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5 Steps to Improve Leadership Communication in Your Company

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In our constantly changing business environment, one thing remains the same — employees want to hear from their organization’s leaders. People naturally look to decision-makers for answers, direction, and context. Fortunately, most leaders understand and embrace their central role in organizational communication. But some struggle with keeping people aware, informed, and motivated. In these situations, it helps to establish an effective leadership communication program.

What does this kind of endeavor look like? Every organization faces unique challenges and requirements, but these 5 strategies can help you move in the right direction:

An Action Plan For Better Leadership Communication

1. Establish Communication Roles

Effective leadership communication programs have a clear purpose and well-defined roles for leaders at every level in an organization. To start, specify roles for your CEO and members of the senior management team.

Typically, CEOs provide a company’s overall direction, while senior leaders translate abstract, high-level concepts and strategies into concrete, meaningful information. For example, the CEO will share annual business priorities. Then members of the senior leadership team articulate what those priorities mean for their business unit or functional group.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
Help leaders get invested in your program’s success by facilitating a workshop to ensure that everyone understands their specific communication role and how to fulfill it.

2. Make Your Company Strategy Memorable

When we measure employee knowledge of a company’s strategy, we often find that staff members are aware of the strategy, but aren’t sure how they contribute to it. Because leaders spend so much time working with peers to develop, refine, and update business strategy, they may have a blind spot when it comes to employee awareness.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
First focus on helping leaders see your company’s strategy from an employee’s point of view. Then work with them to package the message and connect the dots so employees better understand how they can contribute. Try these steps:

  • Simplify: Distill the primary concept into a few words or a phrase that will resonate.
  • Design: Bring the strategy to life by creating a one-page visual overview that leaders can use to illustrate this concept in meetings, events, and other forums.
  • Collaborate: Encourage employees to participate in discussions about your strategy. This builds awareness, interest, understanding, and buy-in.
  • Distribute: Share a printed version of your short-form strategy statement so employees can display it in their workspace. Make it especially memorable by printing the phrase on swag items people appreciate such as mouse pads, mugs, notepads, thermos bottles, or cell phone cases.
  • Reinforce: Using predefined roles as a guide, ask leaders to refer to company strategy during everyday conversations. For example, suggest that department managers add clarifying statements like, “Here’s how this work supports our overarching strategy…” when they introduce new projects or request process improvements.

3. Leverage Channels That Drive Dialogue

Employees are always interested in opportunities to interact with leaders — from asking questions of the CEO to sharing ideas with the department heads. But tools that work well for desk-based employees may not be ideal for those in labs or manufacturing facilities. So, as you facilitate two-way communication between leaders and employees, be sure to choose a channel that aligns with your organization’s realities.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
Here are 5 dynamic channels that can help you foster interaction:

  • Microblogging: Think of short narrative posts without titles, like long-form posts on Instagram and LinkedIn, or tweet threads on Twitter. Invite employees to add questions or comments to these posts.
  • Coffee chats or snack breaks: Invite a small group of employees for an informal roundtable conversation over coffee or snacks like ice cream, popcorn, or energy bars/drinks.
  • Medium-size meetings: Facilitate a group exercise that solves a known issue, featuring a higher-level leader as a participant.
  • Large group forums: Showcase several leaders if possible, who can offer their unique perspectives on key challenges and interests. Build in polls and provide plenty of time for Q&A. Also, don’t forget to document the discussion and follow up on open items as well as any next steps. It may even be appropriate to redistribute all or part of the content from this meeting with others who didn’t attend in person.
  • Internal social media platforms: Encourage employees to submit questions or suggestions whenever it is convenient for them. It may also be helpful to offer employees the option to participate anonymously. Monitor this online forum to ensure that appropriate leaders respond on a timely basis.
  • Impromptu huddles: Host a five-minute conversation during a shift change or at the start of a day. (Even 5 minutes of casual face-to-face interaction can go a long way with employees!)

4. Develop Content Employees Crave

The best way to create meaningful content that employees want is to learn about their interests. Using easy measurement tools such as an online survey or a poll, ask people to identify topics they want leaders to explore. Then assign topics to appropriate leaders and channels as you develop communication plans.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
For example, when we conducted an intake survey for one of our clients, half of the employees said they wanted to hear more about issues and trends affecting their industry. So, the company added an “industry trends” segment to its town hall meeting agendas.

For topics that may not make an employee’s wish list, encourage leaders to weave in a personal connection with the subject matter, explain its relevance, and underscore its importance. This moves content beyond mere facts and descriptive information. It adds interesting context that employees can’t get anywhere else.

For instance, ask leaders to share:

  • Their unique perspective on the topic
  • A personal story that illustrates a key point. This can be about their work experience or career path, or it could be inspired by their family, hobbies, or community activities
  • Reflections on experiences and conversations that influenced key decisions
  • Lessons learned

Studies show that this type of insight is very inspiring and helpful to employees. Plus, hearing a leader open up and speak from the heart conveys authenticity and builds trust.

Also, remember to continuously assess the impact of this kind of communication via surveys and polls and adjust content accordingly. And when content is particularly successful, be sure to repackage it and redistribute it in other ways.

5. Celebrate Milestones and Successes

It’s no secret that employee engagement levels improve when people know their work is valued. Sincere recognition also has a direct impact on job satisfaction and workforce retention. However, busy leaders may unintentionally overlook opportunities to show appreciation. Internal communicators can close this gap by embedding recognition moments into existing leadership communication channels.

