Get All Access for $5/mo

How to Handle Internal Communication With a Young Staff Making sure you and your youthful charges are on the same page.

By Alexander Maasik

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Westend61 | Getty Images

As an internal-communications (IC) specialist, I often feel like a salesperson, constantly promoting my methods for handling both formal and informal communications to my colleagues and staff. As any good salesperson can tell you, each target demographic requires a slightly different approach, but the task is ultimately to bring everyone together. Here, I´ll focus on how to handle younger generations.

Communications-wise, their needs are different than those of previous generations, and also more intensive. Dr. Kateryna Bondar, an operations partner at IAG Consulting, aptly describes today's incoming workforce as harboring a desire for job flexibility, challenging tasks and participation in key objectives. Which means that, from an HR or IC perspective, we need to work harder than ever to keep the modern office environment running smoothly.

Related: The Coming Workplace Revolution

According to a report by global risk-management and advisory company Willis Tower Watson, companies with effective communication practices generate 47 percent higher total returns to shareholders compared to organizations with poor communication. And for smaller teams specifically, it can provide the energy boost that allows you to grow faster, do more and reach higher goals.

The first thing millenials in particular are looking for is an open company culture. This means less departmentalizing and more transparency. Growth marketer Sujan Patel has compiled a helpful list of companies who are doing this well, and as he says, "While the culture that works for one company might not work for another, you can learn a lot from companies who are doing it right and get started on company-culture hacks of your own."

Bu before hacking, you always need to make sure the channels you use are oriented to two-way communication. One good way is by offering an open-reporting model that ensures managers know what employees are doing and employees can see what their managers are up to.

Also, now that everyone under 40 is on social media, it's important to take advantage of similar channels within your company as well. Let's face it: A company newsletter will get thrown in a young colleague's spam folder. A messenger chat or a slack-group conversation, conversely, draws a lot more attention.

Related: Young Workers No Longer Get the On-the-Job Training They Need

The hardest part of all this is selling it to management. Unless you are a CEO yourself, you will meet some resistance. However, it is your job to innovate communications. You must stand firm and fight for what you believe in. In my own career, I've spoken with rising employees face-to-face, learned of their concerns and taken all of it into account when coming up with internal protocols. And after that, I've undertaken another round of conversations to sell everyone on my ideas. And whatever the circumstance, the main point remains: Listening to and understanding your young employees's needs is the fastest way to figure out what you need to offer them, and sharing your point of view is the best way to put a clear internal communication flow in place.

Alexander Maasik

Communication Specialist at Weekdone

Alexander Maasik is a communication specialist at Weekdone weekly employee-progress reports. Maasik has a degree in journalism and public relations and a strong passion for internal communications and online collaboration.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Green Entrepreneur®

How Global Business Leaders Can Build a Sustainable Supply Chain

Businesses can build sustainable supply chains by leveraging technology to reduce environmental impact, optimize resources and track emissions while balancing operational efficiency and sustainability goals.