Karen Brown Tyson

Tag: #internalcommunications

  • 5 Things You Can Do to Connect and Engage with Deskless Employees

    5 Things You Can Do to Connect and Engage with Deskless Employees

    Deskless employees are essential members of any team. Keeping this part of your workforce in the know is vital for their development and engagement with the company.

    Therefore, deskless employees need different access to resources and communication than desk workers.

    But how can you ensure they stay connected, informed, and included? Before we look at some best practices that work when engaging with deskless employees, let’s take a closer look at the deskless worker.

    A picture containing deskless employee, warehouse, yellow vest

    Types of Deskless Employees

    Deskless employees can vary greatly in terms of roles and responsibilities within a company. Examples of deskless employees may include:

    • Delivery drivers
    • Hotel housekeepers
    • Warehouse workers,
    • Nurse practitioners
    • Grocery store clerks
    • Manufacturing staff

    In today’s work landscape, about 80 percent of  employees are deskless – an issue requiring unique strategies for effective internal communications. A well-crafted plan can ensure deskless employees stay connected, informed, and empowered in their roles within a company.

    Here are five things you can do to connect and engage with deskless employees.

     

    #1 Prioritize Onboarding New Staff

    Onboarding new staff is vital to employee engagement. It ensures employees get all the information they need to feel included and connected with your organization.

    Provide deskless employees with a comprehensive onboarding package that consists of a welcome package sent to their home, an introduction to the team, a calendar of upcoming events, and materials about the company’s strategy, mission, and culture.

     

    #2  Establish an Ambassador and Mentor Program

    Empower your deskless employees to thrive with an innovative ambassador and mentor program. Give stakeholders the resources they need to share clear internal communications.

    Creating a mentorship system ensures those employees have timely access to helpful advice or support while reinforcing organizational loyalty and furthering their personal development.

     

    #3  Recognize Wins

    Everyone works better when they’re appreciated. Acknowledge accomplishments by clapping at the end of virtual or in-person.meetings.  Praise a worker’s hard work – even if it isn’t directly related to their job description. This will show that you value their contributions and encourage them to keep working hard.

     

    #4  Reach Deskless Employees through Apps

    An employee engagement app is software that ensures employees stay connected regardless of location or device type. It allows employees to receive notifications about policy changes or process updates and sends feedback directly from their devices without having to navigate multiple menus or screens first.

    Below are a few examples.

    Workgrid

    Workgrid allows employees to quickly access important information, such as vacation requests and payroll details, in one easy-to-use hub.

    DeskAlerts

    DeskAlerts is an efficient way to keep your employees connected, no matter where they are. With this communication tool, you can push notifications directly onto their phones and even send surveys or polls for instant feedback. Easily schedule messages in advance and install them on both mobile devices and computers.

    Blink

    Blink is the perfect tool to unlock your frontline team’s potential. With many features, including employee feeds, secure chat communication, and mobile access, all without company emails.

    Plus, Blink helps you maximize satisfaction within your staff by analyzing their happiness – plus integrating with other tools for an even better experience.

    PoliteMail

    Are your communications being heard? Are you sure deskless employees, stakeholders, and partners are seeing what you’re sending? With PoliteMail integrated into Microsoft 365, now it’s possible to measure the success of your communication strategy.

    Real-time metrics like open rates, read time, and click-throughs provide valuable insights into how well deskless employees engage with what you’re sharing.

     

    #5 Collect Feedback

    Connecting with deskless employees is key to understanding how they feel about their work and the company. Utilizing employee feedback apps helps businesses take into account everyone’s ideas while keeping communication open across all channels of an organization.

    This way, you can get a comprehensive overview of where things stand and areas that need improvement within the workplace environment.

     

    Final Thoughts

    By following best practices, such as providing onboarding packages, using digital workplace platforms, and employee engagement apps, you can ensure that all team members stay connected and engaged.

    These tips give you everything you need to create a thriving remote workforce environment. However, if you need help with your internal communications, let Constant Communicators help.

    We specialize in helping organizations create cohesive, effective communication plans that engage everyone – even deskless workers.

    Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your internal communications.

  • 7 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Internal Communications

    7 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Internal Communications

    Today, companies of any size must ensure their internal communications are beneficial and impactful.