HOW TO GET STARTED:
Here are a few examples that work for our clients:

  • Allocate time to recognize recent staff achievements at every department or team meeting.
  • When a senior leader writes about a business win or key milestone, be sure the article mentions appropriate individuals or teams by name.
  • To honor a significant business achievement, your CEO can send a timely, company-wide email message celebrating this success and encouraging others to congratulate everyone who contributed.
  • When marking a major milestone in any employee’s professional or personal life, your CEO can send a handwritten note to the individual’s home.

A Final Word on Effective Leadership Communication

You can help leaders deliver consistent, high-impact communication when you commit to proven strategies like these. As a result, your organization can expect to benefit through increased organizational alignment, engagement, and productivity. And I guarantee that leaders and employees, alike, will appreciate your efforts.

Pay Transparency Is Here. Are You Ready To Discuss It?

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If pay transparency isn’t yet a hot topic in your organization, it soon will be. Recently, several states have passed pay transparency laws, and others are planning similar legislation. These laws require employers to post salary ranges in job listings. As a result, many employers are taking steps to get ahead of these changes — often disclosing pay range information before it’s required by law.

Sharing pay ranges externally has its own challenges. But it’s also likely to mean employees will start evaluating where they fit within the organization. Is their compensation at the top or bottom of the scale? How does their pay compare with others? Is it time to ask for a raise or search elsewhere for a better-paying job?

Benefits of Pay Transparency

For employers, this new focus on pay transparency may seem like a Pandora’s Box. Naturally, this kind of openness can cause some trepidation.

However, this is also a perfect opportunity to refresh how you share pay information with employees. Choosing to be more open about compensation can actually help your organization in multiple ways. For example, with thoughtful communication, you can:

  • Attract top candidates
  • Build internal trust and retain high-performing employees
  • Create a more inclusive culture
  • Support compliance with pay transparency laws

3 Steps for a Strong Internal Communication Plan

Before you jump into tactical action, it’s wise to take some time to be sure you’re thinking about this challenge from an employee’s perspective. Here are three steps to consider as you create your pay transparency communication plan:

1. Assess Your Situation

Compensation can be complicated. Many employees may not have a clear understanding of how pay works at your company. Baseline data about awareness and knowledge across your organization will provide powerful insights as you set objectives and create your internal communications plan. If you don’t have existing research to analyze, here are several suggestions:

  • Conduct a Brief Audit: Review your communication channels to understand how pay and compensation topics are currently communicated. Focus on tone, details, level of transparency, audiences (such as department managers), and frequency. Does information need to be more accessible? More coherent? More consistent? Do people managers have access to resources that can help them answer questions effectively? Use this as a jumping-off point when developing your objectives. This audit will also help you uncover communication priorities. For example, if pay-related information is not communicated regularly, you may need to build foundational knowledge into your plan.
  • Initiate “Reality Check” Interviews: Start with the HR team — your compensation specialists. What are they hoping to accomplish with their policies and programs? What changes are they planning, if any? Next, reach out to a few employees from various areas of your organization and ask high-level questions. Quick, casual interviews like these are an easy way to confirm how your workforce views compensation. You may even uncover issues that aren’t yet on your radar.
  • Research Other Companies: Because pay transparency is a trending topic, it’s easy to find examples of organizations that are effectively tackling the issue. Case studies from other organizations can be a great source of inspiration as you develop communication tactics and messaging.

2. Craft Your Compensation Story

Pay transparency isn’t just about the “what” (actually dollar amounts). It’s also about the “how” and “why” behind those numbers. Therefore it’s essential to help employees understand big-picture ideas about pay at your company. This is where a narrative helps. You’ll want to build a story or a set of key messages that:

  • Clearly explain your organization’s approach to pay — your philosophy and policies
  • Inform and focus communication so employees clearly understand your approach
  • Provide a roadmap for people who are responsible for communication, so they deliver consistent messaging

When creating your organization’s compensation story, start with these three questions:

  • What is our pay philosophy? This should describe your company’s decision framework for compensation. It should outline the pay structure and components, including overall cash compensation, benefits, and rewards. Consider how this approach aligns with company values and articulate the level of transparency you’re committed to when communicating about pay.
  • What are the benefits of pay transparency? Whether it’s attracting quality candidates or driving a more inclusive culture, find a way to weave in your value proposition. This will help stakeholders understand the “why” behind sharing pay information.
  • What actions (if any) do you want people to take? This is where you explain how employees can learn more about compensation, such as process changes, or new ways to access information. Note: Actions may differ by audience (for example, managers versus general employees).

Remember, this isn’t one-and-done. Your compensation story should be an ongoing part of communication about compensation and rewards. Consider embedding messages into onboarding, benefits discussions, performance management processes, and more.

3. Prepare Leaders and Managers

Once you’ve established your pay philosophy and developed a set of key messages, it’s time to put it in the hands of your spokespeople: leaders and managers. Employees often turn to them first with pay-related questions. Tools, resources, and guidance will not only help them deliver the message, but also prepare them to deal with potentially tough conversations.

Set up your leaders and managers for success with the support they need:

  • Provide answers: Everyone who fields questions from employees needs to understand their communication role. They also need to know how compensation works in your company: how base salary is set, how ranges are determined, and other factors that influence these decisions (including location, role, and experience). Create topline messages, FAQs, and detailed guides to provide answers that address a wide range of scenarios and concerns. Also, be prepared to update these resources on an ongoing basis. By empowering leaders and managers to discuss pay confidently with their employees whenever the need arises, you’ll ensure those conversations are informative, accurate, and productive.
  • Provide training: Host a workshop to help leaders and managers understand how to conduct effective compensation conversations. This also provides a forum for leaders and managers to discuss issues with their peers and expand their knowledge about this important topic.

