RIP PDF's

It isn’t 2013, so why have most businesses not updated how they communicate with their employees for the last decade? A few have made steps into an intranet - and of course, Teams, Slack and Zoom have made communication within teams much easier. But what about key messages, company updates and keeping your humans engaged?

Virtual v IRL

Town halls can be an effective way of delivering quarterly or bi-annual updates, and they can also be tailored to different areas of the business - both geographically (EMEA or APAC) and business units (Sales & Marketing or Distribution & Logistics). But should this be a video conference you expect employees to pay attention to? Or should everyone be expected to show up in person and create a more interactive experience for them? When devising your approach, it’s essential to consider your audience: what environment are they most adapt to, and what message or CTA do you want them to go away with? Don’t waste these moments when everyone is together! 

You can learn more about creating audience insights here.

Training & Development

Giving opportunities for your employees to grow professionally or in a personal interest can build company loyalty and upskill your workforce. Taking a whole department, or even the entire business, on a training day presents plenty of opportunities to promote company values and give updates. It can also be a tool for introducing a new way of working, for example, if you have new software or computer system that needs buy-in.

Employee of the Year

Well, maybe Employee of the Year is a bit much. But recognition schemes, and the ensuing celebrations, can be a big morale booster - and not just for the winner! If the scheme works by people nominating their colleagues, it encourages them to look at positive changes and the excellent work the business is doing. You just need to decide the prize; something non-monetary like an extra day of annual leave is a safe way to avoid potential bad blood.

When Are Newsletters Okay?

Now, we certainly aren’t advocating for canning your employee newsletter. But tracking its success and getting regular feedback from readers is really important to make sure it hits the mark. Long, waffly and text-heavy communications should be avoided at all costs. Think about how an article online looks now and the way we consume media. Keep it short and sweet with plenty of images or video content. 

Make sure you think about frequency: don’t send a newsletter weekly just because that’s what you’ve always done. Send communications only when you’ve really got something to talk about, share, or celebrate. 

Another key thing to consider is how you’re reaching your audience, as someone in HR who is sat at their desk all day will need a different approach to a warehouse worker. The same goes for hybrid and people remotely. 

Bottom Line (Hopefully Not on a PDF)

Internal communications, strike that. Effective internal communications don’t happen overnight. It needs time and resources to determine what works best for your company and culture. The first step is identifying possibilities and accepting that things could be better. Better communications help teams align and create an overall better employee experience.

Harness the power of your humans; they’re your greatest asset. Talk to Powered by Humans to see how we can support you.