On the lookout during the time of...

It's unreal how quickly time has passed and how much has changed this spring. How do we keep up with all the changes. How do we cope with an everyday life that is nothing like it used to be? How do we plan our work when so much of what we used to know and be able to do is subject to uncertainty? What changes do we see? What do we think will happen in the future? There is indeed much to reflect on.

We have summarised some of the insights, concerns and questions we picked up during the spring in various conversations with customers, colleagues, friends and acquaintances. Perhaps you recognise yourself? Perhaps it will spark new thoughts? Either way, we hope you'll take away something you'll enjoy going forward.

The reality check of internal communication

One thing is certain. The crisis has highlighted how business-critical internal communication is to the business. For many, the need to reach out to everyone has exposed how poorly existing internal channels actually work. They may exist, but few use them and even fewer actually have access to them.  

What does it mean to not be able to reach all employees directly? What happens when it becomes clear that established internal communication channels are not for everyone? Is there already an "us and them" in the corporate culture, or is there a risk of creating communication A teams and B teams when not everyone can be reached directly and quickly?

Cascading is too slow

For a long time we have relied on cascading information. Top-down. From manager to manager. From manager to employee. Globally to locally. When the Corona pandemic hit, everything changed and it became extremely important to get the same clear message directly to every employee faster. Then it became clear that something other than cascading was required.

The intranet has not been enough

We have the intranet, right? For many, the intranet became the only available communication channel to reach an entire organisation. However, the fact that the intranet did not meet the needs that existed became very clear to many, very quickly.

The shortcomings of existing platforms and communication solutions have generated intense discussions and many internal communication departments have been busy when new and fast solutions needed to be put in place immediately. For many, the intranet feels old, sluggish and limiting and instead apps have been rapidly developed, podcasts & webcasts run and other solutions have been used to "push" up-to-date information throughout the organisation.  

The crisis has generally accelerated digital transformation in companies and shown that change does not have to be slow. Creativity and speed around new solutions has emerged when required and there is a sudden acceptance that not everything has to be perfect to work - testing the waters is fine when new solutions need to be put in place immediately. Suddenly, organisations have implemented digitisation solutions and digital ways of working in a matter of weeks, an implementation that was originally planned to take several years.  

The complexity of internal communication in crisis

Communication has been direct, fact-filled and focused, while seeking to create internal confidence and pride. Challenges have included keeping the message together, saying that you can't give clear answers, that you don't know yet, and managing communication in large global organisations with countries that have different situations, regulations and languages.

Internal communication has always lived in the shadow of visible and complex external communication. In the future, issues of prioritisation and new resources for effective internal communication will come to the table in business planning.

The heroes on the front line have become visible

It is not those who work at the top and at the front of the organisation who were previously prioritised in internal communication, apropos A and B teams. However, it is precisely these employees that companies now clearly see they cannot do without and who have gained increased status and visibility when communicating about "frontline" initiatives via e.g. social media. Frontline employees have gone to work, stood strong, professional and loyal. They have truly demonstrated their value.

More industries are experiencing what healthcare has long said - that the jobs with the lowest status are the ones that sustain both society and business. But what happens next? Is everything going back to old hierarchies and behaviors? Whether the crisis will lead to actual change is hard to say, but there is incredible potential in further developing organisational structures and internal communication to involve everyone and harness the power that lies within each person - whatever their role.

Culture change in the digital meeting room

Finally, what happens when we meet digitally instead of in offices in physical meeting rooms? Many people feel very strongly that digital meetings have created an openness and a kind of equality in communication when ingrained status, title and social relationships don't have as much impact. Digital meetings create closeness to the person behind the image of the colleague, give more focus to the individual's skills than who are contacts and friends and make conversations richer and at the same time more focused.

Perhaps the crisis can provide opportunities for companies to break up ingrained patterns and power structures, increase gender equality and create a more open internal communication climate? Through solutions such as Teams, apps or Zoom, many managers and executives can now reach all employees on an equal footing, providing access to information and the opportunity for direct dialogue across borders, roles and titles. Perhaps it is time to seriously unlock the potential that exists when all employees are involved, engaged and up to date so that they can work vigorously together to achieve business goals.

Transform business by Involving all the people

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