A Final Note on Pay Transparency

Pay transparency is a powerful trend that can lead to a more equitable workplace, overall. But, as new external reporting requirements become a reality, employers should expect to hear many questions and concerns from employees. Organizations that prepare to address pay questions with more open and transparent internal communication are positioning themselves for success. Are you ready?

How to Design Internal Communications for Remote Teams

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A strong internal communications function is essential for every company, both culturally and operationally. It helps keep employees aware of relevant news and updates, excited about how they contribute to the organization’s mission and success, and committed to continued progress.

Keeping everyone on the same page is tough enough when employees work at the same location. But now with the rise of remote work, internal communications is even tougher to manage. Distributed teams must remain connected, informed, and engaged. But how can you ensure that people are aligned and productive when they’re located in different cities, regions, countries, and time zones?

Avoid the Easy Solution

Many companies have adopted a “lift and shift” approach to internal communications. However, this is risky. You can’t assume whatever works in a physical office location will make sense in a virtual environment. For successful results, carefully consider your organization’s unique situation, issues, and needs.

As the manager of internal communications and events at a remote-first company, I understand how challenging it is to keep employees in 70+ countries connected and in the loop. Here’s what I’ve learned about leveraging internal communications to take far-flung teams to the next level of engagement, effectiveness, and wellbeing.

The Power of a Smart Internal Communications Strategy

My daily activities focus on coordinating events and communications that showcase company news, updates, and policy changes. But at a more fundamental level, I’m responsible for developing strong connections and community within the organization.

Why is this so important? According to Gallup research, 85% of the global workforce is either not engaged or is actively disengaged at work. This gap translates into a sobering $7 trillion of lost productivity.

The good news is that an effective internal communications strategy can move the meter on engagement and productivity. This is especially important in a remote or hybrid work environment, where you can’t rely on casual office interactions to facilitate social connection and cohesion. With a viable approach you can:

1. Unlock Valuable Insights

From an operations perspective, improving information flow between departments and functions breaks down information silos. This gives people clearer visibility into work priorities and progress across the organization. It also means people can work together more efficiently and productively without needless duplication of effort.

2. Separate Signal From Noise

Solid internal communications also cuts through organizational noise. This gives employees better access to essential company information. It also clears the path to resources people need to perform their job, so they aren’t overwhelmed by Slack messages and email threads. Ideally, it helps everyone feel more supported and empowered to succeed in their work.

3. Connect Critical Dots

From a culture and engagement perspective, internal communications is uniquely positioned to foster connection and community in multiple ways, by:

  1. Facilitating connections between employees, so people develop a sense of community and belonging.
  2. Linking people with work that is happening across the company. This helps them understand the organization’s collective progress and impact.
  3. Connecting people with the company’s mission and vision, so they feel they’re contributing to something meaningful and purposeful. That’s the ultimate goal — to give people a sense of belonging and purpose through their work.

Designing Internal Communications for Virtual Teams

When remote-first companies rethink internal communications with inclusion in mind, employee wellbeing and engagement follow. But what does it mean to be intentional and inclusive? Here’s an example:

Imagine you’re launching a new company-wide program. You’ll want to think carefully about the purpose behind your communications. What outcome are you seeking? What kind of response do you anticipate? What’s the ideal timing and structure for your message? Putting intention behind your plan helps you determine the who, how, when, where and why of information you’ll need to share.

Also, where does inclusion fit in? It ensures everyone has equal access to the information you share and equal opportunity to participate in events. For example, you could launch your new company-wide program by announcing it at an all-hands meeting. Then you could follow-up by sharing a video recording and a written summary. This reinforces the message for attendees, while helping those who couldn’t attend come up to speed.

After the initial announcement, people are likely to have additional concerns and questions. So you may want to set up a dedicated Slack channel where employees can ask questions openly or anonymously.

These are just a few ideas to illustrate how multiple communication tools and channels can help people quickly find, consume, and respond to new information at their convenience. It gives individuals more choice and autonomy. And because they’re in control of when and how they engage, it supports workforce wellbeing. In short, it shows that your organization cares about employees.

Building a Sense of Community and Belonging

Increasingly, we hear about an “epidemic of loneliness” that is eroding workforce health and wellbeing. The impact on organizations is steep. Related absenteeism costs employers $154 billion a year, not to mention the cost of poorer job performance.

Employers can’t afford to ignore this issue any longer. Investment in promoting deeper workplace social connections makes sense, especially for remote team members who don’t see colleagues face-to-face each day.

Virtual organizations can reimagine communications and events in ways that enhance a sense of community. This contributes to a stronger, more unified company culture that spans locations, language differences, and time zones.

Paradoxically, it may actually be easier for remote-first organizations to foster social connections than their traditional in-office counterparts. That’s because working on a distributed basis levels the playing field, bringing everyone together on the same virtual terms.

For instance, think about your regular all-hands meeting format. Is it a one-way broadcast where leaders outline business updates? How could you transform this forum into a fun, engaging event people actually want to attend?

What if you set a lively, upbeat mood by playing music while people join the call? How about weaving interactive elements into the agenda, like polls or game-based challenges? Or you could ask employees to suggest topics prior to each meeting. Then you could develop content and programming based on their interests.

Imagine an all-hands that’s not just about business, but about coming together as a team to celebrate the people who make your business special. What would that look like? Intentionally redesign that event. Then start experimenting so your vision becomes reality.

Virtual community building can also happen through online spaces focused on common interests, values, or identities. For instance, you could offer informal social Slack channels where people can discuss pets, parenting, travel, mental health, and so on. When people get to know each other based on personal interests that cut across departments and geographical boundaries, it builds familiarity and trust. Ultimately, this leads to stronger, more productive work relationships.

