There are lots of important, but very dull, messages you need to tell your staff and visitors: where to find certain rooms, how to work the buzzer entry system, or any health and safety requirements. However, you can use print to spruce up your office space and make communications more interesting – both in terms of content and visual presentation.
We’re going to take a look at how you can improve internal communications with print – without being boring!
1. Make The Message Clear
It’s easy to slip into corporate jargon when you use signs in your office. However, this can create a level of disconnect between the staff and management, as more formal language feels less inclusive than a conversational tone.
We’re not saying you need to use slang on your signs to engage your employees! Just make sure that you’re using the most straightforward language possible. This usually means replacing jargon with a simpler word, or only including the main message that you want to communicate.
Which leads us on to...
2. Only Say What You Need To Say
Any sign, poster, or roller banner that has a lot of text on it will simply not be read, except perhaps by bored guests waiting in reception.
It’s really important to keep your messages separate, so that you’re only talking about one main point at any one time. Use bullet points, if necessary, and keep everything as short as possible. Most people will only read your internal signage in passing, so it’s essential to make sure it can be read in just a few seconds.
3. Stay Close To Your Branding
Your internal communications are an important part of your brand; these signs and memos will reaffirm the strength of your business vision and style to your employees. That’s why, tempting though it may be, it’s not ideal to stray too far from your branding for internal communications.
You may want to develop a slightly different theme for internal messages, which will help colleagues identify that it’s for them and may help them to pay more attention to it. You can easily do this without moving far from your overall branding style – perhaps a different accent colour, or font weight, that’s all.
4. Remember Paperwork, Too
Internal communication isn’t just about signs! Anything you pass to your staff should have the same cohesive branding, whether it’s a memo posted on noticeboards, or the employee handbook that all new staff are given.
Keep internal communications to-the-point, and remember that people will only read short messages. If you need to distribute a larger chunk of information, consider breaking it down, or sending emails as well as handing out booklets, to make sure the message is received.
5. Invest In Proper Health And Safety Signage
This is the dull one, but it’s really important. Making sure that your health and safety signs are clearly visible at all times is essential for two reasons:
1) It improves employee awareness of their responsibility to safety (such as wearing goggles), and
2) It shows that you care about providing a safe and positive working environment.
This type of signage doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be visible. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose a format such as Correx, which is lightweight and can be installed anywhere easily (often without the need to drill into a wall).
6. Create Artwork With Your Business Mission And Vision
When you created your business plan, you probably came up with a business vision for the future, and a mission statement.
You can use posters or foamex boards to bring some life to these statements. Use bright, appealing graphics to create eye-catching artwork that stays on-brand. This’ll give a bit of life to bare walls, without leaving behind your business style. It’s also a great thing to display in your reception areas, so that visitors can clearly see your aims and get an instant feel for your business.
