners already listen to podcasts at work.

Below are six benefits of utilizing private podcasts within your internal communications program:

Convenience 

Through a private podcast, employees can consume internal communications when and where they want, which is great for those who are always on the go or in different time zones. Employees can download, listen offline, stream your private podcast easily in low bandwidth situations, or re-listen as many times as needed to fully understand the messages you are sharing.

Also, one of the challenges of internal communications is that the quality of content can take a backseat to the design of it. We understand. People often notice a single spelling or formatting error in written content and the information ends up getting passed over. Speaking authentically on a podcast can be a lot easier to produce than preparing a one hour in-person presentation via powerpoint.

Alignment

Today’s employees have the means to receive and respond 24/7 so they should naturally be aligned, correct? Not so fast. While they may be aligned on tactics, often times strategic business goals get lost in the volume of information. And to depend on the chain of command to accurately pass information down is often inefficient and error-prone.

Audio podcasting is the ideal platform to align your organization across strategic business goals. With private podcasting, nothing gets lost in translation and more importantly, it provides your executives an opportunity to directly address and align your teams. This demonstrates accessibility and transparency and helps team members fully understand the company’s objectives, values and culture.

Authenticity

Whether it’s personal or business communications, authenticity is the foundation to building a relationship. Yet how many times have people unintentionally misinterpreted a written message or “read into it?” Most organizations can’t afford to have miscommunications impacting company morale or satisfaction.

Audio is one of the most authentic ways that an internal communications team can distribute information to employees. Employees clearly hear not only the words but also the tone, which is often more important. It also provides a way to lead by example - demonstrating active listening skills, personal character and emotional intelligence. Those leaders who communicate naturally and genuinely are able to bring people with them, right down the line and build a company culture of honesty and trust.

Engagement

All of the benefits of internal communication do not matter if employees are not able to consume the information. According to Tim Sanders, when we read text, we can only decode 7% of the author’s intended meaning, but in an auditory setting, that comprehension increases to 38%. This means that when you switch from an email culture to an audio-based culture, understanding increases 500%.

Audio and video podcasts are entertaining and so popular in today’s consumer world, that no habit change is required for your employees to tune in to important business communications. Private podcasts break up the monotony of written content and add character to the otherwise dry or boring content. They also provide a way to involve employees into the conversation. Many companies use private podcasting as a way to feature internal champions or key executives into their content - giving your employees an additional incentive to tune-in.

Speed

Information moves at lightning speed. And, as a business professional you want to make sure even your remote employees have the most up-to-date information at hand. Audio and video podcasting allows you to respond immediately - especially in crisis or unexpected situations - and communicate to your entire organization or simply a certain subset of your employee base.

Also, live audio podcasts are a much better way to get your employees ‘dialed-in’ to important company announcements. With live audio and video screaming, companies can broadcast town hall meetings and key corporate events without the hassle of dial-in codes - A persistent in-app banner and push notifications during live events encourages listeners to tune-in during real time.

Measurement

In today’s data-driven world, if you can’t measure it then it doesn’t matter. Until now, internal communications has been one of the most challenging departments to measure in terms of the value and impact on both company and individual performance.

The named-user podcast analytics that are available through uStudio’s private podcasting solution will confirm that certain key messages are actually consumed by those employees who have access. What length should your podcast episodes be? What podcast hosts are most popular among your audience? Exposure to analytics will allow you to monitor the behavioral trends relating to how your workforce prefers to get communications. Employee preferences might change over time and analytics will help you to produce the best internal communications material that will keep your workforce listening time and time again. Just the process of seeking employee feedback is beneficial since people are likely more excited about something if they feel they’ve played a role in shaping it.

Podcasting is a difference maker for today’s internal communications organization. It allows you to deliver the right information in an engaging way that aligns everyone around an organization’s goals. Most importantly, it provides the metrics to justify your efforts and value of your internal communications organization. Interested? Request a free personalized demo of uStudio’s private podcasting solution today.