Communication and engagement are two terms often used interchangeably in business settings, but they’re not the same thing.
While both are important for building strong relationships with stakeholders, they serve different purposes and require different strategies to be effective.
In this blog post, I explore the difference between engagement and communication, and explain how organisations can use both to achieve their goals.
What is communication?
Communication is the exchange of information between two or more parties. Communication can take many forms in a business setting, including emails, newsletters, intranet updates, meetings, presentations, and social media posts.
Communication aims to share information and ideas, clarify expectations, and ensure everyone is on the same page. Effective communication requires clear messaging, a receptive audience, and a feedback loop.
Communication is critical to building relationships with stakeholders, including employees, customers, and investors. However, communication alone is not enough to build strong relationships, as it is often one-way and may not lead to active participation or stakeholder involvement.
What is engagement?
Engagement, on the other hand, is the active participation and involvement of stakeholders in a relationship. Engagement involves creating opportunities for stakeholders to provide feedback, share their ideas, and have a voice in decision-making.
Engagement goes beyond just communication—it’s about building relationships and fostering a sense of connection between stakeholders and the organisation. Effective engagement requires a two-way dialogue, active listening, and a commitment to taking action in response to stakeholder feedback.
An organisation that actively solicits employee feedback, involves them in decision-making, and recognises their contributions, is more likely to have engaged employees who are invested in the company's success.
But engagement shouldn’t be limited to employees! Engagement is a critical component of building trust and loyalty with external stakeholders too. It can lead to improved performance of suppliers, increased customer satisfaction, and a stronger brand reputation.
So, what's the difference?
The main difference between engagement and communication is the level of involvement from stakeholders. Communication is about sharing information, while engagement is about building relationships and fostering active participation.
Communication is necessary for engagement to occur, but it is not sufficient on its own.
Tips for using engagement and communication
Organisations need to use engagement and communication effectively to achieve their goals. To use both engagement and communication effectively, you should:
Identify your stakeholders and their needs: Different stakeholders will require different communication and engagement strategies, so it’s essential to understand who they are and what they want.
Develop an engagement plan: An engagement plan should outline how the organisation will involve stakeholders in decision-making, provide opportunities for feedback, and recognise contributions.
Develop a communication plan: A communication plan should outline your organisation’s messaging, channels, and frequency of communication.
Monitor and evaluate: Regularly monitoring and evaluating communication and engagement efforts can help you identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes.
So, those are my tips for using both engagement and communication. Have you got a tip you’d like to share? If so, pop it in the comment box below!
About Victoria
Victoria believes that great communication has the power to change the world. She's passionate about helping organisations to lift their profiles, inspire action and achieve remarkable results by crafting and delivering their stories and messages in a clear, compelling and persuasive way. If you've got a question about communications, you can contact Victoria here or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Comments