When developing internal communication strategies for organisations, I make sure that I seek out employees’ thoughts on how they would enhance communication within their companies.
Throughout the years, the most common response from employees is that they value strong internal communication with senior management and being regularly updated on the organisation’s news.
I recall how one employee was particularly frustrated at how he constantly found out what was happening in his company from people in his social circle than from his management.
Many organisations prioritise enhancing their external communications strategies over their internal approach.
However, various studies have shown that companies with strong internal communication have more productive employees and are more likely to achieve their financial goals.
In essence, success starts from within.
A study by global consultancy Deloitte found that organisations with engaged workers are 17 per cent more productive than those with less engaged employees.
When it comes to profitability, employee engagement is a driving factor.
A study by analytics and advisory company Gallup considered the differences in employee performance between engaged and disengaged work units. It found that those in the top quartile in employee engagement outperformed bottom-quartile units by 21 per cent in profitability.
Separately, a study by Fierce, a leadership development company, revealed that 86 per cent of respondents blamed ineffective communication for workplace failures.
Before working on developing external communication strategies, it is essential that organisations ensure that effective internal communication is in place.
When employees are well informed about their organisation’s objectives and targets and know how they can play a vital role to ensure it succeeds, it will positively impact their engagement and motivate them to excel.
In addition, an effective internal communication strategy helps to foster collaboration between departments and employees, which is more important now that many companies have a remote workforce and maintaining engagement becomes a priority.
An internal communication strategy can be executed in many ways – from ensuring there are several communication channels in place, such as weekly staff meetings and the use of internal circulars and emails, to keeping employees informed and up to date with events.
Improving communication within and across organisations through social technologies could raise productivity and interaction between employees by 20 per cent to 25 per cent, according to global consultancy McKinsey.
Thumbtack, a modern home management platform, uses different internal communication channels such as internal newsletters to keep its remote cross-continental workforce informed and prevent them from feeling disconnected.
As important as it is to develop these internal communication strategies and dedicate various channels to keep employees informed, a culture of transparency needs to be adopted and it has to begin from the top.
Company leaders should be open and transparent with their employees about the challenges and opportunities the organisation faces, and have an open-door policy where workers feel comfortable to raise concerns and share suggestions.
Some strategies I found to be effective are scheduling periodic circulars from the chief executive to employees, organising a monthly chief executive lunch with different departments, or holding a company-wide meeting twice a year or every quarter, where staff are encouraged to share their feedback.
An effective communication strategy not only ensures employee engagement but can also help organisations reach their financial targets faster
Manar Al Hinai
Organisations can follow the example of Google, one of the most favourable workplaces globally because of its strong work culture and focus on employees.
The organisation’s culture encourages employees to collaborate with each other and share ideas with senior management.
An effective communication strategy not only ensures employee engagement but can also help organisations reach their financial targets faster.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications adviser based in Abu Dhabi
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Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
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Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
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Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
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Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
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Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.
Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.
Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.
Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.
Packages which the US Secret Service said contained possible explosive devices were sent to:
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- Former US president Barack Obama
- Philanthropist and businessman George Soros
- Former CIA director John Brennan at CNN's New York bureau
- Former Attorney General Eric Holder (delivered to former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz)
- California Congresswoman Maxine Waters (two devices)
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
Everything Now
Arcade Fire
(Columbia Records)
