Have you ever encountered the frustration of sending out critical communication only to discover that your workforce did not receive or engage with your message? If your answer is a resounding yes, you are not alone. Unfortunately, this issue remains all too common, resulting in employees feeling disconnected or uninformed about essential information.
As internal communications professionals, it remains our responsibility to craft captivating narratives that effectively convey crucial corporate messages to our workforce. This undertaking encompasses two fundamental elements: content creation and delivery. Although we often devote significant attention to creating compelling content, we must not overlook the criticality of its delivery. There is no greater waste than having outstanding content that fails to engage anyone.
In this updated article, we will discuss three challenges that can hinder your content engagement and provide practical ideas to overcome them.
Challenge #1: Digital Channels not Reaching your Entire Workforce.
Are you reaching your entire workforce effectively on digital channels? Surprisingly, even in 2023, the answer remains no for most mid-size organizations. Frontline employees continue to face limitations in accessing communication channels compared to their office counterparts. Channels such as corporate email, email newsletters, and the corporate intranet often prove irrelevant for those without regular computer access. The digital divide persists, highlighting the need for inclusive communication strategies that address the unique challenges faced by frontline workers.
Numerous organizations still adopt communication channels that impose the use of one or two platforms on their entire workforce, regardless of their appropriateness. Our experience has revealed several clients are dissatisfied with their intranet or communication mobile app, primarily due to inadequate integration that restricts reach and fails to foster a unified conversation centered around their content. It is imperative for organizations to reevaluate their approach and seek solutions that prioritize seamless integration and facilitate cohesive communication experiences.
As communications professionals, it is crucial to develop a strategy that encompasses every individual within the organization, from interns to CEOs, frontline workers to back-office and factory floor employees. So, how can we effectively engage frontline workers through digital channels? Several channels have proven highly effective, including mobile apps, SMS, and voice.
Challenge #2: One-Way Instead of Two-Way Communication.
Workforce communication should always be a two-way street. As communicators, one of our primary goals is to foster productive and meaningful conversations among the entire workforces.
Employees continue to yearn for opportunities to contribute their insights and have their voices acknowledged. No subject or message should be considered off-limits, whether it involves critical organizational matters, corporate strategy, or even the finer details of upcoming events.
By fostering an environment that encourages open and constructive employee communication across all topics, you can drive significant positive transformations within your business.
However, interaction should not be limited to peers alone. It is crucial to ensure that leaders actively participate and create a safe space for two-way conversations.
Challenge #3: Workforce Time Constraints.
Employees today face numerous time constraints that impact their ability to stay informed about internal information. To ensure effective communication, messages must be concise, targeted, and integrated into their daily routines. Let's examine each attribute in detail.
Concise.
Invest the necessary time to make your messages as brief as possible. Well-crafted content is concise, employs plain language, and is easy to read and understand. By saving your employees time, you'll encourage them to dedicate more time to engaging with your communication.
Targeted.
Targeting is essential in internal communications today. Employees should only receive information that is highly relevant to them. This could be based on their interests, role, location, tenure, or any other criteria that make sense within your organization
Integrated.
The challenge of integrating communication channels persists for many companies. While email and the corporate intranet remain common channels, they often lack seamless integration into employees' daily workflows.
Having to navigate to the intranet to access content disrupts employees' productivity, resulting in low engagement rates of around 15%. In other words, four out of five employees may miss important content entirely.
Email, however, suffers from overuse, inundating employees with many messages on diverse topics. This overload of tasks and unresolved emails creates what Karen Meager, co-founder of career coaching consultancy Monkey Puzzle Training, refers to as "open loops." These open loops linger in employees' minds, draining their energy, concentration, and overall well-being.
The solution lies in adopting communication channels that seamlessly integrate with employees' existing digital systems. For example, if employees spend most of their working day in MS Teams, relevant corporate communication should be accessible within MS Teams itself. This integration allows employees to quickly access and engage with important content without the need to switch platforms, enhancing efficiency and reducing cognitive strain.
To establish effective communication with your employees it is essential to leverage a versatile platform that seamlessly integrates multiple channels and caters to individual preferences. This approach guarantees the delivery of the right message through the most appropriate channel. If you are currently in search of such a dynamic communication platform, we are thrilled to introduce you to Sparrow Connected, a solution designed to meet your needs and enhance employee engagement.
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