ASK:

1. What communications channels are currently available? What are the pros and cons of each? Is there enough variety?
2. What impact do you want your communications channels to have on employees? Are they effective?
3. What channels can your various employee audiences access?
4. In which channels do your employees engage? How do you know?
5. Which leaders in the organization favor what channels for their communications with employees? Why is this the case?
6. What channels do employees want that they don’t have? How do you know (polling, surveys, focus groups, etc.)?
7. Do your channels enable a balance where employees are productive while also engaged with important messaging?
8. Are there opportunities for better collaboration, knowledge sharing and socialization in your available channels?
9. Do your current channels enable two-way communication effectively?

WHEN IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE

1. The channels you have aren’t reaching your audiences where they are, either what they have access to use or what they actually use.
2. There aren’t enough channels to sufficiently amplify and reinforce messaging.
3. You can’t measure engagement with your tools, because there are not built-in or add-on analytics. Therefore, you can’t benefit from the data you don’t have to improve communications effectiveness while using them.
4. Your communications channels are not enabling the organization to optimize its vision, mission and values.
5. Current channels are not keeping pace with available technology.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

1. You’ll need to keep budget in mind, along with return on investment.
2. IT security, legal, compliance, regulatory, etc. needs should be met (or negotiated, if possible).
3. Don’t replace in-person, face-to-face opportunities with tools.
4. There may be platforms/tools the organization already has licensed but isn’t using.
5. What about technological feasibility with a distributed workforce? Would new channels work with the equipment and access employees have anywhere they are working?
6. Is it possible to take a new channel for a test drive (i.e. pilot with a small group)?
7. What is working at similar organizations?
8. Channels must be intuitive to use.