Using an Employee Communications Platform
Importance of An Employee Communications Platform
For any place of employment to be successful, there has to be communication. Management has to be able to relay information successfully down the pipeline from upper management to new hires. Many different platforms can accommodate internal and external communications amongst employees, but finding the right software can be overwhelming.
The truth is that we have become a society that prefers to use digital formats and social media as a means of communication. Traditional businesses were limited to emails, phone calls, and in-person meetings to discuss topics in the work environment. In case you haven’t noticed, even before the pandemic, in-person meetings were happening less and less. Now they are non-existent. Employees can be contacted through communications platforms wherever they are, and business sees little to no interruption.
How do you know which employee communications platform to choose from, and how do you use it after you have it?
HubEngage brings a new type of employee communications platform that goes beyond the analog internal communications style everyone is used to. Times are changing, which requires a technology that can change along with it. Our businesses require an intranet and comms platform that can keep up with the change, and HubEngage provides it.
What is an Employee Communications Platform?
An employee communications platform is much what it sounds like – a platform for employees to engage with one another. These platforms make it possible for employees to talk, share, and communicate with each other beyond traditional email and phone conversations. The resources available through these types of software platforms allow for collaboration among all team members, including management, through various mediums.
When you choose to use the HubEngage platform, you will find that employee communications become easier and more responsive. Through mobile applications and other analytics, HubEngage keeps business managers, executives, and employees engaged and on the same page through the proprietary intranet infrastructure that offers the right level of security and the right options to make using an employee communications platform beneficial to the business.
The Types of Internal Communications (Comms) Platforms
In the beginning, there was a simple internal communications platform that people used in their businesses to keep their constituents in the loop and informed – the intranet. In the simplest form, the intranet was a way of connecting employees and managers together within a system that operated within its own network. The thing about the intranet is that it was only accessible from specific computers (often located at the business or company). There was no way of going home at the end of the day and remaining within the same system. At that point, employees and management had to rely on emails and phone calls to remain informed of important updates.
These days, the ones before a broader form of employee communications are referred to as “analog” days. It hasn’t been that long since the analog days were here, and the technology we use today was just a dream. Well, this dream has now come true.
With the help of intranet software platforms that are versatile, we can implement tools for collaboration among various sectors. The goal is to bring employees across different departments together to work as one. On top of being able to collaborate effectively, a well-formed intranet can also provide a mobile platform that can encompass and fulfill every need like the desktop software can.
Internal Communications #1: Intranet Software for Comms
The intranet options available now are not the same intranet options of the analog days. Implementation of new intranet software can help extend the communications reach of employees and management. When you signed on to a company’s intranet, it was done by a desktop located within the company. Next, there were company laptops that had the capability of accessing the intranet. We can now gain access to the company intranet from just about any device we want to use.
The flexibility that occurs when integrating an upgraded intranet software only facilitates growth within the communications between employees and managers within the company. Features like push notifications mean that employees or managers won’t miss important notifications and are alerted the moment they occur. Using an intranet that contains a multichannel approach means that content is always available effectively and conveniently.
HubEngage provides businesses of any size the tools they need to implement an intranet solution that goes beyond the realm of analog internal communication methods. Encompassing all of the digital solutions that we see in business today in one collaborative platform makes handling internal communication and business much easier and in sync with the times. When you integrate an intranet structure into a business, there becomes a higher level of efficiency.
PRO TIP: Click here to learn more about HubEngage’s Intranet Solution.
Internal Communications #2: Collaboration Tools for Comms
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if all of your comms were available in one collaborated location? When you have employees, who are spread out across a large geographical area or managers who are consistently out of the office for meetings, having a tool that puts everything in one localized intranet makes staying on task much easier.
Using collaboration tools, you can create an environment for employees and other members of management to come together. In one place, communication can be absorbed, educational materials, interactive platforms, content submission, receiving or giving feedback and recognition, and expression through social media – all team members together and interacting with one another.
Internal Communications #3: Mobile Compatibility for Intranet and Comms
Everyone has a smartphone in their hands today. You can’t do anything without having your smartphone with you. We go to sleep at night, and it is on the nightstand. We go to the movie theater and only switch it to silent or vibrate, just in case. It is safe to say that if anyone wants to reach someone, they need to call their mobile phone.
From the first flip phones to the PDA and palm pilot, we now have small computers that live within our pockets. Everything our desktop computers can do, our smartphones can do. With that said, it’s only natural that we can handle our work tasks straight from our phones.
