Communication and culture
“Mobile apps are infiltrating the workplace. Not only are employees more likely to use their mobile devices to text or call their manager and peers, but HR is now relying heavily on mobile as a medium for communicating key priorities and goals, fostering company culture, and driving employee engagement,” explains Santiago Jaramillo, CEO of Emplify.
And he’s certainly not wrong. More than ever, communication in all industries is being done via the one thing everyone is attached to (emotionally and physically) – their smartphones. But there’s the catch. When your staff is accessible at all times – where do you draw the line? Jaramillo acknowledges the shades of grey, “How do you know if you’re communicating with employees too often—or not enough? Are there unwritten rules to using mobile at work?”
And, in his own words below, he lays out some killer mobile etiquette tips.
Mobile etiquette tips
from Santiago Jaramillo, CEO of Emplify
- Keep internal messages bite-sized..
Think about the length of a Tweet (140 characters), and follow the same format when sending a message to a group of employees. The longer the message, the less effective it becomes, as the most important part might get lost in a sea of words. - Segment your audience.
Don’t blast messages to everyone if they don’t apply to each individual. Think about a group message you’ve been tagged in that quickly become irrelevant. It becomes overwhelming. Target your mobile communications to the few who actually need to consume it. - Don’t force employees to always “be on”.
Keep in mind that while workers have the technology and ability to be “always on,” it doesn’t mean they want to be. Time your push messages accordingly. Give employees a chance to find work-life balance by keeping the normal cadence of messages during working hours. - Use your own voice.
It’s entirely appropriate to send emojis or quick, funny polls from time to time. Today’s workforce appreciates the light-heartedness and human touch to workplace communication. Many times, letting your own voice shine through can help build a strong, honest company culture. - Use mobile communication to keep your employees happy.
As a communication medium, an internal mobile app offers an easy way to celebrate and recognize employees, which greatly impacts employee happiness. Use mobile communication to tell an employee “happy birthday” or casually congratulate them for a job well done in front of their peers.
Go forth and do good
These aren’t difficult tips to keep in mind, but they can make a world of difference when we are already constantly bombarded with messages and content. Keep your employees from feeling burdened by work, and they might just -gasp- be excited to get a memo from their boss.
And if that sounds a little far-fetched, we can at least avoid triggering an anxiety attack from a simple memo.
