The best Enterprise Social Media (ESM) strategy is guided by the same principles that govern the most effective internal communications. Just because you turn on a social media tool does not mean you can turn off these principles of effective communications.

In fact, in our experience, Enterprise Social Media benefits most from the 6 following guiding principles:

If you’re like a lot of leaders I know, you’re constantly looking for ideas to make your next town hall feel more exciting and inspiring for employees. And that’s a good instinct. The truth is that many companies are long overdue for a town hall makeover.

One of the most popular questions I get in my work as a communications leader is this: What’s new in communications strategy today? Or, some variation of this: What must I do today to help my company achieve world-class, cutting-edge communications in the future? 

Anyone working in healthcare today knows just how demanding and complex the industry is, with daily shifts in consumer needs, financial pressures, evolving regulations and reforms. The business of healthcare has entered a new era that leaves communicators and leaders with the daunting challenge of keeping employees focused, committed and engaged in what can feel like the eye of a hurricane.

As we head into the new year, we wanted to take a moment to look back and see what resonated most with you – our readers – in 2018. As we looked at what your favorite content was, we couldn’t pick just a few posts to highlight. So instead, we’ve compiled an easy-to-download compilation eBook of the most read leadership and communication articles of 2018.

A Surplus of Communications Channels

Having so many options for communicating with employees can be both a blessing and a curse. Often, it’s tough to decide on the perfect option for the particular needs of any one audience. And when the wrong channels – or too many – are chosen to communicate a message, it creates clutter and overload.

Trust Everywhere is Eroding 

Several recent surveys show a serious decline in the trust key stakeholders have in organizations. Earlier this year, a major annual study underscored the scope of the problem, revealing the largest-ever drop in trust among the general population. 

We have a love-hate relationship with email. Research shows employees spend an estimated 71 hours on irrelevant emails per work year – that’s almost 90 minutes a week. Yet, CEOs, leaders and employees agreed email is an effective way to exchange information at work.

The Leader Differential: 5 Steps to Thrive; an Internal Communications Primer for Leaders has remained one of our more popular eBooks over the years. And because it’s a resource that you – our subscribers – know and love, we’ve gone ahead and made some updates so it remains a valuable resource for you.

Going Slow to Go Fast: Making Internal Communication Work for You has been one of our most downloaded eBooks to date. And because it’s a resource that you – our subscribers – know and love, we’ve taken some time to update it for you. 

The eBook remains a go-to resource for communicators who want to build a strategic, streamlined, and effective internal communication plan that speaks directly to the number-one question on business leaders’ minds: How will this improve our bottom line?