What we ll cover today

Transcription

1 @robinrox

2 What we ll cover today How far we ve come; how technology has shaped communication The blur of communication specialties Think of employees like online consumers Support employees as your advocates Fun ways to engage employees via social media Using mobile to engage non-desk employees Getting around leaders who don t get it

3 Defining employee engagement Employees who are genuinely connected They enjoy the organization, support it; they re proud to be affiliated Engaged employees positively influence customer/stakeholder satisfaction Examples: Particularly helpful retail staff Medical staff who calm and comfort; take a genuine interest in the patient

4 In the last 10 years Smartphones, tablets/ipads, thinner laptops Faster speeds, wired and Wi-Fi Mobile access/texting Social media is now mainstream

5 We communicate differently We interact with anyone, anywhere, anytime Text, Skype, WeChat, Jabber, FaceTime, Zoom Social media outlets are breaking news sources In organizations, internal & external communication are blurred (or more closely tied than ever before)

6 Internal & external blurs Communication profession includes Internal (often includes HR communication) External/media relations/public relations Community relations/corporate social responsibility Public and governmental affairs Advertising and marketing Graphic design, photography, videography All of these specialties now use social media

7 Traditional internal/hr comms Print, face-to-face, online Delivered by internal communication professionals Sometimes business leaders or HR professionals Almost always created internally Reviewed and approved a gazillion times Carefully crafted, approved language Engagement was considered primarily internal

8 The tables have turned Previously: Organizations told you why they were great (or sold consumers on their products) Today: Employees sell people on an organization, like consumers sell other people on products

9 Who do employees believe? Leaders? Immediate supervisors? Those well-crafted, official internal messages? Customers, vendors, consumers, partners? Each other? Maybe all of them but employees rule

10 Gaining employment insights

11 The power of online consumers When you purchase or research products online Read the product description? Read the consumer reviews? Which messages do you trust most? When employees read about organizations online, who do they trust most?

12 Consumerism power and how employees feel when they read the examples in social media: Consumerism power and how employees feel when they see it

13 Use social media to tell your story What, where and how you post content will influence current and potential employees May people comment on posts? Do you respond when appropriate? Do employees see themselves in your posts? Do leaders participate? Do your vendors and customers post and comment?

14 Use social media to tell your story What, where and how you post content will influence current and potential employees Paint the picture of who you really are May people comment on posts? Do you respond, and how quickly? Do employees see themselves in your posts? Do leaders participate? Do your vendors and customers post and comment?

15 The Container Store What We Stand For Great example of complete engagement

16 Communicating effectively Explaining their principles Supporting their vendors Valuing their employees Generating excitement

17 Therapy dog soothing a patient at a Baylor hospital (compassionate, loving patient care) Teacher creatively endorsing a TI graphing calculator (stellar customer testimonial)

18 Southwest Airlines flight attendant making the safety instructions enjoyable (great customer experiences) Kimberly-Clark showcasing its maternal and child health initiatives in Bolivia (corporate social responsibility)

19 Facebook

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21 Dell s Social Media Command Center and Social Media and Communities training empowering employees to respond online Dell powers the Digital Operations Center for the American Red Cross doing good things for others when it matters most

22 Let employees advocate for you A good culture influences employees to want to advocate for you Empower employees with the tools and resources to be advocates online Let them work within the channels they prefer Identify champions to help grow your program Measure to know if what you re doing is worthwhile

23 Engaging via mobile devices If it makes sense for your employees, then consider Are you providing the mobile device? Respecting time and ownership boundaries Online directories, reference materials Custom apps for benefits information Podcasts, videos bring leader messages to life Create online communities Opt-in push message delivery Ensure it s two-way

24 Which channels do you choose? Know your audiences Ask them! Which communication methods they use now How would they LIKE to receive and share information if they could choose Measure how things are working Click-throughs, time spent on pages, increase in enrollments, inquiries, cost savings, reduced turnover, etc.

25 How do you engage employees via social media? What might pique their interest? Give them choices; give them voices Let them help you succeed Show how you take their feedback to heart Show the world how much you appreciate them

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27 Getting around leaders who don t get it Some leaders care, some don t, some are open to the possibilities Demonstrate how employees are telling the story of your organization Provide examples of organizations where the leaders get it and the value added

28 Questions? on Twitter