Employees with a positive mindset and alignment with the organisation’s bigger picture and strategic goals are critical in ensuring business stability, continuity, and certainty especially in the current VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world. An employee today feels pushed into a ‘danger zone’ with various waves of the pandemic and its consequences like social isolation, health hazards, economic challenges as well as insecurities related to job security and uncertainty. Accepting a challenge of constant change and a new world order is not easy for any individual especially if you are the breadwinner for the family. How do communication practitioners create realistic solutions? The goal is broader—mobilising employees to act or deepening the emotional commitment to an organisation and its goal.
Internal Communications that builds confidence through credible transparency
Is Internal Communications a HR function or a PR function has been a proverbial subject of debate over the years. However, working in partnership effectively is the solution in the current environment. Human capital is indeed an organisation’s most asset today. While HR functions on the tenets of the classic ‘obtain, retain and motivate’ employees today rely on the fact that their organisation keeps them informed of developments that reassures them, transits them to a zone of comfort and keeps them there. Even though there have been fundamental changes today in the way we work including ‘work from home’ and ‘Zoom meetings’ an employee seeks job security and emotional connect now more than ever before.
Good news is as welcome as bad news
While every human being loves good news employees welcome bad news as much today. Being informed and forewarned helps them to be prepared. No none likes to be surprised and shocked today. The new normal has given them all enough shock, awe, and struggle. Uncertainty and Crisis is a part of life today and employees believe that they should be part of the struggle and journey not just be passengers in the drift. If the organisation’s revenue is negatively affected, please inform your employees. If some of the offices are closing due to cost saving measures, let them know. However do also share with them the organisation’s strategy to deal with these problems and keep them updated. Just feel-good newsletters do not work. Feel good has given way to ‘a true sense of belonging to an organisation’ from employee to ownership!
Bringing a PR mindset to internal communications
Bringing a PR mindset to internal communications can mean engaging in previously underutilised tactics like employee surveys or focus groups. No one knows an organisation as well as the people who work within it each day. Are corporations living up to the goals they set for themselves in the summer of 2020? Lay the evidence out before a group of interested employees and gather their feedback. A company is accountable to its workforce in a more immediate way that it is to the broader public
Besides, your employees are your biggest brand ambassadors and can reemphasise your strengths to their circle of families and friends, however big or small. Town halls are the low hanging fruit of creating an environment of inclusivity. Employees seek participation and being heard by the organisation they work in. They want to help shape the future of the company they work for.
When employees believe in the values and mission of a company, they are more excited to come to work each day and more likely to stick around
As hopefully things continue to return to normal
Internal communications should be factual and relevant to the ever-churning employee mindset. If employees have been working from home and returning to work from office, their primary concerns should be addressed. Safety and protection measures at their workplace will concern them primarily. Then of course travel and transitioning to a work from office mindset. The workforce must be handled with care and nurtured in the true sense of the word. Motivating them to perform at their peak.
“When we strive to be better than we are, everything around us becomes better too” Paul Coelho.
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