Upward communication is a form of communication within a company. It concerns communication from employees upwards to the hierarchy of management.
When it comes to communication, a business needs to implement various strategies. External communication, aimed at consumers, the press and partners, is one of the company's main lines of communication. The second axis involves all exchanges of information that take place within the business itself, between its various members.
This is internal communication, which can take several forms:
- Cross-functional communication: the aim of this type of horizontal communication is to facilitate communication between all members of the company, regardless of their hierarchical status.
- Downward communication: downward communication starts from the hierarchy of management and is addressed to employees. This is also known as top-down communication.
- Upward communication: upward communication, or bottom-up communication, emanates from employees and is directed at higher hierarchical levels.
With upward communication, employees can make suggestions, complain, or share ideas with their superiors.
There are several ways in which the organization can do this:
- Intranet
- Collaboration platforms
- Corporate social networks
- Emails
- Blog or company newspaper
- Meetings
- Idea box
For a company's upward communication strategy to be effective, and for information to be properly transmitted, it must be based on a genuine culture of free speech. Employees must feel secure in sharing their ideas and suggestions. They must not feel judged, and their word must be respected.
This type of communication enables the company's projects to move forward more quickly and creates a pleasant, motivating atmosphere in the workplace.
All employees feel more motivated and involved in the life and development of the company.
Internal communication, whether upward, downward, or cross-functional, greatly improves working conditions for all. It also reduces staff turnover by increasing employee loyalty.
A company that implements an effective internal communications strategy will also see its image improve, which could ultimately translate into higher sales.
