Behind every business is a team of people.
People who have concerns about their own wellbeing and job security, and that their families and friends.
These are the people who have shaped the last few months of business and how it’s changed.
Picture this.
It’s your Monday morning team meeting on Zoom. You are gearing your team up for the week when your dog runs into the frame. Or your colleague’s children make a guest appearance wanting to go potty. Or maybe someone has turned themselves into a potato and can’t figure out how to change the settings.
What all this shows is that in 2020, we have so often ditched the professional façade and embraced the reality of living in a pandemic. The human side of your business is taking centre stage.
So, make sure your people are also at the centre of your communications.
Remote working means employees are letting their organisations into their homes, which leads to the perfect opportunity to let your people into your business.
Be bold and vulnerable. Be authentic and thoughtful. Create an opportunity for people to get engaged and see your true colours.
Are you playing it safe? Or are you willing to be bold?
Stories give you a platform to discuss your struggles. To demonstrate how you have come together as a team and overcome adversity. And to show the world your culture and inspire people to find a way forward.
Three simple ways to harness the human side of your business in your communications strategy
1. Focus on your people
How are your people feeling at the moment?
How are you connecting with them and conveying a sense of understanding?
Shifting communications to focus on your people, rather than fixed business objectives, can align your workforce and show empathy. Discuss the steps you are taking to keep your people safe and engaged. Deliver messages from your executive team to create an open dialogue. And don’t be afraid to outline the struggles your business has experienced.
Send the message that you are all in this together and that you are there for your people when they need support.
2. Reinforce your company culture
As you navigate the impacts of change, don’t lose sight of your core purpose.
With displaced workforces, company culture is more important than ever as a means of bringing people together.
Show the world your values. Highlight what is important to your business during this time.
Talk about the changes you are making to improve the situation.
And inspire your people to find a way forward.
3. Show, don’t tell
As businesses hustle to deliver fast solutions in response to extraordinary change, sincerity can often be compromised in communications.
That is why visual storytelling is such a powerful way to connect with your employees or clients, particularly during a time of social isolation and disruption.
When you show – rather than tell – how your business is navigating this environment, you convey sincerity and thoughtfulness.
You show your people that you are not thinking conservatively or reactively.
Proactive, mindful and practical communications are the secret to moving your business forward as a united front.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. By looking beyond how you can deliver efficient communications and considering how you can be helpful, you open the door to a flourishing future, no matter what comes your way.