A Gallup poll on employee engagement found that 87% of employees worldwide are not engaged. Often taken for granted, communication is critical for effective management and keeping your employees engaged. Helping your team understand what is happening and where you are going is vital to driving results.

Communication Cadence: What Does it Mean?

Communication cadence is the frequency and timing of communication between different members of a team or organization. While it may seem simple, communication cadence is critical to your organization. Without it, miscommunication can happen, which can lead to a multitude of problems.

The type of business you run often determines communication cadence. For example, in a fast-paced environment like a startup, communication cadence may be more frequent since things are constantly changing. On the other hand, a more established company may have slower cadences since things are not as fluid. Therefore, it’s important for everyone involved in a project or organization to be aware of the cadence and to make sure they are communicating accordingly.

Formal & Informal Communication

There are two main types of communication cadence: formal and informal. Formal communication is usually more scripted and takes place in a more formal setting, such as a meeting or presentation. This type of communication is often used for important announcements or when there is a need for clarity. On the other hand, informal communication is less structured and typically happens in more casual settings, like over lunch or during a break. This type of communication is often used for building relationships and exchanging ideas.

Which type of communication cadence you use depends on the situation and the audience you address. In general, it is advisable to use formal communication when dealing with leadership or stakeholders and to use informal communication when interacting with employees or peers. It's essential for everyone involved in a project or organization to be aware of the cadence and to make sure they are communicating accordingly to keep meetings efficient and effective.

This means team members should be on the lookout for communication from leadership, and leadership needs to be aware of when and how to communicate with their team.

Best practices for Communication Cadence

There are a few essential best practices to keep in mind when it comes to communication cadence in a business:

Determining Best Times:

First and foremost, communication should be regular and consistent. This means establishing a communication schedule and sticking to it as closely as possible. Don’t be afraid to survey your employees and staff to see what times of the day and days of the week work best for them.

Communicating regularly at a time that works for everyone helps leaders maintain control of the conversation while also ensuring that employees are constantly kept in the loop.

Clear and Consistent Communications:

Secondly, communication should be clear and concise. This means avoiding ambiguity and making sure that all communication is easy to understand. When messages are convoluted or unclear, it can lead to confusion and frustration on the part of employees.

Set Clear Expectations:

Finally, communication should be tailored to the audience. This means that leaders should consider who they are speaking to, what they need to hear, and what will resonate with them. Using the wrong tone or communicating in a way that is not relevant to the audience can be ineffective and even counterproductive.

By following these best practices for communication cadence, businesses can create a communication strategy that helps them achieve their goals and objectives.

Benefits of an Effective Communication Cadence

Communication cadence is important for both leaders and employees:

For Leaders:

An effective communication cadence can help leaders properly convey messaging around their company. They can ensure that all communication is consistent, on-message, and accurate. This helps to build trust with employees and customers. Leaders who establish an effective communication cadence are also better able to identify and address issues quickly.

For Employees:

Employees who are kept up to date on the company’s latest news and developments through an effective communication cadence are more productive. They can better focus on their work when they know what is going on within the company. Additionally, employees who receive clear and concise communication from leaders are less likely to feel confused or stressed, leading to a more positive work environment and better employee performance which can lead to increased profitability.

An effective communication cadence is beneficial for both leaders and employees. It helps to build trust, enables leaders to address issues quickly, and results in a more productive workforce. Therefore, communication cadences are an essential part of business communication.

Communication improves employee relations, increases productivity, and promotes a collaborative workspace. When you’re building out your communication cadence, it is important to remember these

3 Factors to Consider for Communication in Your Business

The size of your team.
The distribution of the team.
The layers between you and the ground troops.

Consultant Insight

The larger your team, the more important it is for critical communication points to be documented and laid out. At every company in which I’ve worked with more than 50 employees under me, I always put together what I call a communication cadence. This communication cadence is a document that lists quarterly reviews, forecast calls, quarterly updates, and more. I then post these on the calendar and repeat them consistently, same day and the same month, to make it clear for the team. The distribution of your team becomes especially important with remote workers. I’ve had people report to me across nine time zones in high-tech, and my boss has had reports across four. Working remotely out of my home office is not a big deal, but many find it a challenge. Effective communication here can improve team cohesion and productivity. The layers between yourself and the ground level are another reason to formalize a clear communication cadence. When I was starting and would move up a layer, I often heard employees say, “My boss told me something different.” Communication breakdowns and, managers not executing against the plan set, poor leadership were often the cause. GCE Key Deliverables for Tools and Systems

Identifying what needs to be communicated and when.
Coaching for effective communication.

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Communication Cadence - What Does it Mean?