The rise of hybrid work is already here. Time to lean into powerful, effective human communication. Here’s how.
Use the right channels. Ditch the business speak. Humanize.
When employees aren’t seeing each other face-to-face on a regular basis, the ability to humanize communications and create the sense that people aren’t just talking to robots will be one of your most critical skills.
As a communicator, you must find new ways to build social connections and promote employee engagement during hybrid work. The key, too, will be fostering inclusion, avoiding the creation of different classes or hierarchies of employees based on proximity to the office or in-person attendance.
Video and virtual events can be powerful tools for building community and connection in a hybrid work environment. Consider the following:
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Use video to humanize your communication, especially for announcements or information that require discussion or connection. Use video messages from senior leaders, virtual events, and webinars. Encourage employee interaction and feedback to foster a sense of community and engagement.
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Encourage leaders to use emojis and gifs to add personality and humor to messages, modeling the practice to employees. If we remember some employees spend hours or days without a face-to-face interaction from another employee, this practice can be a surprisingly effective way to build rapport and foster a sense of connection, even in digital communication.
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Host regular virtual social events, such as virtual happy hours, game nights, coffee breaks, or team-building exercises to build a sense of community and connection.
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Make sure that virtual events are inclusive and accessible to all employees, regardless of location, time zone or remote work arrangements. Utilize video conferencing tools like Zoom or Microsoft Teams and online collaboration platforms like Slack or Asana to facilitate seamless communication and engagement.
Effective internal communication is vital for managing and leading hybrid teams in the future of work. The importance of humanizing communications cannot be stressed enough. Leveraging the right channels and ditching the business speak are crucial strategies for building an authentic culture and employee experience.
About Uniity
Uniity is an outsourced employee communications agency that brings decades of experience into businesses, quickly.
Our team of strategists, creatives and production specialists seamlessly integrates into organizations. We work with your people to elevate existing capabilities and to create new ones – to fulfill all your employee communication needs.
We want to hear about your communication challenges.
Connect with Sarah McCarten, Director of Client Success, to share your story.