3 Tips to Optimize Internal Communications

Essentially, internal communications professionals are marketers, responsible for keeping employees aware, interested, involved and enthusiastic about all the meaningful work happening across an organization. With that in mind, here are three tips for optimizing remote team  communications and events:

1. Be Intentional

Think about the purpose of each communication campaign, event, or experience, so you’ll use employee time and attention efficiently and effectively. Keep inclusion top of mind, so people can engage and consume information when it’s best for them.

2. Build for Your People

Design and create with your audience in mind. Proactively listen and work with stakeholders to develop content and programming that resonates and enhances the employee experience.

3. Focus on Your Company’s Specific Needs

Every organization is different. What works for one won’t necessarily work for another. Consider your unique challenges, goals, and context. Then design custom solutions that are purpose-built for your organization and your people.

Internal Communications: Looking Ahead

Remote work may not be for everyone, but it is here to stay. In this new environment, organizations can elevate the employee experience by reimagining internal communications. If we do this well, employees will connect around a common purpose, regardless of their work location. And because they’re more informed, engaged and excited about work, they’ll hopefully be happier to show up and contribute each day. Now that’s something worth striving for!

Change Management is Tricky. How Do You Handle It?

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Change is an integral aspect of every organization — especially in today’s volatile environment. But managing change is challenging. That’s why it sometimes helps to rely on change management specialists for guidance or support. But when? It depends on the situation.

To better understand how leaders tackle change successfully, we asked business professionals to tell us how they approach this process. Nine people shared their recommendations. And despite their diverse experiences, some common themes emerged:

  • Help Employees Adjust
  • Include Employees in Decisions
  • Facilitate a Culture Shift
  • Encourage Two-Way Communication
  • Gamify Change Initiatives
  • Deliver Readiness Bootcamps
  • Involve Everyone in Training Curricula Updates
  • Build Skills for Collective Change
  • Keep Remote Teams in the Loop

To learn more about when and how your organization could benefit from these change management methods, read the full responses below…

9 Ways to Lead Change Management

1. Help Employees Adjust

Our direct managers’ plates are already full, so they don’t have enough time and energy to communicate about every change and seek continuous feedback from across their teams. That’s why we rely on dedicated change managers. They ensure that employees get the kind of support they need throughout any change process, and anyone with a question or idea has access to the right forum where they can speak their mind.

Sometimes, employees prefer to discuss these issues with change management specialists, especially if they’re worried about overloading their direct manager with more work. But the change management team is always available as an employee resource.

Their mission is to ensure a seamless adjustment — whether that includes taking ample time to listen to employee concerns, or to address suggestions that might make the implementation process better.

Jack Underwood, CEO and Co-Founder, Circuit

2. Include Employees in Decisions

Our organization isn’t big enough to require a change management team, so whenever a significant change is required, it’s imperative that we include employees in the process. Change can be daunting, stressful and scary, so it’s essential to mitigate any negative impacts, if possible.

Even if you’re just starting to consider a change, employee input is invaluable. People are much more likely to get onboard with new initiatives if they feel a sense of agency. Plus, they often have interesting insights and ideas to contribute.

And when you do move forward, respecting employees’ feelings and involving them in decision-making means you’ll have a smoother journey. Offering opportunities throughout the process to ask questions, raise objections and make suggestions is crucial.

These actions are not just about supporting change. They also reflect a spirit of inclusion. By seeking input and responding to ideas, you demonstrate that your employees are respected and valued, and they matter to your organization. Working together towards a shared vision and collective responsibility reinforces a sense of teamwork and helps employees feel more in control. This encourages engagement and helps employees embrace change.

Martin Gasparian, Attorney and Owner, Maison Law

3. Facilitate a Culture Shift

Our organization is tiny, so we do not have a dedicated change management team. However, we do have a culture committee composed of members from each department, and this group often helps navigate organizational change.

These representatives can act as liaisons and report on general workforce sentiments that might otherwise go unheard for fear of upsetting management. Members can also help their departments understand the reasoning behind a change decision and model a positive example of embracing and adapting to that decision.

A large part of change management is a cultural shift. So, the culture committee can help employees feel like they’re part of the process and help them view change as an evolution of company culture, rather than abandonment of the status quo.

Grace He, People and Culture Director, TeamBuilding

4. Encourage Two-Way Communication

We have a dedicated change management team at Brosix. That’s because change is an inevitable part of any business, and being prepared for it is crucial. One way we handle change is by empowering employees through communication. But change management communication involves more than just sending out a one-time email notice. It requires ongoing interaction with employees. And that demands dedication, clarity and consistency.

Effective two-way communication techniques like surveys, focus groups and informal feedback gathering give employees a voice in change-related decisions. When leaders involve their team in this process, people feel heard and appreciated. And when people feel valued, they’re more likely to welcome change and participate in making it happen.

Proactive two-way communication has other benefits, as well. Leaders can identify and resolve issues that are likely to cause resistance. And the organization can potentially avoid obstacles and pitfalls before they become a problem.

Stefan Chekanov, CEO, Brosix

5. Gamify Change Initiatives

At TechAhead, we have a dedicated change management team that is highly skilled in collaboration, communication and critical thinking. This team analyzes the potential risks and challenges that come with change and develops effective strategies to mitigate them.

To make the change process more engaging, accessible and effective, we use a unique “Gamification of Change Management” approach. Specifically, we’ve developed a game-based change journey that rewards employees with points and badges for completing challenges such as attending training sessions, participating in feedback surveys and collaborating with team members.

We also offer a “Change Management Cafe,” where we invite stakeholders to openly discuss their concerns, suggestions and feedback about changes we’re planning or implementing. This helps create a culture of transparency and collaboration, which makes the entire change process more inclusive.

