If you think of digital signage and other platforms as mere marketing tools, you’re missing an opportunity to boost internal communications in your company. While this technology is an important component of most modern marketing strategies, it’s also a powerful tool for fostering company cohesion and keeping your workforce connected. Face it, the days of static workplaces and company memos are gone. With more offices shifting toward virtual environments, telecommuting and creative work spaces, keeping internal communications relevant, timely and engaging poses new challenges for employers. That’s where digital platforms come in.
The Importance of Interoffice Communications
Office communications must go beyond an occasional email or announcements about staff meetings. Surveys conducted across the country show that up to 70% of employees in the U.S. are not engaged; they feel disconnected and disaffected. A disengaged workforce is an unproductive workforce. A study done by the The McKinsey Global Institute discovered that when businesses implemented well-organized, effective communications systems, they increased their overall productivity by up to 25% and raised revenues exponentially. If you think that a lack of clear, effective communications is at the heart of malaise in your company, there are simple tools and technologies to combat the problem and fire up your workforce.
How To Digitize Your Workforce
The first step in modernizing your communications system is to conduct a company-wide survey to get feedback and identify areas where communications can be improved. Analysis of the information obtained from your employees will be used as a basis for devising a new system. Most companies communicate with staff using some combination of these six communications platforms:
– Email (99%)
– In-office meetings (96%)
– Intranet systems (90%)
– Social media platforms (85%)
– In-office displays, such as posters and notice boards (80%)
– Internal messaging systems, like Yammer or Slack
According to surveys of staff in a range of industries, the least effective communications methods are Intranet systems and static in-office displays. The addition of digital signage creates a more dynamic and visually stimulating way to convey information that’s easy to install and implement, and it can be updated in real time. Not only that, but this platform provides instant access to associates who work from home or on the road via mobile networking.
3 Ways to Incorporate Digital Networking
1. Make it interactive. Normally, office communications are a one-way street, Other than answering emails that need a response, most communications convey information that may or may not be noticed. Digital platforms not only garner more attention, they can be made interactive and exciting through the use of custom hashtags and closed employee social media groups.
2. Use it to boost moral and encourage productivity. Digital signs installed at strategic points throughout the office are attention-grabbers, especially when placed in common areas, break or meeting rooms and entryways. They can also be linked to mobile platforms to convey real-time notifications no matter where your staff members are located. A great way to use this medium is by running real-time data about the progress of important company goals, sales figures and essential updates. This platform is also a good way to recognize employee achievements and personal milestones using custom graphics.
3. Keep off-site employees in the loop. Working at another location can be an isolating experience that leaves these workers feeling cut-off and disengaged. It isn’t always possible or feasible for some employees to monitor a PC or mobile device for communications. The immediacy and reach of digital signs and platforms allows you to keep offline employees like dock workers and warehouse personnel in the know. Placing digital displays at these work spaces allows you to keep them informed regardless of your physical location or theirs. The information can be pre-programmed or updated immediately according to need.
Modernizing your office communications is easier with tools like top digital signage software. Good communication equals appreciation, and your associates will become more responsive and feel more invested in the overall success of your company when they feel included and informed. You’ll find a range of businesses online that can work with you to create a custom digital communications system that’s tailored to the needs of your company.