Recent Willis Towers Watson research confirms what communicators already know: employees not sitting in the head office do tend to be less engaged. That’s why communicating effectively in the workplace is vital.
The good news is internal communicators can tackle and improve overall communications.
In this guide, we provide practical tips and takeaways you can use to build a strategy to engage your diverse workforce.
Key takeaways:
- How to conduct an internal communications audit to begin creating a strategy
- Why reviewing leadership communications is essential
- Ideas for bringing face-to-face interaction to remote workers
- Ways to increase a feeling of connection
- How to use all your channels most effectively
- Using insight and measurement to identify engagement by audiences
- Case study: How Granite Services built a strategy to engage a diverse workforce
1. Integrate and align multiple channels
US employees saw a 30% improvement in email consumption if they tacked up a poster teasing the email. This was a typical practice in US hospitals who were trying to target healthcare workers who are rarely at their desk.
2. Video and radio
Coca-Cola creates a monthly radio program to reach its 1,200 strong UK sales force. They knew this group were difficult to reach. With the produced radio show, the sales force can dial-in at a time and place (such as the car) that suits them – and hear the latest recording from the managing director.
The recording is available until the next edition is recorded each month. Employees can post their responses and questions via Coca-Cola’s social network.
Any significant town hall or event that happens is recorded on video and posted on the intranet, and also embedded and sent out in an email, along with the presentation materials.
3. Mobile Apps
Company specific mobile apps are increasing in popularity for reaching a diverse workforce. These custom apps enable internal communicators to reach employees who may not have email addresses – like supermarket workers – or non-desk employees. Once employees install them on their device, they have easy and immediate access to content and functionality on the go. Plus, the app can offer employees the ability to collaborate, such as taking a picture and/or video on their phone and uploading it directly to the platform.
4. Print
Print appears to be a channel in decline, due in part to its environmental impact and also because of its relatively high cost. However, we’ve seen some smart print practice when reaching specific audiences:
Experian creates a leadership magazine to communicate in more depth with their leadership about matters that require more than the 140 characters of a social media post. Hospitals allow staff to print off newsletters, or they leave copies in staff rooms to be picked up at the end of a shift, so they can read them on the way home.
When employees receive something in print from their employer, it’s sufficiently rare, so it has added value and importance and communicates something that will last. Diageo’s printed “purpose book” is an example of choosing print in order to convey that their purpose, brand and values are important and are long-term.
The above is an extract from our whitepaper on communicating effectively in the workplace. Download the full version now for more great insight.