Vikas Kaushik, CEO, TechAhead

6. Deliver Readiness Bootcamps

Throughout my career, I have seen many organizations struggle with change management. However, my current employer has implemented highly effective “change boot camps” for employees.

These boot camps are training sessions that focus on teaching people how to accept change and move through it with a positive mindset. They also receive resources and tools to make necessary transitions smoother.

With this structured approach to developing employee change capabilities, our organization is better prepared to handle change more efficiently, while maintaining morale, and ultimately achieving success in the transformational process.

Derek Bruce, First Aid Training Director, Skills Training Group

7. Involve Everyone in Training Curriculum Updates

The healthcare industry is a fast-paced, stressful environment where staying on top of constant change is critical. We don’t have a dedicated change management team, but we do have medical educators whose roles include change management. This comes into play for us when we introduce a new curriculum for medical certifications we offer.

Every two years, we need to incorporate best practice updates into our certification programs for medical skills such as CPR and BLS (Basic Life Support). It is our education team’s job to make sure our instructors and clients (nurses and healthcare workers) are up-to-speed with all these curriculum adjustments.

Because this change process focuses on our curriculum, it’s a business priority. That’s why it’s a central part of our education team’s ongoing responsibilities, rather than a standalone activity.

Brian Clark, CEO and Marketing Director, United Medical Education

8. Build Skills for Collective Change

Change management is central to our organization’s mission. We educate others about the power of facilitation in change management and we equip them with tools to transform the process by replacing traditional methods with facilitation.

Within our organization, we embrace the same philosophy. Rather than relying on a dedicated change management team, we focus on equipping individuals across the organization with facilitation skills to address change collectively.

By engaging stakeholders and empowering them to actively participate in the process, we are fostering a culture of change, adaptability and resilience. Ultimately, this means we can achieve change outcomes that are more enduring and effective.

Douglas Ferguson, President, Voltage Control

9. Keep Remote Teams in the Loop

We don’t have a dedicated change management team because our organization is a relatively small remote team. My partner and I oversee necessary changes. Currently, we’re focused on work to be done so we can boost our sales and generate business results.

However, for change management, we keep our employees in the loop by conducting frequent video calls and arranging online meetings so we can communicate our expectations and discuss any questions people may have.

We ensure that employees are satisfied with the volume and nature of their work, so no one feels overloaded. We also consider their feedback about the company’s operations, so we can incorporate changes they will appreciate and feel comfortable adopting.

Harman Singh, Director, Cyphere

 

What do Deskless Workers Need in an Employee Experience?

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Sponsored by Workforce Software

Most HR and business leaders know that their employee experience profoundly influences organizational success. It shapes morale, productivity — even the bottom line.

So, if you want to improve the future of work, it’s time to think outside of the standard office “box” when you think about employee experience. Why? Consider this fact: A whopping 80% of the world’s workers don’t even sit behind a desk. Instead, these deskless workers show up each day on the frontlines of healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, transportation, and other industries.

It makes sense to offer these workers an employee experience that meets their unique needs. But what exactly do they want? That’s a good question. And it’s why we’re exploring this topic today with an expert in the psychology of work…

Meet Our Guest: Angelina Sun

I’m excited to welcome Angelina Sun, PhD, Workforce Management Solutions Director at Workforce Software. Angelina has worked in various industries, including education, consulting, computing, electronics, e-commerce, and enterprise software.

In her current role, Angelina focuses on how to manage and communicate effectively with deskless workers. She’s inspired by technologies that offer intelligent and innovative responses to social changes and contemporary workforce issues. And I think she’s the ideal person to talk about how employers can better address the interests of deskless workers. Please join us as we explore this topic…

Defining Employee Experience

Welcome, Angelina! What would you say employee experience means for shift-based deskless workers?

The concept of employee experience is interpreted in multiple ways. I think of it as all the individual moments and interactions along an employee’s journey, as well as their perception of those moments.

For deskless workers, it’s about meeting their expectations for better pay, schedule flexibility, and work-life balance. They want to feel better informed and more fully supported. And they want to know that they are heard.

Deskless Realities
Could you tell us more about the challenges these workers face?

Our research found that 50% of deskless workers deal with weekly shift changes. And the same percentage receive their schedules at most one week in advance. This means their employee experience is constantly falling behind.

These people need more work schedule flexibility. They need multiple training options. And they need to have a voice in their work.

These are real issues that organizations must address to improve the employee experience for deskless workers.

Technology’s Role

How is technology helping organizations address these needs?

Improving employee experience definitely requires more than human effort, alone. The right tools and technology are certainly a critical enabler.

For most deskless workers, that means going mobile. If resources are directly available where they’re working, they don’t need to go out of their way to find information, or have to email their colleagues and managers. In fact, most deskless workers don’t even have a work-specific email account.

Benefits of Supporting Deskless Workers

Your point about email is so important to keep in mind!

Absolutely. These people are doing their jobs on the shop floor or behind the wheel, so they don’t have access to a computer. Their requirements are very different.

But organizations that optimize the employee experience for deskless workers report 18% higher productivity, while reducing turnover cost by 25-59%.

They also see improvement in key business performance metrics…

For more insights from Angelina about how to improve the employee experience for deskless workers, listen to this full podcast episode. And be sure to subscribe to the #WorkTrends Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

Also, to continue this conversation on social media anytime, follow our #WorkTrends hashtag on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

After Layoffs, How Can Employers Handle Survivor Guilt?

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We may or may not be heading for an economic downturn this year, but we certainly are seeing a slew of layoffs. The technology industry has been most heavily affected, with more than 224,000 jobs eliminated since the start of 2022. Although many small companies are affected, we’re also seeing announcements from big names like Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Meta.

