Blog

The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated social megatrends that may otherwise have taken years to evolve. The most obvious example is the almost overnight shift to working from home.

For years, many companies resisted home-working, suspecting it would damage productivity, creativity and teamwork. But, as the last seven months have shown, employees have adapted remarkably well, as dedicated at home as they are in the office.

But it’s presented companies with a big challenge: how to manage, motivate, inform and – very importantly – care for your remotely located employees? The answer lies in a function that many businesses have under-rated and under-resourced – Internal Communications.

Internal comms is now more important than ever before, finding its place at the beating heart of the organisation, keeping lines of communication open and making sure employees stay connected while apart.

From interactive newsletters and video town halls, to pub quizzes and Zoom cookery challenges, there are countless ways to build and nurture a sense of connection via internal channels. And, because so many of them, like Poppulo and Yammer, are measurable, it’s easy to see the high levels of engagement when the right balance is struck.

Ultimately, the best internal communication is as much about caring as it is about informing, especially during these Covid times. Working from home suits some people, but not all. It’s easy to feel isolated, disconnected and stressed by the conflicting demands of home and work.

So putting care into how you communicate, connect and engage with remote employees can really pay off, not only in helping them work better and smarter, but also boosting their happiness and wellbeing.