Company Communications Beyond the Office Bathroom as a Communication Nexus - Workology

Company Communications Beyond the Office Bathroom as a Communication Nexus - Workology The Best Places for Office Announcements and Communication in the Office The Best Places for Office Announcements and Communication in the Office In a company a long time ago and far, far away in which I worked, my boss took advantage of every single solitary opportunity to engage his workforce and communicate to his office employees. While employees may spend an average of 64 minutes of unproductive time smoking at work, they also spend unproductive work time somewhere else.  A place where my boss believed you could effectively communicate and have their unlimited attention. *flush*   Yes, you guessed right; the bathroom. The Bathroom and Interoffice Communications My boss thought  of the office potty like a five minute infomercial of company news and office announcements.  The bathroom break provided an opportunity to get his employee’s undivided attention.  Much like late night television, you couldn’t escape his office announcements.  His attempts at improved company communication went beyond the standard bathroom stalls signs. He incorporated streamed audio commentary with a myriad of company announcements intermixed among the sterile elevator music.  Insert your favorite elevator music by Kenny G and “Join us for the annual family employee picnic Sunday. . .” Where is Your Company Communication Nexus? Opportunities  like these are what I call a company’s “communication nexus.”  They are office or work locations, either voluntarily or involuntarily, where you are open, possibly willing or available to be leveraged a unified message or office announcement.   My bosses communication nexus of choice was away from the interruptions of office email and the distraction of the internet (It was 2003 and before the rise of the Smartphone). His employees’ attention at his disposal. These communication nexi are points or office locations where potential employee touch points lie beyond the typical break room posters and communication bulletin boards.  Gone have the obligatory paycheck attachment where HR could spread the word to the natives about the upcoming company picnic or November’s annual benefits enrollment.  Aside from your company’s intranet (do you really read it?), these nexi provide an opportunity to further support the standard methods of communication like voicemail, email, and, my personal favorite,  poorly designed workplace posters. Using the Company Text for Text Message Office Marketing You may already be leveraging some of these nexus connection points like the office time clock, internal portals, employee entrances, and even refrigerator doors.  But there are others you may have missed. Mobile text messaging can serve as an effective office communication nexus for those especially important announcements like building closures, severe weather, specific communications, and emergency situations.  With 94% of text messages read, it’s a nexus that sure beats announcements and elevator music any day. In a world and work filled with endless distractions, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.  You’re employees are badgered by fruitless requests to update their employee information, watch the CEO’s latest viral video, and complete their online ethics training by September 1.  Don’t even get me started on emails especially those with the return receipt requests. . . DELETE! Don’t miss opportunities for company communications and try a new office communicator; the text message! Learn more about how companies can use mobile messaging like text messages and other mobile communication technologies for HR, recruiting, and employee communication, at our September 15th webinar, “Mobile:  The Next Big Thing in HR, Recruiting, and Employee Engagement.”