That Hybrid working requires good internal communication with employees is a self evident truth. Recent research by McKinsey unsurprisingly found that if staff feel included in detailed communication, they are nearly five times more likely to be productive. Similar results follow from feeling supported.
It comes as no revelation to hear there is a direct correlation between individuals feeling included and looked after, and their levels of performance. There are no takers for the view that no communications strategy is required to keep staff engaged and motivated when working from home, or anywhere else for that matter. However, surveys suggest that this is exactly what is happening in many cases. New research by Opinium of 3,000 workers operating in a hybrid capacity, found only 19 per cent of those polled said their company has a hybrid working plan.
Hybrid Working and The Great Resignation
Internal communications is more important than ever. One of the key reasons employees leave in such great numbers as part of the Great Resignation, is feeling a lack of belonging and identification of wider job and company purpose. After everything they have been through with Covid, many weren’t and aren’t seeing their role or company function working for them. When working from home, the intensity of these factors rises considerably.
Employees need to feel a sense of purpose behind both job and corporate function, and in hybrid scenarios it has to be conveyed successfully along with other key attributes that include:
The high value placed on staff
Company leadership
Company identity and philosophy
Effective work and employment practices
Presence of company personalities
On top of this, many individuals seek reassurance on ESG strategy. This is particularly important to the Gen Z and Millennial generations. So important in fact, that studies show that a perceived shortfall in environmental and social responsibility means that more than half of younger working demographics won’t consider joining a company. Credentials have to be seen to be properly present to a significant degree.
The Communications Remit For HR Departments
What this means in effect, is that HR departments have to successfully engage with employees to sell all that the company does, and stands for. Hybrid working compounds this need.
To be effective, communication has to resonate, and it is has to be a continuous process. Done correctly, it oils the wheels of hybrid working, and it goes a long way to solving the Great Resignation. And as research concludes, it helps optimise staff performance.
Social media is the most effective medium for creating regular dialogue with employees. The medium has the unusual ability to close the communications gap between company and staff on the terms of both parties.
Firstly, social media is a familiar platform that cuts through messaging clutter in a way that email, intranet, verbal presentation or paper posts on notice boards never can. It also lends itself to frequent use. Three or four emails to staff in a week becomes tiresome. Even the best written copy promising the most positive news can slip dangerously towards the category of spam. But the same on social media is accepted as a way of being kept in touch. The medium can be used consistently to reach individuals with without becoming worn.
It should be remembered, social media is used by many people as a primary source of news, and other forms of information. It is also commonly used as a form of entertainment, and a platform for staying in touch and sharing with friends. It is mostly used multiple times a day. Because of these factors, it sits within the personal wavelength of employees, and can bring them closer to a company, make them feel part of a recognised community, and generate psychological reward in a way no other communication channel can.
The most effective way to utilise the medium for internal communication is by borrowing the principles of strategic consumer social media marketing. Content needs to be based on understanding the audience, and social media data analysis reveals a very great deal of information about employees. If software analytics tools are utilised, more than 40 million attributes can be identified and tracked. It enables company messages to be matched and targeted at the audience exactly. It makes a big difference from trying to calaculate what communication should look like.
Not only that, but it is possible to identify subjects of concern being voiced by employees. HR departments can see problems as they begin to arise, and address them before they evolve – a major difference from only finding out once a situation has escalated. In the case of hybrid working this is doubly important.
The Best Way To Keep Employees Engaged
Messaging works best in the form of storytelling based on long term strategy. Social media is an exceptionally good platform for this. In the best traditions of good narratives there should be ups and downs. A steady flow of good news announcements eventually lose impact, but progress updates and successfully addressing setbacks is more appealing. It is human nature to try and conjure upbeat announcements even where there are none to be found, but credibility drops if all there is are low or medium levels positive stories. It is better to explain journey progress.
This is because a fundamental of communication is maintaining integrity. Virtue signalling is a national pet hate. People now have a keen antennae for false claims and over claims, and once identified there are almost no second chances to win back credibility. However, there can be widespread positive acceptance of negative news if it is against a history of integrity, and an explanation of how a problem is being addressed.
The best approach is to describe plans as they unfold. However, this should not exclude one off announcements, such a sales win, or a human interest story about a member of staff that has achieved an exceptional result, or personal achievement.
Frequency of messages is an important subject. Messaging more than three times per week has the risk of creating communication burnout, even with the best content. The exception to this is Twitter, which lends itself to higher use.
It is also important to recognise that different parts of the employee audience use different social media channels. Each platform has a different demographic of users, and therefore it is important to understand which. This gives the advantage of being able to tailor content more effectively. The underlying message can be the same, but the use of copy, creativity and emphasis can be altered to factor in who will see it. The more focus there is on understanding the employee audience, the better the outcome becomes. Everyone wins.