    Simply sending messages from management to staff is no longer sufficient. Instead, strong internal communications tactics are needed to help organizations stay agile in an evolving world.

    As a result, investing time into effective internal communications shows employees they are valued and allows businesses to flourish.

    People holding cardboard conversation bubblesWhy Are Internal Communications Important?

    According to a recent survey by Grammarly, companies with 500 employees lose about $6.25M a year resolving communication issues. In addition, there are  financial costs associated with poor internal communication, which include:

    ● Missed deadlines

    ● Eroded brand reputation

    ● Decreased productivity

    Research by Aon Hewitt (2020) indicates that time lost due to improper communication costs US companies $85 billion annually. But, unfortunately, that doesn’t account for the psychological costs of stress and frustration felt by the employees dealing with the inefficiencies.

    What are the Benefits of Improving Internal Communications?

    Companies with strong internal communication see a much higher employee engagement rate, resulting in employees feeling supported and valued by their managers. This helps cultivate trust between employers and employees, which drives productivity and reduces turnover rates drastically – up to 202%, according to Dale Carnegie’s research.

    Excellent internal communications also foster better collaboration amongst workers, leading to more significant value creation for the company. Consistent communication practices are essential in creating an effective working environment where teams can collaborate effectively toward common goals.

     

    And Most Common Internal Communications Issues Are…

    1. Lack of transparency
    2. Last-minute, unclear requests from senior management
    3. Top-down only communications
    4. Not listening to employees
    5. Employees unsure of company goals
    6. Ignoring remote employees
    7. Weak messaging
    8. No communications support from managers
    9. Complex onboarding and offboarding processes
    10. Poor measurement of the internal comms plan

     

    How to Add Value to Your IC Strategy

    Focus on delivering a multi-layered approach to get the most out of your Internal Communications strategy. For example, utilize newsletters and emails to reach employees but don’t forget about other mediums, such as videos or in-person meetings with key front-line personnel; these extra steps can help ensure an effective communication plan from all levels within the organization.

    1. Deliver purposeful information to your employees on time

    Keep your staff updated with timely and relevant news about what’s happening at the company. Showcase important information from top management so everyone can stay informed, understand expectations, and see what lies ahead.

    2. Make the most of your intranet 

    Unlock the power of your intranet to drive employee engagement and productivity. From job postings, essential documents, and upcoming events – create a one-stop shop for employees to access what they need quickly. Strategically design an organized layout showcasing only the most valuable information so everyone can get back their work quickly.

    3. Hold productive meetings

    Organizations rely on meetings to keep their operations running smoothly but they needn’t become time-sinks. Establishing guidelines that ensure everyone understands what a productive meeting looks like will help prevent unproductive conversations and maximize the value of these all-important gatherings.

    4. Produce short-form educational videos

    Utilizing short-form videos like the ones on Tik Tok and Instagram is a great way to brighten up your internal communication strategy. Instead of just reading about topics, consider engaging your employees with fun video content that effortlessly shares knowledge in an entertaining way.

    5. Get managers involved 

    Leadership is key in the workplace. Managers can inspire their teams and engage with them to drive outstanding performance. Equip your management staff with resources that facilitate effective communication between colleagues, allowing for meaningful conversations and strong collaboration.

    6. Hold regular listening sessions as part of internal communications

    Creating a culture of open communication is essential for any business. Regular listening sessions provide an excellent opportunity to encourage employees to be heard and allow managers to gain valuable insight into the pulse of their team. Through active engagement and dialogue, these productive conversations foster greater understanding between colleagues while providing invaluable feedback that can shape future decision-making processes.

    7. Help employees feel like they belong

    Following the aftermath of the pandemic, companies must shift their focus from measuring employee engagement to a much deeper sense of well-being. Cornell University describes workplace belonging as “the feeling of security and support when there is a sense that an individual has been accepted within his team or organization.” In reality, employers must go beyond standard practices to ensure individuals feel secure in their work environment.

    Ready to improve your internal communications?

    Are you looking to maximize your organization’s internal communication efforts? A comprehensive and up-to-date plan is invaluable for companies that want to reach their goals.

    Constant Communicators can help provide the creative, strategic planning solutions necessary for success.

    Investing now will ensure improved collaboration and strong support of key objectives – so don’t delay. Take action today toward better communications within your organization.