THE EVOLVING WORLD OF WORKPLACE COMMUNICATIONS

NEW MEDIUMS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES

Communication with employees is critical to keeping staff engaged, productive, and loyal. According to a State of the American Manager Gallup poll, 74% of employees feel a disconnect, having concerns that they are not being informed about relevant topics. 1   Furthermore, disconnected employees cost organizations real money—between $450 to $550 billion in annual productivity losses, as cited in Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report 2. Figures like these can’t be ignored and similar results are found in the workforces of countries around the globe.

Yet, communicating effectively with employees can present challenges. Workplaces have changed dramatically over the last decade, causing even more disconnection. Employees are no longer all in one location—some companies have offices all over the world; some employees are considered telecommuters, and some simply don’t have convenient access to the same means of communications others do. As workplace dynamics continue to evolve, so must communication mediums.

COMMUNICATION EQUALS TRANSPARENCY

Employees today demand transparency. They want to be kept abreast of company news, goals, processes, and stats. Communication is the key to offering that transparency. In the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) Job Satisfaction and Engagement survey, 52% of employees cited communication of organization’s goals and strategies as a key factor in the employee engagement strategy of a company. 3 Sharing company related information helps each individual feel they are part of something bigger, a stakeholder in the organization’s success.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IS LINKED TO BETTER BOTTOM LINES

The Workplace Research Foundation reported that highly engaged employees were much more likely to have above-average productivity, to the tune of 38%. 4 Although Communications and HR departments endeavor to keep employees in the loop about everything from policies to benefits, even with Intranets and company-wide emails, many employees still feel left in the dark. However, investing in an effective communications strategy can do much to promote engagement.

HOW WORKPLACES ARE COMMUNICATING

For most organizations email is still the most popular way to communicate with employees; however, in some organizations a huge percentage of employees do not work at desks or have immediate access to email. This is especially true in manufacturing or other industries such as services, retail and healthcare where workers are on the floor or in the field. Communication with these employees is typically limited to quick discussions in break rooms or on the floor. Outdated posters and flyers pinned to bulletin boards and walls tend to be ignored.

THE DIGITAL WORKPLACE EMERGES

In today’s tech-driven society, particularly for the millennial and Gen Z generations, the average worker is typically already using some form of social media platform, email, or messaging app to communicate in both their personal and work lives. These mediums have gone far in improving workforce communications. Yet, beyond these traditional digital formats, there are even more innovative ways to transform workplace communications, specifically digital communications displays.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS HELP WORKERS STAY ON TASK AND IN THE KNOW

Digital communications provide a plethora of opportunities to ensure workforces remain informed and engaged. However, digital communications have the ability to do much more than display company news and information. With software that allows for instant updates and the ability to broadcast content on any screen on the network, these systems can be used as an incentivizing tool to keep employees current and on task. In manufacturing, digital communications can be used to transmit productivity objectives and what jobs should be prioritized. In call centers, displays can broadcast caller queues, call durations, and advise teams on daily goals. In any setting, digital communications can be used to celebrate something as simple as an employee’s birthday, or to recognize company victories like quotas met, promotions earned, or sales targets reached.

In addition, employers using digital communications in tandem with email and social media platforms can disseminate information via several mediums, providing multiple methods to reach more recipients and increased message exposure for better data retainment.

INCORPORATE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS TO GET EMPLOYEES IN THE CONVERSATION

Improving workforce communications increases employee engagement and loyalty. Traditional channels that are often overlooked or disregarded are ineffective. However, digital communications displays are designed to catch the eye and hold the viewer’s attention. Digital communications are an opportunity to connect with employees and provide transparency, while enhancing productivity with vital information. Simply put, digital communications have the power to get employees involved in the conversation.

Read more at omnivex.com

1 http://www.gallup.com/services/182138/state-american-manager.aspx

2 http://www.gallup.com/services/176708/state-american-workplace.aspx

3 https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-survey…

4 https://www.qnnect.com/blog/8-eye-opening-employee-productivity-statistics

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Brand experience with APL
Stepping into the Future at Shoptalk 2024: Creating a Flagship Brand Experience with APL
March 28, 2024

The customers of today are no longer satisfied with mere products; they crave brands that provide immersive, distinctive, and tailored brand experiences. Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) epitomizes this shift, setting a new standard in the luxury performance market with its innovative athletic footwear. APL’s newly opened flagship boutique in Soho, with its artisan plaster walls […]

Read More
Balancing professional growth and personal well-being
Routines, Rituals and a Mission-Driven Approach: MarketScale’s CRO Tim Maitland on Balancing Professional Growth and Personal Well-Being
March 28, 2024

In a world that often demands the relentless pursuit of success, finding the sweet spot between professional growth and personal well-being can seem like an elusive goal. As we navigate the complexities of modern work-life dynamics, the conversation around maintaining this balance has become more pertinent than ever. In this episode of Growthwell, we […]

Read More
marketing careers
The Impact of AI on Marketing Careers
March 28, 2024

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, host Aby Varma, a B2B Marketing Leader and the Founder of Spark Novus, sits down with Matt Gill, the Founder and Managing Partner of MICA Consulting Group. Spark Novus is a consultancy specializing in strategic AI adoption in marketing. MICA is a leading boutique national marketing […]

Read More
healthcare cybersecurity
Continued Threats Require a Major Shift in Healthcare Cybersecurity Risk Perception
March 28, 2024

Recent cyberattacks on healthcare institutions have thrust cybersecurity from a back-office concern to the forefront of the healthcare industry’s agenda. A significant breach at Change Healthcare disrupted essential services, underlining the vulnerability of healthcare networks to such threats and the dire consequences for patient care. Government and industry responses have stressed the importance of […]

Read More