An unprecedented rise sustained over time. At the beginning of March 2020, almost overnight, companies shifted into a new world of remote work. With the prolongation of the health crisis and its many twists and turns, teleworking has become anchored in our professional habits. Almost two out of three employees in the banking/insurance and services sectors (62%) were still teleworking full or part-time at the end of 2020. On average, employees worked remotely 3.6 days per week!
This new situation, which is set to continue, creates many challenges for companies. How can teams remain cohesive and communication stay effective with remote employees? The problem grows more imminent when a company must also take on important projects or embark on a change management strategy while under these conditions. Normally, this process of change occurs in proximity, with a shared vision, training, and information... How can it be done effectively when associates aren't in the office? Fortunately, different communication channels adapted to change management can still be used remotely.
An intranet is often seen as an ideal way to centralize all of a company's information and give employees easy access to the information they need. The platform can host structural content and tools (payroll, schedule management, expense report management, administrative materials, etc.) and other more circumstantial tools: updates, news...and information related to change processes.
What's more, 64% of companies use an intranet to introduce work methods, and 56% to improve organizational agility and responsiveness. As far as change management is concerned, a (quality) intranet is proven to be a powerful tool… However, it's not enough to carry all the elements of change management on its own.
Employees expect relevant information, but won't necessarily have the reflex, knowledge, time, or desire to go find it on their own. And the best content in the world, the best information out there, won't have anyimpact if no one reads it.
So, what about a newsletter with important information? This can be useful for centralizing and periodically sharing information and new tools related to change management. However, there are also drawbacks, such as the risk of getting lost in already crowded mailboxes and a frequency that doesn't always correspond to employees' needs and availability.
What can be done? Spread the message, improve vertical communication, and respect the basics:
One channel fulfills all these criteria and many others: email signatures.
You can plan and execute a real internal communication campaign using email signatures. Identify in advance the topics to be discussed with employees affected by the changes, create adapted information, and then integrate it into a detailed communication calendar, being sure to include tangible results and milestone victories to celebrate.
With an email signature that's automated and calibrated to support your projects, you can capitalize on the frequency of exchanges and regularly expose your team members to available content. These daily exchanges will help familiarize them with details of the changes requested, relevant content, and more. With this channel, communication is consistent, and employees always feel fully integrated into the company's processes—a crucial point when working far from colleagues.
Discuss, communicate, and exchange easily. Face-to-face or at a distance, nothing beats direct discussion. For this reason, Letsignit's latest feature is particularly useful: you can now adda Teams button to your signature.
Anyone who clicks on it will be able to get in touch with you and start a conversation or a Teams call with one click! Easy, fast, and direct, it's an option perfectly suited for asking a question, addressing a point of detail, asking for clarification, giving step-by-step guidance in the use of a new solution… and ideal for helping collaborators working remotely or in different cities and supporting them through the company's transformation.
An email signature is also perfectly readable on the move, on smartphones and other devices. Whether they’re fully remote, frequently on the move, or alternating between the office and home, all team members will have access to the same level of information. And everyone can embrace the change.
Sources:
https://www.journaldunet.com/management/efficacite-personnelle/1149438-comment-faire-adherer-a-un-changement/
https://newsroom.malakoffhumanis.com/download-pdf/60216e3db3b8490764313cf3
https://boost.rs/blog/conduite-du-changement-en- entreprise-quelles-en-sont-les-cles/