10 Tips to Share Information More Effectively

In this guide we’re going to give you 10 tips and best practices on how to share information more effectively.

We now have so many office communication methods at our disposal: Slack, Microsoft Teams, emails, SMS, Zoom, meetings, post-it notes… There are almost too many ways to get a message across.

But here's the thing: having more tools doesn't always mean better communication. In fact, our joint study with Unily shows that employees spend around 31 minutes per shift just searching for internal information. That comes out to about 15 full work days per year spent hunting down the details they need to do their jobs. The study also revealed that, despite all these communication tools, employees still use unauthorized platforms to share sensitive company data; a phenomenon known as Shadow IT.

And it gets worse. According to Salesforce, poor communication is linked to 86% of workplace failures. When information doesn't flow properly, projects fall behind, mistakes happen, and teams become frustrated.

However, companies that have good communication do see tremendous results. For example, organizations with high levels of engagement and clear information sharing are 21% more productive and have 22% higher profitability. For a company with around 1,000 employees, improving information sharing could save up to $2.7 million annually.

So how do you break through the noise and give your messaging the impact it needs?

That’s what this guide covers. We’ll share 10 tips and best practices on how to share information more effectively.

1. Audit your current communication

Are messages getting lost? Are certain teams constantly out of the loop? Do people spend half their day hunting for information that should be easy to find?

We need these answers first, to decide the best way to share information more effectively.

Start by talking to your team. Ask managers what communication challenges they're seeing. Talk to frontline staff about whether they're getting the information they need. Check for common problems:

• Are important announcements buried in email threads?
• Do different departments use completely different tools to communicate?
• Are remote workers missing information that in-office employees get naturally?
• Is the same question being asked over and over because the answer isn't documented anywhere?

2. Choose the right tools for your team's needs

Not every company needs the same communication tools. While some businesses might be mostly built around office workers, others might include a mix of office, remote or hybrid workers, multi-national, and frontline workers with no device access.

Here's how to think about choosing tools:

• For real-time communication: Instant messaging platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams work for quick responses within an office setting.
• For formal communication: Email is still the top choice here, especially if the comms need a paper trial
• For knowledge storage: A company wiki, knowledge base, or intranet, like Unily or Notion
• For project coordination: Asana, Trello, or Monday.com help teams track tasks, share updates, and see progress.

We have a full blog on internal communication tools for modern teams.

The key is integration. Your tools should work together, not create more silos. If you post an announcement on the office digital signage screen, it should link to more information that your people already have access to.

3. Answer, “what does clear communication look like?”

If a team member has important information to share, where should they put it? Should it go in Slack? Email? The team meeting? A document somewhere? They make their best guess, but half the team never sees it because they were looking in the wrong place.

This is why you need clear guidelines about what information goes where.

• Create a communication playbook that covers
• Which channel to use for what
• Response time expectations
• Meeting protocols:
• How to share different types of information

Make this playbook easy to find and reference. Include examples so people can see what good communication looks like. Update it as your needs change.

When everyone knows the rules, communication becomes smoother and less frustrating.

4. Establish the right level of transparency

How much should you share with employees? It depends on your culture and what helps people do their jobs better.

Some companies like Buffer share everything: financials, salaries, strategic plans. But most companies land in the middle, sharing goals and performance updates while keeping sensitive data private. 

Some more traditional companies also share on a need-to-know basis, which often leaves people feeling disconnected.

Here's a simple test for deciding how much to share (keeping your company culture in mind as well): "Does this information help employees work better or feel more connected?" 

If yes, share it. If it's confidential for legal reasons, don't.

5. Make information easy to find and access

We already shared how employees spend 30+ minutes each shift searching for information. That's a full day wasted hunting down what they need.

One solution for this problem has been around for a while: company knowledge bases. A central location where everyone looks first. Make it searchable so people find answers in seconds, not hours. Also keep it organized with clear categories and assign owners to keep it current.

For deskless workers who can't access computers easily, use digital signage in break rooms or common areas to share the information and keep everyone on the same page. This type of direct display is often referred to as an information radiator in some circles, owing to the fact that key information and data emanates from it, like heat.

Knowledge bases take time to create and maintain. But, they are a huge plus in the long run, especially when you think about the potential time loss if they aren’t available.

6. Meet employees where they are

Up to 71% of employees report ignoring company emails. Instead of sending all communications to one destination, consider meeting your people where they are. 

Office workers live in Slack or Teams. Retail and warehouse staff have no computer access during shifts, and sometimes, digital signage in break rooms is the most natural way to reach them.

Field workers, on the other hand, often rely on mobile-first communication.

And that’s the answer right there. Adapt the message into digestible formats for all these mediums, and bring it to the employees who need to see it.

7. Use multiple channels for important messages

People consume information differently, and your messaging should reflect that. If it doesn't, some people are guaranteed to miss the whole thing.

