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The days of communicating in the workplace through phone calls, emails and instant messages are over. The COVID-19 crisis highlighted how crucial internal communication is to a company's success. And that's no exception in 2022. Today, workplace communication trends change in a flash, while the health crisis is still relevant in 2022.
To stay on track in this unpredictable environment, it's essential for companies to focus on their internal communication and stay on top of the latest workplace trends.
Ready to discover the 5 internal communication trends for 2022? Without any further delay, let's get started!
Employee well-being is a top priority
One of the priorities for 2022 is to focus on the well-being of your employees. After the past two years, employee motivation can be at its lowest point, with 51% of employees reporting that their mental health has deteriorated since the start of COVID-19, according to the NIHCM Foundation.
In this situation, it is crucial to support employee well-being and avoid burnout. Having stressed and burned-out employees cannot lead to good outcomes: disengagement, decreased productivity and high turnover...
To motivate employees, many things can be put in place by the HR department. But internal communication must be able to act as a relay and support. It must reinforce the feeling of being heard in order to reduce the stress level of employees and give them the tools to feel at ease when they need to express themselves.
You can do this in a variety of ways: an information page, an open discussion about employees' feelings, a support program, team building activities, feedback sharing rituals, an employee wellness survey...
Give your employees a voice and a space where they can express themselves freely together.
Managers must set an example
In 2022, all eyes will be on the managers and the CEO. They need to be more involved in the company's internal communication and show that they are listening to employees.
By speaking out publicly in a clear and transparent manner, they can address the fears of employees and reinforce a culture of listening and respect.
To do this, don't hesitate to use video. Some CEOs may be opposed to this, due to time constraints and personality. Some seem to be born for the spotlight, while others are not comfortable with speaking in public.
But, especially in transformation processes, CEOs and managers need to play a more active role in communication. They need to be even more present in order to transparently communicate the goals, reasons and circumstances of the necessary changes. And to be truly successful, this is a role that only they can play.
Horizontal communication becomes even more important
Hybrid work is the new normal. And with it comes a whole bunch of new challenges for employees. The days when employees were all under one roof are over. That's why horizontal communication remains more crucial than ever.
Horizontal communication is a mode of communication in which information is shared between peers working in the same or different departments.
In this new world of work, where everyone is far apart, working as a team and collaborating among peers is becoming one of the priorities of 2022. People need to connect, share knowledge and innovate together.
Multi-channel internal communication
Trying to reach all employees at once through one channel has never really worked in the past. So now that everyone is spread out, it becomes even more complicated.
In 2022, you must try to reach employees where they are. For example: an app for field employees, an intranet for administration employees, a communication group for project managers, screens in production halls for workers, shared spreadsheets for sales people... Adapt to all types of employees.
Analyze the indicators regularly
Most decisions in a company are made based on data. In 2022, it's time to do the same for internal communication.
Collaborative tools now offer the possibility to track data on employee preferences. Here's a short list of indicators that may be worth monitoring regularly:
Which channels work best
The percentage of employees who open and interact with content
The most popular days and times when employees access the communication tools and via which media
The number of employees who open and respond to polls or surveys
The number of interactions (shares, likes, comments, etc.)
But don't just collect the data. Review it regularly and do something about it based on the results. If you are posting content on your intranet with essential information but only 40% of your employees read it, there are surely areas that need to be improved or changed.
Conclusion
In 2022, authenticity, relevance and the right channels are the keys to a successful internal communication strategy.
Internal communication must be bold and open to new ideas. But as important as it is to be able to adapt on the fly, good planning is more important than ever. For the year 2022, make a resolution to define your communication strategy and internal communication goals. With anticipation, preparation, and the right tools, your 2022 will go smoothly!
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