More and more people are working from home at least part of the time. This means that internal communication is even more important than ever. It’s essential that remote workers feel informed and included, and that they get the same messaging as those working in the office. Here are 11 hybrid workplace trends that you can learn from and enact to be sure your workers stay connected to your culture wherever they are:
1. Realign business mission and strategies with the new environment.
Make sure you IC and HR teams are involved in strategic planning. Employee engagement and EX has to be embedded in all facets of the business.
2. Equip your remote workforce with the tools and training they need to work from home.
Don’t just buy hardware and set up VPNs. People need training, policies and guidance to be effective in the hybrid environment.
3. Deploy enterprise communication and collaboration apps like Microsoft Teams.
Choose a platform that best meets your needs. Combine calendars, chat, project management and more into a single app.
4. Increase the use of intranets, chat apps and videoconferencing.
Whether or not you use an enterprise app, you need to exploit all channels and publish a steady stream of information to keep people engaged.
5. Host virtual teambuilding and social programs to build community.
People want comradery. Be sure to build in opportunities for everyone to get together socially, no matter where they are.
6. Let employees choose how they want to receive communications.
If people can use their preferred platform, they’ll engage more often and more deeply. Be consistent across channels.
7. Publish goals, KPIs and data-driven messaging to keep people on track.
Provide benchmarks. Let people know progress to goals, and provide meaningful, actionable feedback on a regular basis.
8. Mix content to support both business objectives and employee wellbeing.
Hybrid workers can experience burnout. Focus on wellbeing in your messaging to show empathy and provide solutions.
9. Offer more videos, podcasts and interactive media experiences.
Stop push communications and start a dialog. The more participative a communication, the more engaging it will be.
10. Increase or improve success measures for internal communications.
Don’t just measure reach. Check for understanding, and measure goals and outcomes. Use calls to action.
11. Encourage more employee feedback and participation in the communications process.
Encourage lateral communication versus just top-down. Do surveys, and reward employee participation and feedback.
By paying attention to hybrid workplace trends, especially for communications, you can ensure that your employees stay updated and engaged, no matter where they’re working.
