Unleashing the power of innovation in internal comms
Want to grab your workforce’s attention? Think outside the box, add some fun and apply TikTok logic to spark their interest
We are all bombarded with information. Competition for our increasingly limited attention has never been more intense. Inboxes overflow, notifications ping, zoom calls and meetings consume our days. According to one survey UK employees now spend over three hours a day emailing.
For internal comms professionals it is getting harder to be heard, read, remembered. This presents a challenge for businesses. How do you rise above the noise and engage employees in the 21st century?
It’s not just the volume and frequency of communication that’s the issue. We’re also up against an endless supply of, frankly, more entertaining, captivating and high-quality content which is at our employees’ fingertips. I’m not suggesting our workforces are spending their days scrolling on social media instead of working. But, when you’ve cleared the most urgent items on your to do list and you have a few moments to spare, are you more likely to check your personal messages and notifications, or return to the emails you filed to read later?
Creating captivating content in appealing mediums
Some of the most forward thinking companies are fighting fire with fire. They are creating snackable content that is easy to consume. They are meeting employees where they are. Using innovative communications mediums that they know their employees enjoy and actively choose. A shift away from the traditional default corporate tools at hand.
From video content and Netflix style delivery to video games as storytelling platforms. There are even augmented reality installations to reach employees who aren’t sat in front of a laptop. Injecting creativity and innovation into internal comms is reaping rewards. Particularly when it comes to engaging typically hard to reach employees.
So how do you start to create and deliver stand-out content?
It starts with understanding your employees and how they like to consume content and information. What channels and mediums do they gravitate to? Not because they have to but because they choose to. Could those platforms work for internal comms? Of course, no one is going to take an open platform like TikTok and use it to talk about confidential company information. But it could be interesting as inspiration for snackable content.
Emotional and human storytelling is key to creating memorable content. In his article How Stories Change the Brain, Paul J Zak highlights the science behind storytelling. He reveals that stories with human and emotional content are easier to relate to, promoting better understanding and better recall. Identifying opportunities to move away from conveying information towards emotive storytelling is likely going to start closing communication gaps between what you’ve said and what employees remember.
Surprise your audience
Make it fun and surprise your internal audiences with something new and different that you haven’t tried before. One of our clients worked with us to create a video game that tapped into the culture of the business, to inspire pride and remind employees why they enjoy working at the company. The success of the game took everyone by surprise. It sparked independent storytelling as employees spotted references that triggered fond memories. It tapped into the competitiveness of teams that frequently didn’t engage with other parts of the business.
There are so many tools at our disposal these days; creativity, imagination and a willingness to experiment could be just the solution you’re looking for.
Helen Ellis is head of consultancy at global digital marketing agency Team Lewis.
If you are interested in learning what other organisations are doing to reach internal audiences, Team Lewis is running a webinar on Monday 20 May. You can sign up now to join the event with an expert panel from the BBC, Google, GSK and The Access Group.