Here’s what we recommend:

For major announcements, use multiple touchpoints.

• Send an email with details
• Post a summary in team chat
• Display it on digital signage
• Discuss it in meetings
• Record a video from leadership
• Update your knowledge base

This multi-channel approach accommodates different learning styles and accessibility needs. Someone with hearing impairment benefits from written communication. Someone constantly moving might catch information on screens throughout the day.

And the 70+% of employees who ignore company email updates will see it in Slack or Notion.

8. Create two-way communication channels

Employees see problems first and have ideas about working more efficiently. And without easy ways to share feedback, your organization could be making decisions with incomplete data. This is why feedback loops are so important.

How?

The first step is really just making it easy to provide feedback. You can add forms to your intranet, create Slack channels for suggestions, or display QR codes on digital signage linking to surveys.

Then, your people need to know that their suggestions are being seriously considered. That means responding to them. Acknowledge ideas publicly. Explain when you can't implement something and why. 

Celebrate when you do act on feedback.

You can also use town hall meetings and all hands to give employees a voice and give them a chance to share their ideas openly. 

9. Address blind spots in your communication

Blind spots here refers to groups who miss information, even when they are shared effectively.

Here’s a break down of some of these groups and how you can effectively reach them:

• Employees in different time zones: Record meetings for later viewing 
• Shift workers: use 24/7 digital signage to keep messaging always visible
• Deskless workers: Screens in break rooms or SMS alerts can be effective here
• New hires: Use comprehensive onboarding docs to bring them up to speed
• Language barriers: Translate key announcements
• Accessibility needs: Add captions on videos and readable fonts
• Remote workers: Document casual information that office staff absorb naturally

Find your blind spots by asking directly: "Are you getting information you need?" If the answer is no, the next natural question is, “Why not?

Then create a system of communication that can reach them consistently.

10. Measure what's working and adjust

You can't improve what you don't measure.

Track these metrics: Are people opening your messages? How long does finding information take? Are employees using the right channels? Run quarterly surveys asking if people feel informed. Log communication problems—missed deadlines, duplicated work, confusion. Monitor repeated questions to IT or HR.

Use this data to act. If nobody reads your newsletter, change the format or timing. If remote workers feel disconnected, invest in better inclusion practices. If certain teams ignore your intranet, ask what would actually help.

Share results with your team and explain what you'll change. Keep measuring and adjusting as your company evolves.

Read our full internal communication guide here.

Share information effectively with ScreenCloud

Effective communication comes down to a few key principles: meet employees where they are, use the right tools for your team's needs, and make information easy to find. 

Digital signage plays a powerful role in this system. It reaches deskless workers who don't sit at computers all day, displays important updates in places where employees naturally gather, and cuts through the noise of overflowing inboxes. 

Whether you're sharing company announcements, safety alerts, performance dashboards, or team celebrations, screens make sure your message gets seen.

And with ScreenCloud, it couldn’t be easier to set up your digital signage communication. Our platform integrates with the tools you already use, like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Drive, so you can push content to screens without switching systems. 

See how digital signage can improve communication at your company. Start your free trial today or book a demo to see ScreenCloud in action.

FAQs 

What are the best methods of sharing information in the workplace?

The best methods are instant messaging tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for quick updates, email or a company wiki for official announcements, and digital signage for reaching deskless workers and employees in common areas.

What is the most effective way to share information with employees?

The most effective way is to share information where your employees already are. If your team is constantly checking Slack, that's where quick updates should go. If you have deskless workers on a warehouse floor or in a retail space, digital signage placed in break rooms or common areas reaches them without requiring them to check another device. The key is matching the method to your audience and the type of information you're sharing. 

How do you share information with a large team?

For large teams, centralization is everything. Use a single source of truth, like a company wiki or knowledge base, where everyone can access policies, procedures, and important documents. Digital signage also works incredibly well for large organizations because you can broadcast the same message across multiple locations at once. 

What are the 7 methods of sharing information?

The seven most common methods are: instant messaging (Slack, Teams) for real-time communication, email for formal notices and documentation, video calls (Zoom, Google Meet) for face-to-face discussions, company wikis or knowledge bases for storing reference materials, digital signage for visual communication in physical spaces, meetings (daily standups, team meetings, all-hands) for collaborative discussion, and project management tools (Asana, Trello) for task-specific updates. 

How can I improve information sharing in my company?

Start by auditing your current communication to identify gaps and blind spots. Are messages getting lost? Are certain teams missing updates? Once you know what's not working, define clear guidelines for what information goes where. Also, tell employees exactly how to communicate, instead of assuming they already know.

What should be the main goal of information sharing?

The main goal should be alignment. When everyone has access to the same information, they can work toward the same goals without duplicating effort or working at cross purposes.