Intranet solutions are now compatible with mobile devices. Applications for Android and iOS have been developed to make us work smarter, not harder. We can communicate with our co-workers, our managers, and even clients if required. The push notifications that can be directed to the phones can keep employees and management up-to-date on all important dealings, any time of day.
HubEngage offers a well-integrated intranet and employee communications platform that exceeds the expectations of implementing mobile applications for internal communication. Going beyond the analog internal communications will create a wider reach for employee and business communications. You receive push notifications that bring important notices to light when the time is right.
Digital Preferences for Intranet and Internal Communications
You are the largest asset and tool for your employees and the implementation of the changes you plan on using with internal communications. When you seek out the right collaborative platform to fulfill the needs of your business or company’s communications, find one that will teach you how to use it.
Wait, you mean a company will teach you how to use their intranet software and all the perks it provides for the employees? To help with all of these implementations and changes, a customer service team should also be available to help with any questions or problems you or your employees have problems with.
Providing tools, such as training or support for employees, makes for an easier transition into the new technology. It doesn’t matter what size your company is. An implementation of a versatile employee communications program can be easy with the right tools.
Employee Tools for Digital Implementation and Change
For any place of employment to be successful, there has to be communication. Management has to be able to relay information successfully down the pipeline from upper management to new hires. Many different platforms can accommodate internal and external communications amongst employees, but finding the right software can be overwhelming.
The truth is that we have become a society that prefers to use digital formats and social media as a means of communication. Traditional businesses were limited to emails, phone calls, and in-person meetings to discuss topics in the work environment. In case you haven’t noticed, even before the pandemic, in-person meetings were happening less and less. Now they are non-existent. Employees can be contacted through communications platforms wherever they are, and business sees little to no interruption.
How do you know which employee communications platform to choose from, and how do you use it after you have it?
HubEngage brings a new type of employee communications platform that goes beyond the analog internal communications style everyone is used to. Times are changing, which requires a technology that can change along with it. Our businesses require an intranet and comms platform that can keep up with the change, and HubEngage provides it.
Understanding Intranet Privacy and Internal Communications
You might already know this, but the biggest concern that people have with the internet and intranet structures is privacy. Companies often fear that the internal data or information placed on their intranet software will find its way to the public domain. Scary, right?
What kind of horror it would be to bring up the internet to see an internal memo or communications that were meant to be private out there on the world wide web. What about the proprietary technology or valuable competitive information that is sensitive? There is no more risk in the intranet than there is with email or other network communication methods. The right platforms will provide you with the right level of security for your needs, including encryption services. You need to understand why there are reasons you shouldn’t worry too much about the intranet privacy of internal communications.
- Strict intranet privacy defeats the sharing of knowledge – In most circumstances, part of the total intranet and employee communications platform is engaging on social media or other forums for these types of things. Yes, there are specific things that a company wants to keep proprietary and to itself, for that are permissions that are set up for groups and keeping the information out of the wrong hands.
- Strict intranet privacy prevents transparency – when there is a high level of privacy among the intranet of a company, it expresses that there may be secrets among the employees, management, and executive leaders. The point of the intranet is to ensure that the information shared among those people is accurate and reliable. The same applies to transparency as it does for the sharing of knowledge. There are roles and permissions that can be set to information to ensure it goes to the right people.
- Privacy may restrict necessary camaraderie – you want your employees to engage with the public and with one another. When strict privacy is in place over the intranet, it can make the employees feel like they can’t do the tasks they need to do or engage the way they need to.
There becomes a necessity for businesses to find a healthy level of security and privacy within their intranet and employee communications platform. There are companies that provide services for intranet and comms platforms that can isolate data storage for privacy without limiting the social engagement.
HubEngage helps businesses to secure the employee experience platform. Through HubEngage, there is 24/7 enterprise-grade security, multi-tenant data isolation, replicated data centers, and two ways to encrypt the business-sensitive data.
Making Comms Transition Easier for Employees
HubEngage provides training for those who integrate with their intranet and employee communications platforms. By creating knowledgeable staff to help with the implementation process, it makes it easier for the employees who are transitioning from the traditional analog internal communications system if they have someone who can walk them through it one-on-one. HubEngage also has 24/7 support available for those who implement the software.
One of the best things that a business can do for the employees when they implement new employee communications platforms is to provide them with education. Education is a good tool to help create a confident employee and a successful implementation of software that can help a business grow with the times.
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