HR and Internal Comms teams of today’s COVID-19 landscape need to adjust to the challenges of keeping a distributed team engaged, and many are dealing with this for the very first time. Never has strong communication been so important, so it’s vital to find ways to overcome the fresh obstacles and keep staff informed and engaged.
Here are five things you can do immediately:
1. Raise your game
A weekly email, monthly newsletter, or quarterly magazine may have been sufficient when coupled with meetings, huddles, town halls, and all manner of other face-to-face communications. Without the option of the former, however, normal service will have to change—and sporadic or sub-standard content simply won’t suffice.
An expanded, high quality comms strategy will play a huge role in successfully navigating these challenging times. If resources are holding you back, a specialised agency will be able to help—and now is the time to act.
2. Utilise new channels
It’s not merely about the ‘when’, but the ‘how’—so consider the ways in which you can communicate within your business. Visual learning tools have long been proven more effective than text-based missives, so consider videos, animations and infographics to replace or complement your existing approach.
Webinars remain a vastly underused training tool, and could play a vital role in educating new or existing staff. And, from online messengers to video conferencing tools, make sure you utilise the software that best suits the needs of your teams.
3. Talk to your people
From working with children in the home to anxieties about job security, this is a tough time for many—and your messaging needs to reflect this.
Ensure communication is two-way, so that staff can have their voices heard, and frequently consult with team leads, managers and other staff to ensure your content is tailored to the needs of employees.
An unprecedented situation gives rise to unprecedented issues, so a collaborative and flexible approach is more important than ever.
4. Reinforce brand identity
Are your emails and newsletters true to your company culture? Does your e-training reflect the same values as in-person sessions do?
Under normal circumstances, it’s easy to pinpoint what makes your business what it is – from communal spaces to company socials. It’s also a prerequisite of customer-facing communications.
So why should internal comms be any different? If you’re already with an agency, now is the perfect time to ask for their assistance in ensuring your communication is aligned with who you are.
5. Have some fun
We all know what they say about all work and no play! Whether water-cooler conversations, quiet coffee breaks or after-work activities, your staff are suddenly without many of the features of everyday work life.
With this in mind, consider organising digital hangouts for elevenses, digitally hosting quizzes or games after work, or simply inviting staff to send selfies of their new work stations. The social aspect of many jobs may not return to normal for some time; it’s vital to address this important component of work life.
To find out more about how you can keep employees engaged in a COVID-19 world contact me at gmiltiadou@zahramediagroup.com
