Employee recognition is a cornerstone of modern workplace culture, and its role in organizational success cannot be overstated. When employees feel valued and acknowledged for their contributions, they are more engaged, motivated, and aligned with the company’s mission. However, recognizing employees is not just about occasional rewards or praise—it’s about weaving recognition into the fabric of internal communication strategies. Especially in industries where many employees are deskless, such as hospitality, effective internal communication must be a key vehicle for driving employee recognition. This post will explore how internal communication strategies, like the one at Ryman Hospitality Properties, are designed to engage, inspire, and recognize employees.
Internal Communication: The Bedrock of Employee Engagement
In today’s workplaces, open and honest communication is more than a nicety—it’s an expectation. Employees want transparency, especially when it comes to understanding business decisions, changes, and their place within the organization’s larger strategy. But how can organizations ensure that their internal communications effectively foster this transparency and encourage employee engagement?
At Ryman Hospitality Properties, a focus on employee recognition is central to the internal communications strategy. Recognition, in this context, goes beyond public praise; it’s about integrating acknowledgment into the daily flow of communication. Whether it’s through apps, emails, or employee-focused content, the goal is to make recognition an integral part of how employees engage with the organization.
Developing a strategic internal communication plan tailored to engage employees is a critical step toward fostering this environment. Ryman’s collaboration with its VP of Brand Communications is a prime example of how leadership can shape communication initiatives. Together, they’ve crafted a strategy that ensures employees are consistently updated, engaged, and aligned with the company’s broader vision and goals. This strategy has proven particularly beneficial for the hospitality industry, where a large percentage of employees are deskless.
Inspiring Employees: The Power of ‘Why’
To truly engage employees, especially when implementing changes or making significant business decisions, it is essential to communicate not just the what, but the why. Employees need to understand the reasoning behind decisions that affect their day-to-day work. This is where internal communication plays a critical role—not merely informing, but inspiring.
At Ryman, communication strategies leverage a variety of channels, including employee apps and text messaging, to keep the workforce informed. These tools make recognition programs more visible and accessible. Photos and employee-focused content boost engagement by showcasing individual and team achievements, thereby reinforcing the connection between recognition and organizational success.
For deskless workers—who often feel disconnected from traditional communication streams—these tools are especially powerful. Providing consistent recognition through personalized communication channels helps employees feel valued and included in the company’s achievements, regardless of their location or role. This is particularly important in the hospitality industry, where high levels of employee turnover can be a challenge. Recognition not only boosts morale but also increases retention by making employees feel like an integral part of the company’s success.
A Four-Pronged Approach to Internal Communication
Effective internal communication strategies are multi-faceted and should aim to communicate, inspire, engage, and collaborate. At Ryman Hospitality Properties, the approach to internal communications follows this four-pronged strategy, ensuring that employees are not only informed but also actively engaged in the company’s ongoing narrative.
- Communicating: Open and honest communication builds trust. Regular updates, whether through meetings, messages, or apps, ensure employees are aware of company developments and how their roles contribute to larger business objectives.
- Inspiring: Sharing the ‘why‘ behind decisions helps to inspire employees. It demonstrates that their contributions are aligned with the company’s values and future goals, fostering a sense of purpose.
- Engaging: Engaging employees through recognition—whether through photos, shout-outs, or personalized messages—helps create meaningful interactions. By making recognition more visible and individualized, companies can foster a sense of belonging among employees, especially those on the frontline.
- Collaborating: Internal communication isn’t just top-down; it’s about fostering collaboration across all levels of the organization. Allowing employees to engage with leadership, provide feedback, and contribute to conversations ensures that communication is a two-way street.
This comprehensive strategy builds trust by ensuring that communication is not only frequent but also transparent and inclusive.
Transitioning to Personalized, App-Based Communication
One key aspect of modern internal communication strategies is the shift away from traditional tools like email and toward more personalized platforms. Ryman Hospitality Properties, for instance, has embraced the use of employee apps to communicate directly with its workforce. Apps allow for more individualized, location-specific, and department-specific communication, making the recognition process feel more personal and relevant to each employee.
Apps also provide an opportunity for companies to explore more dynamic content formats. At Ryman, they are experimenting with podcasts, a medium that gives senior leaders greater visibility and allows employees to hear directly from top executives. This adds a personal touch to communication and helps employees feel more connected to the company’s leadership.
For organizations looking to enhance employee recognition and engagement, transitioning to an app-based communication system can offer several advantages. Not only does it make communication more immediate and personalized, but it also allows for greater flexibility in the types of content shared.
Balancing Frequency and Engagement
One of the biggest challenges in internal communication is finding the right balance in the frequency of updates. Oversaturating employees with memos, push notifications, or messages can lead to disengagement. At the same time, too few updates can result in employees feeling out of the loop or undervalued.
Ryman Hospitality Properties tackles this challenge by adopting a strategic approach to communication frequency. By carefully planning the number of posts and notifications sent to employees, the company ensures that communication remains engaging without becoming overwhelming. This strategy helps maintain employee interest and ensures that recognition remains a positive, motivating force rather than just another task on the daily to-do list.
Conclusion: The Role of Employee Recognition in Engagement
An effective internal communication strategy is not just about keeping employees informed—it’s about engaging and recognizing them. At Ryman Hospitality Properties, employee recognition has become an integral part of the company’s internal communication strategy, driving meaningful interactions and fostering a sense of belonging among its workforce. By focusing on open communication, inspiring employees with the ‘why‘ behind decisions, and personalizing recognition through apps and other tools, organizations can build a more engaged, motivated, and aligned workforce.
For leaders and strategists aiming to enhance their internal communication and employee recognition strategies, investing in personalized and transparent communication channels is key. By fostering an environment where recognition is visible, frequent, and meaningful, companies can drive engagement and motivation, ultimately boosting organizational success.
