Meetings are expensive ways to distribute information to employees. Rather than waste work hours telling people the details about the latest protocol in person, companies can save money by disseminating information in more efficient ways. Keep your employees up-to-date by using a combination of communication methods to get the word out.

Email

Email is an effective way to let employees know about important updates. An added benefit is that the information is presented in writing. Ask for a return receipt, and you can prove that the employee received the message. Putting things in writing is also a good idea when the information is particularly complex. It is a good idea to have a workplace expectation that employees will check their email before leaving the building each day so that they are aware of meetings and events scheduled to take place early the following day.

Website

If your company has an ongoing stream of new information that most people in the company need to be able to access, put up a website specifically for this purpose. Put it on the company intranet so that individuals outside the company will not have access to it. If you do not have an intranet, you can password-protect parts of the website to safeguard sensitive material. Include a search function so that employees can easily look up specific regulations and policies when needed.

Fliers and Posters

Fliers are another way to let employees know about upcoming events, contests and policy changes. Print them on brightly colored, attention-grabbing paper and place them in employees' individual mailboxes. Also post them in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen, bathrooms and in front of elevators. You also might need to hang posters that detail safety procedures that are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or information about employee rights or wages. You can obtain these posters from the relevant government agency.

Group Text Messaging

Businesses that issue employees cell phones can use group text messaging to get short bits of important information to employees in a timely manner. Businesses with large numbers of employees can contract with a service to help streamline the process. Be cautious about sending messages to employees' personal phones, as some may seek reimbursement for a portion of their phone bill, claiming that it was used for business purposes.