IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION IN DIGITAL AGE

CHAMSHAMA DEBORA S.
BAPRM 42540

Corporate communication is a management function that offers a frame work for the effective coordination of all internal and external communication with the overall purpose of establishing and maintaining favorable reputations with stake holder groups upon which the organization is dependent. It is how the organization manages their communication so as to attain their planned objectives. The following are some of the importance of corporate communication in digital age;

To make sure that there are suitable flow of information between the internal organization and their publics. Corporate communication in digital age helps the public to get information about the organization more easily through the use of new media. Through internet now days people are able to get information easier and faster compare to the days before.

Manage reputation of the organization, through new media the organization can find out about what people are saying concerning the organization and hence decisions can be made through the information acquired. Also the organization will be able to know where they have a weakness through the comments of their publics and hence know how to avoid certain issues.

Corporate communication has also made easier the process of communication among the employees within an organization and the public. For instance in an organization through the use of intranet it is easy to send information to all employees at once instead of dealing with one after another.

Corporate communications serve several audiences and purposes external to the organization.

Companies need to communicate effectively to the media, so they engage public or media relations professionals. If organizations need to liaise with government agencies or if they lobby, they need government relations experts. Public companies need to employ investor relations specialists. Some companies may have specific individuals to handle relations in the community, such as charitable or volunteer works.

A common aspect of internal corporate communications is employee relations ensuring accurate and consistent communication with employees. This communication can be both formal and informal. The employee handbook, memoranda and employee reviews are examples of formal communications; personal or ad hoc conversations would be informal communications. Regular and well-executed employee communications is particularly critical during tumultuous times for an organization to ease anxieties, boost morale and inhibit inaccurate information that may trickle outside the organization.

Crisis communications is a facet of corporate communications that deserves special attention. Companies and high-profile individuals can find that one crisis and how it is handled can forever alter their corporate path. It could be a product failure, employee injuries, an executive firing or mass layoff, a natural disaster that affects a corporate facility or just an unsubstantiated rumor. Every organization needs to have a crisis communications plan in place before the crisis, with a designated spokesman and crisis team on which to call. Particularly with current social media, proactive planning is essential to the overall health of corporate communications.