This post is sponsored by Ricoh
There are more ways to communicate today than ever before. Surprisingly, it has not led to an automatic increase in employee satisfaction. Trade Press News found that “74% of employees feel they are missing out on company information and news.”
With so many employees working remotely, the need for clear, unfettered communications is even more urgent. Here are some considerations for making your company communications more engaging.
Put a company-wide communication plan in place
According to Workforce, 60% of companies don’t have a long-term strategy for their internal communications. Without a roadmap, employees can waste time looking for needed data, inadvertently spread incorrect information, and affect morale. Instead, assess your communication needs by starting with some fundamental questions: What communication methods do my employees use? What are they used for? Are they most efficient or would another communication option be preferable? How can we make communications serve our employees better? Then, decide on a strategy that’s right for your company.
Establish an information hub
Your company should build what is commonly known as an information hub where data can be organized, stored, sorted, retrieved and tracked as necessary. The hub should have files that are searchable and contain a variety of file types, such as emails, Word Docs, PDFs and spreadsheets. You can certainly restrict access to some files to only designated employees or put in some type of permission-based protocol, but the important thing is to have a central data destination that is accessible and easy to use, especially for remote workers.
Have procedures to manage misinformation
Employees should be able to ask almost any question and get a trusted answer. Creating education content in advance that is updated and revised as circumstances change can satisfy employee concerns speedily and efficiently. Content can address policies, company procedures, important processes and other things to keep the company running smoothly and support the company mission.
Expand the use of digital signage
An often overlooked channel is digital signage. Digital signage can appear almost anywhere in your company: hallways, breakrooms, the lobby, even in bathrooms—anyplace where employees congregate or pass through. Digital signage gives you the capability to flash, repeat or change messages easily in a format that is unobtrusive and yet captures an employee’s attention. Digital signage may not be cool, but it can be another opportunity to reach on-site employees.
Set up a video division
The staggering amount of content uploaded to channels like YouTube shows the appetite for video continues to be strong. Instead of sending an email alert or a document, consider having a rapid response video creation team that can take that same message and turn it into an engaging video. Software exists for creating videos quickly and easily. Obviously, videos won’t be appropriate for all messages, but they can be a popular part of an overall multi-channel communication strategy.
With so many communication choices, it’s easy for employees to get distracted from their work. But a thoughtful strategy that uses selective methods to reach, hold, and inform stakeholders can energize your communications, boost employee morale and drive company success.
Ricoh has Cloud, Security and a wide range of remote work solutions to meet your digital transformation needs. Watch the video to learn more: