With the influx of millennials and an emphasis on work-life balance, remote workers are becoming an increasingly vital segment of the workforce. This year, Global Workplace Analytics cites 63 million Americans (or about a third of the workforce) as working remotely. Analytics, workforce demographics and communications are crucial elements of Brandemix business, so we’re tickled to delve into strategies for reaching and engaging all the segments of a staff.
First, make sure everyone knows they are included
According to an Inc. article, one difficult aspect of managing remote workers is how to loop them in. Be sure to include everyone in meetings (using videos, your Intranet or a conduit like Go To Meeting), and publicly acknowledge the contributions of each remote worker. Take steps to keep them informed of what is going on back at the office, especially when it comes to epic staff events like a JCAHO audit, benefits open enrollment, or your summer outing.
Next, launch an enlightened Internal Communications Plan
A solid internal communications plan captures attention and bolsters employee engagement. At Brandemix, we have a four-phase process to identify and promote your objectives and reach your employees—wherever they reside. Today’s plans are increasingly social and interactive, enabling real time conversations between on and off-site staff members. The savviest companies communicate with a multi-channel approach to advertising and marketing; equally important when broadcasting messages inside the company.
Use Your Intranet, Blog and Social Media
From sharp videos to updates on your blog or Facebook pages, internal information can be made into something that is compelling and memorable. Use posts to remind people of forthcoming deadlines, new bids/projects in the house, or an ongoing employee referral program. Celebrate social events like weddings, new hires and promotions, or the team who ran that half-marathon. Integrate activity streams (also called news feeds), puzzles and quizzes if you really want to get people enthused, say the experts at My Hub.
Create a Buddy System
Remember as a child when you were paired with a swim/trip buddy at school and camp? Accountability Partners is a similar strategy that pairs different workers in different places to ensure they stay on track. From checking in on project status, to asking probing questions, buddying up works to everyone’s advantage. We learned of this concept from Freelancers Union, possibly the largest collective of remote workers around.
Brainstorm
The best way to make sure your messages are getting through is to create remote ambassadors who can let you know if you’re getting through and come up with ideas on how to improve your cascade. Thinking about creative solutions is a great way to unite people in different locales.
Give us a shout and we’ll brainstorm more on your Internal Communications efforts and objectives.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Ordioni is the author of “The Talent Brand.” In her role as Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brandemix, she leads the firm in creating brand-aligned talent communications that connect employees to cultures, companies, and business goals. She engages with HR professionals and corporate teams on how to build and promote talent brands, and implement best-practice talent acquisition and engagement strategies across all media and platforms. She has been named a "recruitment thought leader to follow" and her mission is to integrate marketing, human resources, internal communications, and social media to foster a seamless brand experience through the employee lifecycle.
