Internal Communication and the Goals of Human Resources

In terms of types of internal communication, there are five main sources discussed by business consultants and websites. Management teams are in charge of a specific type of communication with their employees. They may need to dispense information such as strategies, company results, internal and external information, as well as other important general information that may arise. Management needs to communicate well in order to set the tone for a good company culture and engage their employees effectively. Within companies, teams are formed between colleagues who work together to achieve the same goal. Internal communication needs to be effective within these teams to share ideas and productively accomplish their goals. Communication can also be face-to-face or online.  

Face-to-face communication is often used in briefing individuals on tasks and situations. This form of communication can be formal or informal, depending on the level of employees within the organization. For example, a subordinate to superior conversation is likely to be more formal than one between peers. It is often verbal conversations, but also includes non-verbal communication as well, such as a wave between co-workers as they pass each other. Communication within companies occurs within different communication platforms. Employees' communication can be formal or informal, verbal or written but it is all important to the functioning of the company as a whole. 

Other platforms can appear more disconnected, as they are mostly conducted through technology. Commonly used resources today in internal communication include the internet, email, social media, messaging, video calls and telephone. These media types all have different unique purposes for which they are most important at a corporate level. One example would be that messaging can be helpful for quick and simple trading of information or due dates. In contrast, a video call can easily replace a meeting as a way to collaborate on in-depth company planning. An email may detail instructions for a specific project, while social media may quickly spread the word about an upcoming event. Paper can even be used as a way of communicating using posters and graphics. Tactics are part of the internal communication plan and should point out the specific initiatives and actions needed to achieve your business goals. Different platforms and technologies aid in effective communication in the workplace and working environment 

Internal communication is often largely delegated to those who are in the field of Human Resources. According to humanresourcesedu.org, the term human resources was first coined in the 1960s when the value of labor relations was brought attention and when ideas such as motivation, organizational behavior and selection processes began to take shape in all types of work settings. These positions were created to help companies streamline their hiring process and ensure that the correct people are hired. Many of these positions are also intended to ensure workers are being utilized to the best of their abilities and help with business communication. Overall, the job of human resources was created to get the best people working for your company in the capacity that will make them the most effective. Human resource management is a relatively new concept still, and the term is used to describe the management and development of employees in an organization. Today, their duties are more focused on hiring than managing employee effectiveness, but things have been changing within the field in recent years.  

As previously mentioned, the duties of HR professionals are focused on a number of major goals. First, they are majorly involved with recruiting and staffing. This can include conducting interviews, paperwork, background checks, and more. Compensation and employee benefits are also handled by HR professionals, as well as training and development of employees who are new to the company. Any training that is department specific will still be set up by the human resources team.  

Labor and employee relations are also a more abstract responsibility of those in human resources. It is often a goal to improve employee engagement and make sure employees are satisfied. It is the hope of human resource teams to use their employees the most effectively in order to quickly reach the company’s business goals. Human resource management is largely developing and administering programs that are designed to increase the effectiveness of an organization. It includes the entire spectrum of creating, managing and cultivating the employer-employee relationship. 

One way they do this is by addressing current employee concerns. Unlike company managers who oversee the day-to-day work of employees, HR departments deal with employee concerns directly, and are meant to have a more personal and objective understanding of their workers. They may need to discuss complaints with managers at some point in the process, but their goal is to solve as many complaints on their own as they can. Their work may also include settling conflicts between employees or between employees and their managers. Effective HR teams also encourage company employees and improve morale, which contributes to the overall success of the company. Their work often involves rewarding employees for good performance and creating a positive work environment through events or other teambuilding.  

Employees who feel underappreciated often go to HR employees first, and employee advocacy is another aspect of the job. An August 2014 Forbes article explored the changes in HR since its beginnings. More specifically, the article found that HR teams which focused on things that fail to impact the organization are considered reactive, uncreative and lacking basic business understanding. Some of the focuses of HR professionals were deemed unimportant. These unimportant aspects included speed of hire and performance reviews. The focus needs to be shifted to aspects like defining and aligning the organization’s purpose, recruiting talent who will be passionate about this purpose and using this talent’s strengths. In addition to this, HR professionals who want to be recognized as true business partners need to see themselves as businesspeople who specialize in HR, rather than HR people who advise a business. They need to be more focused on improving their organization than fulfilling their specific duties the fastest.