By Nicole Olsen
From Covid-19 workplace changes to mergers and acquisitions, workplace change is accelerating by the day and increasing the need for effective communications with increasingly isolated employees.
Those of us familiar with the ‘telephone’ game are acutely aware of how fast misinformation can spread from one person to the next. Just as in the game, this phenomenon of miscommunication exists in the workplace; and it can be especially toxic when important information relating to change is communicated to our increasingly disparate workforces.
An enterprise video solution can be a powerful ally for those tasked with communicating change in the workplace. It can also help drive engagement – even from remote workers – by making it easier to communicate change.
Here are four tips for communicating change in the workplace:
Be Authentic
Change can cause feelings of isolation and uncertainty in the workplace. Leaders can assist employees through this ordeal by communicating sincerely and authentically. You likely will not have all the answers employees are searching for, but that’s ok.
Video is an excellent medium for communicating change because it enables the audience to see the visual cues of the speaker, thus providing the audience stronger insight and context into what the speaker is saying.
Be Consistent
Change communication shouldn’t be considered as a “one and done” event. It involves communication that is repetitive and frequent. Studies have found that continual communication is a key factor in a change management success.
Enterprise video solutions allow business to broadcast and record messages, thereby ensuring all messages can be seen and heard multiple times. Recorded messages can be stored in a shared library for easy access.
Be Articulate
Be clear, be articulate. It isn’t enough to just communicate change to employees. You need to communicate what change means to them, and how it may or may not impact them personally. It’s also important to clearly communicate how your organization will support and
assist employees during the change.
An enterprise video solution can help change management speakers deliver succinct communication with detailed information for employees. And existing business tools like PowerPoint slides can be incorporated into your video messages, providing your audience the best possible chance for retention of the information.
Explain the Why
Those tasked with communicating change cannot assume employees understand exactly what is said, or the rationale behind it. This is why it is critical to explain why changes are occurring. The more employees understand, the less chance for resistance or push back. Resistance to change is a leading factor for why so many change transformations fail.
Enterprise video solutions assist change management because they allow two-way communication on a large scale. Remote employees can easily ask questions, voice concerns, and interact with leadership in a meaningful way.
Regardless of what kind of change is being discussed – whether it’s workflow adaptation or office reopening plans – it is vital that communicators deliver personal, clear messaging that is easily understood. In times like these, it’s never been more important to use online video to make that personal connection across organizations to ensure that employees are prepared for, and can respond to, our constantly changing environment.