Seeking feedback from employees about their channel preferences can greatly enhance channel effectiveness.
The effectiveness of communication channels is always a hot topic for communicators – and this year, State of the Sector 2023/24 survey respondents shared their views including many communication channels that continued to be either overused or ineffective.
In 2023 we saw some notable shifts in usage: video usage increased by 7%, while the use of letters and posted materials declined by 7%. Face-to-face and web calls were rated the most effective broadcast channels, suggesting real-time broadcast options are best. Informal collaboration channels, such as chat tools, text messages and one-to-ones were rated most highly for effectiveness. Interestingly, a large proportion of respondents said they didn’t know if chat bots (26%) or podcasts (19%) were effective as self-service channels, despite an increase in take-up year-on-year.
Not only did we look at how individual channels and mediums rated, we also asked how the channel landscape was changing; whether communicators were adding, replacing or removing channels, what drives their satisfaction and why changes were being made.
Despite “volume of communication too high” being a challenge this year, we found one in three communicators had added a channel, while only 6% had removed a channel. The reasons for adding or replacing channels varied. Those who removed a channel were more likely to be measuring channel performance. One-third of respondents added a channel to meet business needs, while a smaller percentage did so based on employee feedback. This is despite the fact that meeting employee needs was the top driver of satisfaction, suggesting that communicators are often at the mercy of business demands rather than employee preferences when it comes to channel choice.
Building a Channel Strategy Framework to improve effectiveness
Organizations which have a well-defined channel framework were found to be three times more satisfied with their channels compared to those without any strategic documents to support their efforts. A channel framework provides a clear roadmap for channel selection, messaging and evaluation, setting out the purpose and audience for each channel in order to ensure consistency and effectiveness across the channel mix.
Consulting Lead Samantha Healey said, "A channel framework is a must. It allows you to establish the purpose and audience of each of your channels so you can utilize them accordingly and increase efficiency across the board — evidenced by the fact that emails are 8% more effective for respondents who have a channel framework. What’s more, respondents with a channel framework cited 10% higher channel satisfaction than the average, plus they measured their impact more comprehensively."
Inevitably, the hybrid working environment plays a role in channel effectiveness. Our research shows that organizations with fewer deskless workers tend to have higher channel effectiveness. Likely because workers in industries such as hospitality, manufacturing and healthcare, for example, find it more difficult to engage with traditional communication channels like email or intranets. By tailoring your channel mix to accommodate the needs of deskless workers, communicators can significantly improve channel effectiveness.
Additionally, seeking feedback from employees about their channel preferences can greatly enhance channel effectiveness. Communicators who regularly ask employees about their channel preferences (quarterly or more frequently) experienced the most significant increase in insights into their preferences, behaviors, and communication habits. This enables you to tailor your messages and select the most appropriate channels to effectively reach and engage your audience.
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