Using Internal Communications Tactics To Keep Remote Workers Connected

As #WFH trends and work from home life continues for many of us, we can find ourselves feeling detached from familiar faces and comfortable settings. The physical detachment from working in the same space often translates to a mental detachment, for you lose the touchpoints that help keep you feeling connected. The break room communal lunches, stopping by the desk of a co-worker for a personal chat and celebrations of life events in a work setting have gone by the wayside for many of the world’s workers.

However, now even small businesses can look to and utilize internal communications (or internal comms) tactics to help their employees stay connected and feel like a part of the team. Maintaining the morale of your workforce is crucial for both capitalizing on their skills and retaining top talent. As many of us have permanently switched from working in-person to remote employment, we have learned that even the closest teams can grow apart and miscommunicate when deprived of regular face-to-face interaction.

Leaders of remote or hybrid workforces must be mindful and empathetic in approaching internal communications. Even if they don’t ask for it, remote workers require more attention in order to fully understand the needs of and feel a part of the team. In fact, according to a poll by JobsInME, 85% of employees feel more motivated when management provides regular updates, yet in another survey of more than 800 employed adults, only 74% of workers believe they have the information needed to do their jobs well. This last survey was done in 2015, and you can imagine that the hurdle to get information to employees has become even more challenging with remote work.

Law firms with offices in multiple locations and employees spread out across the globe are more adept at and experienced with the necessity of internal communications. Many law firms, however, struggle to integrate technology trends altogether; thus, their internal comms tactics have historically been office-based — including the greatest hits of internal comms like intranets, printed flyers in the kitchen or elevator and live town hall meetings. But now, as the legal industry has embraced tools like Teams and Zoom for videoconferencing, law firms of all sizes and shapes must go further and incorporate effective internal communications with some or all of their team working remotely.

Before you start initiating new internal group communication methods, solicit feedback from all of your team members — not just the higher-ups or decision makers — by using online surveys or other easy-to-use methods that allow for the meaningful capture and maximum input from participants. Giving employees — whether in-office or remote — a say in how they communicate and receive information is important so they will feel a part of the decision-making and ultimately buy into the processes your company establishes and utilizes.

Four Methods Of Communicating With Intention:

1. Provide work chat.

Internal comms doesn’t just involve the company spitting out information one way toward its employees; let your team members communicate with each other on a secure internal chat platform. Communication on-the-go is one of the most in-demand features for all businesses, not just law firms. Adding a chat feature enables users to talk to each other instantly, send files, share photos and more; and it can be created, stored and maintained in a way that is a lot more secure than using text messages or alternative unencrypted communications.

2. Share information via employee newsletters.

Internal newsletters are a great way for employees working in varied locations to learn about and connect with each other in new ways. Not only will an employee newsletter remind your workers of what’s going on within the organization, but it can also reinforce the company’s mission and values. Some great ideas to incorporate include: Q&A and/or spotlight features with a variety of employees; key events such as important meetings; tips for effective remote work; promotion of community service initiatives; and significant goals or milestones achieved by the company.

3. Start an internal comms podcast or vlog.

As much as many of us don’t like to see or hear ourselves in audio and/or video format, there are many reasons why podcasts and video are so popular and such effective vehicles for communication. When you have a lot to say, reading it in text-only format can be boring; therefore, video should be a top choice for synthesizing and getting out what might otherwise be ignored as a long-winded, verbose message. Be sure to develop a comprehensive calendar and strategy so these don’t become one-off attempts that fail. Even if you can only plan one quarter at a time, ensuring you are consistent with the content, format and delivery of your audio and/or video internal messaging will go a long way toward ensuring success.

4. Provide free virtual learning.

We all want to be good at our jobs. To that effect, don’t let your internal communication conceptualization focus solely on the company and its objectives. Helping your workforce develop new skills and polish up existing skills that might need some refreshing will be helpful to them and to the law firm. You can do this by providing free ongoing training, professional development courses and other avenues of virtual learning that can advance both skill sets and careers. Don’t make them do this outside of work hours; instead, build it into their work week and they will be more likely to take advantage of it.

Remote work, hybrid work, work from home and work from anywhere all seem here to stay, and the season of virtual happy hours and similar alcohol-based events has passed. Don’t just guess at what your team needs, ask them, and then adjust your approach accordingly. A happy workforce is a productive workforce.

Original Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/11/08/using-internal-communications-tactics-to-keep-remote-workers-connected/?sh=482676f3441c