Now, layoffs are spilling into other sectors as well. For instance, Disney, Goldman Sachs, and FedEx recently announced job cuts. Even McDonald’s is downsizing.

But no matter where and when layoffs happen, we can’t help wondering about the people who’ve lost their jobs. How will they cope financially? How will their mental health be affected?

It’s natural to be concerned about their wellbeing. But what about employees who remain onboard? We shouldn’t forget about them.

Many of these layoff “survivors” are likely to be suffering as well. They may be expected to put in extra effort or take on additional tasks to cover for those who are gone. All the while, they’re worrying about whether their own job will vanish next. Survivor guilt only compounds their problems.

Recognizing the Trauma of Layoffs

When lives are lost in a traumatic event, survivors sometimes feel guilty because they didn’t die. Or they may obsess about what they could have done (but didn’t) to help save others. This survivor guilt phenomenon also emerges in the aftermath of work layoffs. Although the situation is less dire, employers should take it seriously.

Remaining employees may feel guilty because they still have a job when others lost theirs. They may believe they’re less worthy or less skilled than those who were laid off, which further compounds feelings of guilt. This is one reason why layoff survivors typically don’t perform as well as predicted, which can ultimately harm business performance.

Learning From Covid Layoffs

The last big wave of layoffs happened during the Covid pandemic. At that time, my organization conducted research to understand the impact on employees. Specifically, we asked people how much they agreed or disagreed with these questions:

  • I am annoyed or angry that I am still working, when others have been laid off or furloughed.
  • I feel guilty about having a job, when others have been laid off or furloughed.

We found that remaining employees were much more likely to feel guilty than annoyed. In fact, only 5% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt annoyed or angry. In contrast, 33% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt guilty. This means a third of respondents were experiencing survivor guilt.

Upon closer inspection, we found that the extent of this guilt varied considerably from person to person. In part, it was due to differences in personality preferences for either Thinking or Feeling, a dimension included in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) framework.

People with a Thinking personality preference prefer to make decisions based on objective logic. In contrast, those with a Feeling preference favor decisions based on values and how those decisions affect people.

Our research found that individuals with a Feeling orientation were significantly more likely to experience guilt than those who lean toward Thinking. Specifically, 44% of people with a Feeling preference agreed or strongly agreed that they felt guilty, compared to only 21% people with a Thinking preference.

How Guilt Affects Remaining Employees

Given today’s economic pressures, organizations could see a repeat of the 2020 survivor response. It’s important for line managers to pay close attention to this, because survivor guilt can erode job performance.

But here’s a potential problem: Managers and executives are far more likely to have a Thinking personality preference. This means they’re less prone to survivor guilt, themselves. They’re also less likely to notice survivor guilt in others, or take it seriously.

How can organizations bridge this gap? The MBTI assessment and similar tools can help managers understand if their staff members see the world the same way they do. When an assessment reveals misalignment, it can help managers recognize that, even if they aren’t experiencing survivor guilt themselves, they should be open to others who are struggling.

Steps to Minimize Survivor Guilt

Managers and HR specialists can take several steps to mitigate the worst effects of survivor guilt. For example:

1. Let remaining employees know that you addressed all those who were laid off as individuals and you treated them as well as possible. But don’t communicate this message if it isn’t true. People with a Feeling preference have a knack for sensing inauthenticity. So lying will make matters worse than saying nothing at all.

2. Offer to help employees who lose their jobs. For example, you may want to offer outplacement counseling to everyone who is laid off. Providing this kind of support is a moral thing to do. Plus, it can improve morale and engagement among those who remain. So, even though it increases the upfront cost of layoffs, this investment can lead to tangible business benefits.

3. Reassure employees that, even if they had been prepared to make sacrifices themselves, the outcome wouldn’t have changed. Again, don’t communicate this message unless it is true.

4. Clearly explain the rationale for layoffs to those who are leaving as well as those who remain. This helps avoid the appearance of arbitrary decision making.

5. Do not congratulate survivors because they still have a job. This may only increase any guilty feelings they’re experiencing.

6. Establish multiple channels to share information on an ongoing basis. People have different communication preferences, depending upon their personality. That’s why it’s important to offer a variety of methods, especially if your organization includes remote and hybrid workers. Here are several ideas:

Provide opportunities for people to ask questions and submit suggestions. Some people prefer live face-to-face discussions, group meetings, online forums, or instant messaging. Others need to think about questions and submit them in writing. These people may feel more comfortable with on-demand online events, online feedback forms, email messages, or anonymous surveys.

Whatever communication mix you implement, be sure to set expectations for how quickly you’ll respond to questions, ideas and comments. And once those guidelines are in place, be sure to follow through.

Final Thoughts

Whenever employers initiate layoffs, it’s vital to consider the organization’s psychological contract with employees. Unlike a tangible work contract based on things like salary and working conditions, the psychological contract is intangible. It focuses on values and “the way we do things around here.” This contract is an implied agreement between employer and employee.

Organizations must consider if and how layoffs violate this contract. When this is the case, leaders must explain their actions. Otherwise, employees with a Feeling personality preference may walk away from their jobs without any explanation or warning. They’re likely to feel justified because their values have been compromised.

To avoid these unintended consequences, think ahead about the implications of layoffs — not only for those who will lose their jobs, but also for those who will remain. Then act accordingly. If you want your organization to prosper in the long-run, ignoring survivor guilt is not an option.

How to Level Up Employee Benefits Education With Video

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As employee engagement continues to drift downward, organizations everywhere are looking for more efficient, effective ways to connect and communicate with their workforce. This is especially true for employee benefits education, where access to clear, complete and timely information is critical.

What better way to help employees understand their benefits than with video? In this article, we’ll explore why video is such an effective form of outreach, along with five ways you can use it to improve benefits education.

