Changes in the workplace over the past year have been unprecedented. The COVID-19 pandemic shook things up almost beyond recognition, and many companies are still trying to adapt. Today, many employees are somewhere between a completely remote work environment, a hybrid schedule, or transitioning back to the office space. Many of them are unsure if and for how long the current work pattern will continue.
With all of these uncertainties come a lot of questions. Many employees are wondering if they should settle into a new, remote work lifestyle permanently or still plan to eventually transition back to work. Others are still unsure about making the most of new technologies or how to interact with co-workers and customers without face-to-face opportunities.
Communication methods and general workplace protocols remain some of the biggest challenges that employers face in adapting employees to remote work. Laying down the groundwork for rules on new communication platforms can be challenging, especially when different rules may apply for inter-office communications versus customer-facing communications.
Improving Online Engagement
Perhaps one of the most significant challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the workplace has been in online communication. Many employees were quickly transitioned into an online environment. Some thrived while others struggled. Nearly all companies quickly realized that building employee engagement during the pandemic was going to be more important than ever.
During the pandemic, the big thing for many companies was making sure they were supporting employees as they adjusted to the transition and dealt with all sorts of other aspects of their lives being simultaneously upended. Good leaders realize that some of the support and engagement skills they worked on during this timeframe would ultimately pay off. Supportive and engaged workplaces are more likely to report high employee satisfaction and overall productivity.
Now, many company leaders are starting to feel as though their long-term employees are getting the whole engagement thing. Some are even learning how to make great first impressions online and reach out to new employees who may not get the opportunity to meet co-workers in a normal work environment for quite some time. It is all making successful remote work seem like more of a reality and less of a pipe dream.
Creating Communication Standards
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean everything is just peachy in the world of company communication in a telework environment. Many managers have difficult employees that seem to completely disappear when needed or who only do the bare minimum required engagement. It can make it more challenging to collaborate on projects, obtain necessary information and clearances, or even just build relationships with employees.
Because of this, many companies are implementing organizational communication strategies. The goals of these strategies are to engage employees and keep processes moving in organized manners. Some examples of organizational communication strategies include things like:
- Communicating consistent messages regularly and often
- Explaining policies and practices to new employees and reinforcing them with older employees
- Delivering messages that align with the company’s overarching goals and culture
- Creating an environment of constructive criticism and the ability to communicate concerns freely
Company-wide communication protocols can set the tone for what is expected in communication between employees and supervisors. Likewise, it can set a guideline of what information and how frequently it should be communicated with other employees. For instance, a communication protocol can state that employees and supervisors will communicate at least once weekly. During this conversation, employees need to give an update on accomplishments and timelines while supervisors need to set clear expectations and communicate any changes or top-down information.
Work with Customers
Communication doesn’t only happen within a company though. Many employees will interact directly with customers and in a remote environment, there are new rules of engagement here too. Though many of the rules and regulations for marketing and advertising products haven’t changed, how companies interact with customers is changing rapidly.
Many say that communication is the next big marketing tool. Numerous surveys indicate that customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience or a more personalized product. This means that customers want to interact more with brands and voice their preferences, whether that be on social media or in person.
All of this means that companies need to be ready to offer these experiences, even if employees are engaging with customers more frequently through a computer screen these days. Having the ability to go back to marketing basics and sell a product from any setting is key here. Sometimes it isn’t all about the bells and whistles so much as the personal connection that makes the difference.
Communication methods have changed profoundly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, many employers find themselves striving to engage with employees in a remote setting and set productive communication protocols. As employees reach out and interact with customers, companies are finding that a personalized experience with real engagement is also becoming more imperative here too.
