In today’s fast-paced digital age, having effective communication is more important than ever for organizations to engage with their employees. With the arrival of new tools and technologies, the communications landscape has transformed (and yet, many “classics” remain the same). This piece focuses on how workplace communication has evolved.
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that each employee has different needs when it comes to communications. By providing information that is short, sweet and to the point, you have a better chance of connecting with employees, getting their attention, and driving adoption of a program, process, or project.
Having communications tools in place for different types of learners is essential (some people like to see things, others like to read information, and some may prefer in person meetings, for example). And keep in mind that not every employee has easy access to technology like email or instant messaging, so that can’t be the only way to share information.
So, the first step focuses on developing a thoughtful communications program with a clear, concise, and compelling strategy. This also means considering all the communications methods at your disposal – a leading practice is to have a multi-touch approach to how you engage and to vary the modalities of how information gets into employees’ hands, so to speak.
Below are suggestions on where to start:
- Understand that one (communications) size does not fit all. Organizations have employee populations made up of multiple audiences. They vary by location or worksite, generational communications preferences, computer aptitude, languages, shifts, and much more. Your communications strategy should be to consistently and frequently communicate to each of your constituents in a way that will resonate with them.
- Make sure you can reach an unplugged workforce. Keep in mind that print communications (postcards, table tents, posters, mailers, etc.) are still alive and well, particularly for workforces that might not be behind a desk all day or don’t have a company email address or regular access to computers – think about employees in manufacturing, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and beyond. Here’s where the classic communications methods can come into play as well – more on that below.
- Mix it up with a variety of deliverables – and evaluate which new techniques can help you. Consider the evolution of communications tools, and consider leveraging:
- Social collaboration tools. These tools can help with quick exchanges of information, updates, and “watercooler” conversations, especially in a virtual setting.
- Video conferencing. Many organizations put virtual meeting tools in place during the pandemic and have continued to use them to facilitate “face-to-face” interactions to bring a personal touch for colleagues who may work in different parts of the country or across the globe.
- Mobile Apps. A great avenue to connect with employees is to offer convenient access to company information and communicate on-the-go via a mobile app. This is also a good strategy when reaching a workforce that is not behind a desk all day.
- Internal Social Networks. Think about creating Business Resource Groups (for example, they might support military members and families, women in leadership or different generations in the workforce). These employee-led groups can serve as another way to share information either with specific groups or across all employees where they’re engaged.
- Podcasts and Webinars. Everyone digests content differently. These tools can serve as another method to deploy information in different modes to meet the needs of a multi-generational workforce. The episodes can also be archived for future access on a company portal.
- Digital Signage. Displaying digital signage is another way to reach a “deskless” workforce. Content can be dynamic in nature, updated often, and garner lots of attention in high-traffic areas like breakrooms, employee entranceways, or even near time clocks. These messages can also be deployed via email or text campaigns and should incorporate QR codes to encourage employee engagement.
- QR Codes. Speaking of QR codes, adding a QR code to digital signage and physical signage (i.e.: table tents, fliers, posters, newsletters) offers a quick and easy path to more information for employees.
| Classic | Modern |
| Meetings | Social collaboration tools; video conferencing
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| Email | Text messaging; mobile apps
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| Posters and fliers | Digital signage, TV screens
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| Mailers and postcards | Text campaign; magnets
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And don’t forget the classics: In-person meetings, manager one-on-ones, change champion networks, town hall meetings, messages shared before shifts, posters, fliers, and even email for those populations that have it all continue to be effective in reaching an increasingly dispersed workforce. These methods can augment your overall communications mix to make sure you can effectively reach everyone where they are. By leveraging classic and modern communications tools, organizations can continue to enhance internal communications and meet the needs of a changing workforce.