Why is Video Ideal for This Purpose?

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. But what about video? In the business world, its popularity as a communication tool has skyrocketed over the past decade. And the pandemic only added fuel to the fire by forcing employers to shift toward video for internal communications.

Now, many organizations recognize just how powerful video can be in employee education. Why?

  • When people see and hear information within the context of a video, they’re more likely to understand and remember the message.
  • Video tutorials and walkthroughs are a great way to break down complex topics into manageable, memorable “bites.”
  • Video content is also highly shareable, so employees can easily pass information along and discuss it with others.

5 Ways to Enhance Benefits Education With Video

1. Offer Benefits Portal Tutorials and Walkthroughs

To ensure employees know how to navigate your benefits portal, it’s important to provide proper instruction. But with video, it’s no longer necessary to bombard people with lengthy written documentation.

Instead, brief tutorials are a great way to give employees a guided tour of your benefits site. Even a few quick, easy-to-follow videos can make all the difference in introducing employees to the portal so they become more comfortable conducting research and serving themselves.

2. Create Enrollment Screencasts

Enrolling in benefits can be daunting, especially when people are unfamiliar with the process. Rather than sending out lengthy written instructions or expecting employees to figure it out independently, you can use screencasting to walk them through the entire process, step-by-step. This helps people understand the open enrollment process, so they don’t become confused or frustrated by complexity.

Offering useful screencasts requires thoughtful upfront planning and production. But in the long run, it can save your benefits administrators significant time, by reducing the volume of routine questions and issues they must resolve.

3. Focus on Key Topics of Interest

Instructional videos are a terrific option if you want to provide more in-depth information about particular benefits topics. These videos can cover anything from an overview of your company’s health insurance plans, to guidance on how to use key portal features.

This is also a smart way to address common concerns or misconceptions employees may have about selecting or managing their benefits. By providing clear, concise information in a compelling visual format, you can help employees better understand every aspect of their benefits and how to use them.

4. Conduct Virtual Benefits Fairs

If your company offers a variety of benefits, staging a virtual benefits fair can be a useful way to consolidate information into a highly accessible “all-in-one” live online experience. Plus, you can record the sessions and make them available on-demand so employees can attend at their convenience.

Your programming could involve a series of short videos covering each benefit category. These sessions could be followed by an interactive Q&A session, where employees can ask questions of an expert at your company or from a related benefits vendor. This gives participants access to the information they need to make better-informed decisions.

5. Produce Video Testimonials

One of the most compelling ways to engage employees in benefits education is to illustrate how others are using these benefits. And what better way to do this than with video testimonials that let members of your workforce tell their story in their own words?

Featured employees can talk about why and how they selected specific benefits to improve their health, save for financial goals, or improve their quality of life. This not only helps others feel comfortable about their benefits decisions, even as it reinforces your organization’s commitment to workforce wellbeing.

Video Engagement Best Practices

Now that we’ve explored ways to use video to engage your employees in benefits education, let’s look at some best practices to keep in mind when creating any video content:

  • Be sure to put the audience’s interests first. What are their needs? What information do they want to see? How much time are they likely to invest in consuming this content? What should their next move be?
  • Strive to keep your videos short and to the point. Employees are busy and often can’t devote time or attention to long-form content.
  • Always test videos before you launch and promote them. Make sure they work correctly from end-to-end, and that employees can understand the concepts you’re trying to communicate. This will ensure a positive, productive enrollment experience for employees and support your broader organizational goals.
  • Don’t forget the marketing outreach needed to make employees aware of any education resources. Unseen video has little value, so be sure you invest in communication that will lead people to your educational content.

Closing Notes

Helping employees understand their benefits is crucial for employers and human resources departments. If you haven’t considered using video to communicate this information, you’re missing an opportunity to present complex benefits information in a way that is meaningful, quick and easy for employees to access. And in the long run, this self-service content can save your HR team significant time and money.

The Human Aspect of HR Communications Strategies

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If you’re in HR, no matter your role, you have complex messages to communicate to employees. You also likely have a hard time getting them to pay attention. This frustration is always in the top three for HR — you’ve told them multiple times, but they’re not doing what they need to.

But why? Partly, it’s because of who’s telling them…HR. 

Employees tend to see HR as a corporate function, with company goals in mind. A recent Gartner Human Resources survey shows that only 41% of employees think senior leadership has their best interest in mind.

The good news? The fix is (metaphorically) staring you in the face.

HR Communications Channels – People Vs Marketing

Your best channels are staring you in the face. When you think about multi-channel communications, it’s probably a mix of email, monitor screens, home mailers, posters, etc. What you may be forgetting is a more personal way to reach employees. 

The Gartner study points out that employees are more likely to trust messages coming from people they know…and see — their peers and managers. It seems employers are starting to agree, at least in theory and expectations.

77% Say It’s Effective – Only 31% Actually Do It

According to Gallagher’s 2022 State of the Sector, 77% of those surveyed said employee advocates (peers) are an effective way to communicate with employees. Yet only 31% use employee advocates for HR communications. This is an untapped HR resource.

In that same Gallagher study, 81% of companies report having an increased expectation of managers when it comes to communications. And, for the first time in the study’s 14 years, a top-three priority for employers is enhancing manager communications skills. 

If peers are an effective way to get the word out, and managers are bearing the load of yet more expectations, there’s an opportunity here to build your human communication channel. 

First, Find Your People

Most managers are, by default, part of your human channel due to their job description. But employee advocates can be hand-picked. Whether it’s by department, division, or location, managers and local HR folks generally know the popular employees with positive attitudes. Ask them who would be a confident, trusted, and enthusiastic messenger. 

