Updated April 2022
Have you ever spent a considerable amount of time crafting the right message for your communication, only to have it barely skimmed over? However, do you put the same time and thought into how the communication looks? If what you send employees is text-heavy and void of any visual cues to what’s important, then it’s more likely employees will, at best, scan the information and move on—without a true understanding of what is being communicated to them.
One of the best ways to ensure high readership and engagement is to leverage design. Design is more than making an email or report simply look nicer. Instead, it is a useful element that can aid understanding and engagement. It is pivotal in getting key points across to employees for five key reasons:
Design creates brand awareness.
Proper branding triggers recognition for employees and helps them connect the dots. In benefits communications, it can be used to build brand or look that links together various programs and initiatives. This can be especially useful if you are sharing information from third-party administrators.
Design organizes information.
We often use design in our employee and benefits communication pieces to arrange information into checklists, steps or process flows. These are subtle ways to guide the reader.
Design simplifies the complicated.
Show, don’t tell! When it comes to presenting large amounts of information or data, a visual language helps reinforce what you are communicating. Infographics, for example, help present data or complex concepts in a more understandable (and quickly consumable!) way.
Design promotes your priorities.
Done right, design can draw attention to words, phrases or action steps that helps clarify and engage employees.
Design makes information digestible.
It’s easier to consume information when it is presented in “bite-size” pieces. This enables it to be easily scannable and more quickly absorbed.
When you have information you need employees to understand, support or act on, you need to carefully consider how you present information. Well-designed and well-written communications can go a very long way with achieving your communications objectives and ensuring your employees know what’s expected of them.
Want to chat? Reach out at helloindy@westcomm.com or follow us @westcomm on LinkedIn for more insights.