Make it a personal invitation, not a mere email. Build up the importance of this new role by explaining why you’ve chosen them. “We’ve heard good things about you, and we know others trust you. So, we’d like to entrust you as an HR representative.”

To Make It Effective, Make It Easy to Help

Employees are busy — whether they’re managers, programmers, drivers, or accountants. For most, helping HR get messages out isn’t at the top of their to-do list on any day. But, if you make it easy, it won’t fall to the bottom either. 

To make your human communication channel effective, you’ll need to do more than send an email with talking points and attached flyers. Like any assignment, it’s easier to accomplish when there’s an organized plan with easy-to-follow instructions. 

For Routine, Predictable HR Communications

Quarterly tool kits are easier than unexpected emails. Kick-off each quarter with a 30-minute manager/advocate call. Give them the gist of each month’s topic and make sure the two groups are working together, not duplicating effort. After each call, send (or post) the quarterly materials in three separate packets, one for each month — these could be printed or digital materials. 

In each packet include:

  • Talking points and an FAQ on the topic.
  • Flyer, poster, email text, monitor screen, etc. 
  • Detailed schedule showing when and how to use each piece (talking points in huddles, posters in break/bathrooms, etc.). 

For Ad Hoc “This Just Came up” HR Communications 

Be sure your managers and advocates are plugged into a “message cascade.” This is especially important when you need to communicate change. Cascading starts with messaging for senior executives that are then tailored as it flows down the chain to regional, local, and team managers, and eventually to advocates and employees. You can read more and download a template here.

If you’re depending on people to help you get the word out, they need to know you’ll help them when there are questions or concerns. Commit to having answers (or at least get in touch) within one or two business days.

A Rewarding Experience — Show Your Gratitude

There are many ways to thank managers and advocates for being the trusted voice of HR, from plaques and certificates of appreciation to gift cards or an extra vacation day. The simple act of a handwritten note is an easy, inexpensive, and authentic way to say thank you. 

Employees aren’t ignoring HR communications because they don’t care what you have to say. They’re expecting a complicated message that takes time, so they plan to review it later. Then it gets later…and later.  If you can put your message in the hands of someone they know, see, and trust, they’ll take the time.

Let’s Make Internal Communications Exciting Again

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The conversation went something like this:

Me: “Hi Sean! I’m writing a blog post for TalentCulture.com about the benefits of creating employee-focused communications that are compelling, persuasive, and fun — the opposite of those tedious internal memos nobody reads. Do you have any colorful, exciting examples of employee communications I can share with my readers?”

Sean: “Um … nope. Now that you mention it, we’re all about those tedious memos. In fact, the only time our internal communications are exciting is when our CEO publicly calls out a department and blames them for missed sales targets.”

Me: “Wow. Thanks for letting me know. Happy to send you a link to the blog when it’s published.”

I wish this interaction had been the exception to the rule, but alas, it was not. When I called a colleague in the higher education sector, her response was similarly unenthusiastic.

“Yeah, we don’t really do stuff like that here,” she said. “We send out lots of nice mailers for the students, but the faculty and administration? They just get whatever new policies we need them to follow.”

Too often, businesses both large and small fall into the easy and comfortable trap of treating their employees like a captive audience. Because the recipients of their internal messages are on the payroll, they assume their personnel are motivated to read, absorb, and act upon every ponderous Intranet update and boring e-mail that comes their way. The reality isn’t that simple.

“Employees are as important as any audience, if not the most important,” said Janet Miller of New Jersey-based Cox Stationers and Printers, which frequently sponsors employee contests and boasts a rooftop beehive at which it holds an annual company-wide honey harvest. “Finding new ways to keep employees interested and engaged is a constant challenge, but a rewarding one.”

An effective internal communications program can do more than keep employees engaged — it can also help them avoid a broken neck.

Sweetser, a behavioral-health nonprofit in Maine, was concerned about increased employee slip-and-fall incidents in icy conditions. They dutifully issued educational materials warning of the dangers of slippery sidewalks, and advising workers to use appropriate footwear … but the accidents continued.

The following winter, Sweetser went on the offensive. Their research revealed that a special type of walk — nicknamed the “Penguin Shuffle” — had been proven to reduce falls on icy surfaces. It involved taking short, shuffling steps with the arms held out, similar to the signature waddle of the South Pole’s most ubiquitous bird.

Penguin Shuffle

Sweetser, a Maine-based nonprofit, reduced employee slip-and-fall incidents 80 percent with clever employee-focused messages like this one.

Sweetser’s Penguin Shuffle campaign was disseminated to more than 735 employees at facilities throughout the state. It included the distribution of a humorous educational video
developed by Alberta Health Services of Canada, and posters at employee entrances reminding staff members to shuffle like a penguin when crossing icy paths.

“We even put decals shaped like penguin feet on the floors during winter weather,” said Stephanie Hanner, Sweetser’s Communications Manager. “Our colleagues found it cute and entertaining, but more importantly, the message resonated.”

Stephanie’s creativity paid off. “Since introducing the Penguin Shuffle, we’ve seen an 80 percent decrease in slips and falls,” said Jon Mistos, Senior Director of Facilities at Sweetser, who chairs the organization’s Health and Safety Committee.

Internal communications don’t have to be lackluster. Rather than regarding your workforce as a captive audience, afford them the same attention you would give your most valued customer. Be clever and creative. Use appealing colors and bold visuals in your internal e-mails. Plan your Town Hall meetings around interactive exercises and icebreakers. Conduct surveys to gauge employee satisfaction — and when the feedback rolls in, be prepared to take action.

And for heaven’s sake, don’t be like Sean’s CEO. Is it any wonder his team’s performance isn’t up to par?